Anti-green Conservatives are wringing their hands about cutting back on ‘net zero’ commitments after the so-called ULEZ election in Uxbridge. This by-election produced a swing of nearly 7 per cent to Labour – which at a General Election all over the country would put Labour in Government. And the brown Tories think they are on to a winner attacking green policies! In reality, there are a lot of measures that are really cheap and won’t make anybody out of pocket but which the Government aren’t doing.
One – put in place a real energy efficiency programme like what was set up at the end of the last Labour Government – this delivered many times the home energy improvements that this government’s small programme is doing. See our analysis of what needs to be done HERE.
Two – give onshore wind the same planning rights as other developments
Three – bring forward the new building regulations immediately to ban fossil fuels in all new buildings and tighten fabric efficiency standards
Four – require mandatory solar pv on new buildings in proportion to their roof size and also mandate the installation of batteries in new buildings
Five – increase the capacity offered in the CfD allocations (contracts for new renewables schemes) all round, especially for solar pv and onshore wind
Six – Set up an energy company obligation (on the major energy companies) to deliver at least 50,000 heat pumps installations per year in existing buildings (numbers rising each year thereafter)
Seven – Guarantee home solar generators at least the same export price for their electricity as given to solar farms under CfDs (just over 5p/kWh)
Eight – Regulate the National Gird and electricity distribution companies to rapidly increase the roll-out of grid connections needed for renewable energy and new electricity connection
Nine – scrap plans to fund Sizewell C from energy consumers’ pockets
All of these involve little or no expenditure, and what little extra expense there will be can be paid for by scrapping Sizewell C. This will not produce any energy for many many years and at much greater cost than renewable energy and energy efficiency.
By David Toke
Read about the 100%RenewableUK energy model and how it compares to the Government’s net zero plan. 100%RE gives lower emissions for much lower overall cost! Our new report concludes that a 100% renewable energy mix for the UK would save well over £100bn in achieving net zero by 2050, compared to the UK Government’s current strategy. It would also mean more than 20% lower cumulative carbon emissions in the process. The study, carried out by renowned energy modeling academics at LUT University in Finland, involves hour-by-hour simulation of different scenarios for reaching net zero for UK energy systems. Click HERE for more information, including links to the report itself and accompanying material
You can see the youtube recording of our seminar on 100percent renewable energy for the UK held in London on April 22nd HERE
I think that consideration also has given on how to help those who wish to transit from a well-running petrol car to an EV (even a 2nd hand EV)
Number 10 would surely be to implement the proposals ,set out in a Government public consultation back in 2020, to ensure that every commercial or residential property let out performs at a minimum standard of a C energy rating, rather than an (unenforced) E rating as at present.
After all, the vast majority of buildings likely to be around in 2050 are already long since in occupation.
10. Reduce national speed limits. 20mph on residential streets, 40mph on country lanes, 50mph on single carriageway A roads, 60mph on motorways.
Switch to a hydrogen economy and hydrogen combustion engines see JCB hydrogen combustion engines and local energy networks.
Produce electric velomobiles to substitute for cars. I bought one of these three years ago after I inherited £20,000 from my father. It cost me £9,500 but was worth it. Unfortunately there’s normally a one year waiting list. I was lucky and got mine after just 4 months because another customer cancelled