UK Draft Energy Bill Avoids Banning Coal Or Gas Power

Bob the Super Hamste writes "The BBC is reporting that the UK's new Draft Energy Bill (PDF) avoids banning coal or gas powered plants. The bill would guarantee profits for new nuclear and offshore wind plants by putting a levy on people's energy bills. The bill does not mandate a statement that minsters had previously made about having totally clean energy within two decades. The government states that provisions within the bill will ensure a balanced diverse energy mix as well has stating that future emissions from gas powered plants will have to be captured and stored. The bill also aims to increase competition in the UK energy market by making it easier for new competitors to become connected to the grid. Joss Garman of Greenpeace states: 'By failing to set a clear goal for carbon-free electricity by 2030, ministers are opening the door to a dangerous new dash for gas that will put up both bills and carbon emissions, and increase our dependence on imported fuel. This means families and business will be exposed to rocketing international gas prices. The fastest and cheapest way to bring down bills and carbon emissions is by ramping up energy efficiency but Ministers have totally failed to deliver on this.' Additionally it would appear that the guarantee of profits for new nuclear power plants may not be legal as there is a ban on subsidies for nuclear power under European law and the UK coalition government agreement." Note that wind projects are getting profit guarantees and not just nuclear.

Comments

Pretty Much Expected from the Cameron Government

[DrEnter]

This is really no surprise from the Cameron government, which acts like a puppet of oil and gas interests. First dismantling the UK Carbon Trust, and now openly pushing legislation like this. Deplorable all around. As bad as Blair and Brown were, the UK managed to find someone worse in Cameron. Amazing.

Re:Kinda missing the point

[Anonymous Coward]

coal and gas powered plants are the number one cause of pollution and greenhouse gases

At the extreme, stupidity becomes indistinguishable from evil.

The cult of AGW has gone way beyond harmless Malthusian eccentricity - it's now killing old ladies.

I honestly can't blame them

[Anonymous Coward]

As a tree-hugger myself I don't see how a modern economy can just dump a major source of power like coal and gas in less than one generation so I can't blame them for this. However, I would've liked to have seem them at least set a goal with some teeth behind it. My feeling though is that people hate to sacrifice even to save themselves and we'll just have to have a real climate hell before anything changes. Sort of like the guy who ignores his health until he has a heart attack despite all the warnings.

I kind of like the idea of UK being a test

[crazyjj]

Actually, as an American, I wouldn't mind seeing the UK turned into a test platform for green energy (and some social engineering to push it). If it succeeds, they could show the rest of the English speaking world how to do it. And if it turns out to be a hippie pipe dream and fails--well, then we learn a valuable lesson without having to suffer for it in the U.S.

You're on point, Britain! Watch out for mines, and good luck.

GE has the tech.

[Anonymous Coward]

Can't we come up with scrubbers to clean up the pollution that coal plants put out?

It's a shame coal is so polluting, because we have so damn much of it. It's one of the most plentiful fuels in the world! There has to be a way to burn it cleanly!

I have a relative who is a big shot consulting engineer for GE.

And I pepper him with questions like this whenever I see him.

Yes, there are scrubbers - including taking out the metals like mercury - all that mercury in your predator fish (shark, tuna, swordfish, etc ...) is because of coal fired power plants.

BUT power plants have a very long economic life and environmental laws and knowledge hasn't been around that long. You also have folks who don't give a shit about the environment or at least place economic activity above human health - like China and every other Third World Country.

But anyway, GE at least, has technology to make coal as clean as Natural Gas - but you have to pay out the ass for it.

Pointless.

[vlm]

reporting that the UK's new Draft Energy Bill (PDF) avoids banning ... gas powered plants.

Given the staggering decline in north sea production, because its all gone, I don't think this is terribly relevant.

The fastest and cheapest way to bring down ... carbon emissions is by

is by burning up all the gas? Can't emit carbon if there's none to burn.

I follow the energy business and the UK is in serious danger of disaster in the next decade or so. They don't have the technical equipment or the economic strength or the installed capital (like insulated buildings) to survive the transition from a fossil fuel exporter to pretty much having to import everything. The lights are going out and no more central heated homes. The strong "business as usual" and "kick the can down the road" isn't helping the situation. There will be people freezing to death in the winter, there will be rolling blackouts...

Also all/most of the coal was burned up in the industrial revolution. The last mine in cornwall (and it was a tin mine anyway) closed up more than a decade ago. They can import, for awhile. Its kinda expensive.

People have a very difficult time understanding technological limitations. If only the price gets high enough then the boffins will magically find an expensive way to do anything. Well, no, not really. Print as many pounds / euros as you want, they can't magically fill an empty fuel tank.