What a super, sensible response to10 May 2022 15:55
Ruth Hayhurst's article today! https://drillordrop.com/2022/05/10/lincolnshire-oil-schemes-will-not-help-energy-crisis-say-pilgrims/?fbclid=IwAR031fzl320SxC7J6j9G-YvLj9Ya2ibQCVRyuL3UjA5U4Adgt0SmdGf1pM4
What a mixture of odd comments!
Amanda may not be aware of taxation, but others on this site have been calling for a windfall tax on oil companies! UK tax is paid on UK profits, Amanda. Where do you think the £1 billion provided to help those in real difficulties with cost of living comes from? Not from imported oil.
And, rapid development of renewables has not protected us from high energy prices, and has another £150B to be added to our energy bills to pay for new nuclear to support unreliable renewables. Unreliable renewables do not become reliable by having more.
As for the environment, then the CCC stated quite clearly in February that UK production has a lower carbon footprint than the international average, so to preclude UK production whilst imports are to continue well past 2050,is an environmental nonsense.
Threatening chalk streams? Do a bit of research. The most famous chalk river, R.Test, has an oil extraction site close by. No issue. What about all the wild birds minced by wind turbines? I know land owners who refused to have wind turbines on their land due to such environmental nonsense, until they were told they would be guaranteed £150k net profit per turbine per year whether the electricity was required, or not, so that the Government of the day could state how they were such a success! The cost was then just added to energy bills.
The oil price is currently no higher than it was before the war in Ukraine. The oil price is high because the world has suffered a pandemic and oil companies cut back on development, especially in 2020, and now the world is opening up again, there are supply shortages. Yes, they will be exacerbated by the war, but the price was already high. So, what is needed is extra supply, and that will increase further as an oil embargo for Russian oil starts to bite.
Then there is the “size” card. Sorry, I know it has been added to the list, but it is a nonsense. If size is insignificant then actions every individual may make are insignificant, and therefore not worth bothering with. Forget a wind turbine, as the output of one is not worth a candle-and that is what might be needed when the wind stops.
UK energy that was so “secure” is now shown to be so insecure that the remaining coal fired generation has been requested to prolong their lives. With, imported coal.
Transition should be, in my opinion, taking steps that are seen to make a positive difference, even if not huge. Then, the next steps that may be larger, are more likely to gain acceptance.