The government won’t tell people to reduce their energy use because it is “not a nanny state”, but refuses to rule out rationing, the climate minister has said. On the prime minister’s decision to avoid a public briefing on the energy saving campaign, Graham Stewart said the government was “reluctant to tell people what to do”. Underlining that the Government is not a ‘nanny state’, Mr Stuart explained: “What we are prepared to do is talk to the big energy users and talk to smart technology consumers about their reward for reducing energy during peak hours. “The danger is if you had a kind of general ‘use less energy’ message that the wrong lessons would be taken by people.” It comes as British households face rolling three-hour blackouts if gas imports fall short of demand this winter, National Grid has warned. Russia’s war has created “unprecedented turmoil and volatility” in energy markets, the company said on Thursday, adding that pre-planned blackouts may be necessary to prioritize power plants.
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New gas and oil exploration ‘good for the environment’, climate minister says
A new round of licensing for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea will be “good for the environment”, Climate Secretary Graham Stuart has said. The North Sea Transitional Authority (NSTA) will launch its 33rd round of offshore licences, with the UK government arguing that increased production will boost the economy and energy security. “Our development is not going to affect our use,” said Mr Stuart, “I know it sounds counterintuitive – but it’s actually good for the environment.” But Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsey said: “We can hope to keep global warming below 1.5C if we leave fossil fuels in the ground. “The Government’s claim that burning more and more fossil fuels from the North Sea will help the UK meet its international obligations to be net-zero by 2050 has nothing to do with reality – we really are out of sight.” The Green Party also said that any new production, even if done quickly, would not be available for years and therefore would not help tackle the current crisis. Maryam Zakir-Hussain7 October 2022 11:43 1665137854
Nicola Sturgeon says UK government ‘undermining energy security’
Nicola Sturgeon said she was concerned the UK government was “undermining energy security” in the long term. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said: “I am concerned at the moment that what we are hearing from the UK government is just a continuation of their haphazard energy planning and in the long term what they are doing is undermining energy security rather than enhancing it.” Maryam Zakir-Hussain7 October 2022 11:17 1665136246
Truss decision to rule out energy saving campaign ‘dogmatic and dangerous’
On the Prime Minister’s decision to block an energy saving campaign, Will Hodson, consumer champion and founder of How To Save It commented: “Blocking a campaign that encourages households to use less energy is dogmatic and dangerous. “Since the government has put taxpayers on the hook for every unit of energy used in the country, they have a duty to help us use less. This disclaimer will undoubtedly increase the likelihood of a power outage. “The simple truth is that using less energy is also the best way for households to reduce their bills. I would urge the Prime Minister to review her strategy and be honest with the British people about the situation we are in.” Maryam Zakir-Hussain October 7, 2022 10:50 am 1665134402
What are power outages and why might they happen this winter?
Households could face blackouts for up to three hours at a time this winter if gas-fired power stations are unable to keep running due to the energy crisis, National Grid has warned. Although unlikely, this year could see the first planned blackouts, which the grid calls “rota load shedding,” since the 1970s. But Prime Minister Liz Truss has ruled out launching a public awareness campaign to save energy as she is “ideologically opposed” to an “interventionist” approach, according to the Times.
What are power outages and why might they happen this winter?
Households could face blackouts for up to three hours at a time this winter if gas-fired power stations are unable to keep running due to the energy crisis, National Grid has warned. Although unlikely, this year could see the first planned blackouts, which the grid calls “rota load shedding”, since the 1970s. But Prime Minister Liz Truss has ruled out launching a public awareness campaign about energy conservation, as it is “ideologically opposed” to an “interventionist” approach, according to the Times. Sign up for our newsletters. Maryam Zakir-Hussain October 7, 2022 10:20 am 1665133219
The government does not advise people to reduce their energy use
The government is not telling people to reduce overall energy consumption, a minister said, but refused to rule out curbing. Climate Secretary Graham Stewart said that rather than looking at reducing overall use, the government is supporting the energy regulator to come up with solutions that will incentivize businesses and consumers to potentially reduce peak-time energy demand if necessary. During a series of interviews broadcast on Friday, he said the UK’s energy security was “quite strong” and noted that National Grid had said blackouts this winter were an “unlikely” scenario. Mr Stuart also said he did not recognize a report in The Times which claimed Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg had signed off on a £15m public awareness campaign about using less energy this winter only to have the plan blocked by Premier Liz Truss. . “I don’t recognize it. We are in an iterative process of developing policy and ideas and coming to a conclusion,” Mr Stuart told Sky News. “The idea that there was some highly developed campaign … passionately committed and Number 10 rejected it, I don’t recognize that.” Maryam Zakir-Hussain7 October 2022 10:00 1665132161
Government ‘not expecting’ blackouts to happen, climate minister says
Climate Secretary Graham Stewart said the government was “not expecting” blackouts to happen but was planning for “all eventualities”. National Grid has warned that the UK could face three-hour blackouts this winter if gas imports fall short. Maryam Zakir-Hussain7 October 2022 09:42 1665130873
Nicola Sturgeon asks Scots to be ‘sensible about their energy use’
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has called on Scots to be “sensible about their energy use” this winter and said new oil and gas exploration should not be at the whim of UK government ministers. Ms Sturgeon told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “There is real concern for people about energy supplies over the winter period. “We see a lack of planning and basic communication from the UK Government. This is particularly scary in a Scottish context because we are a net exporter of electricity. We generate enough electricity from renewable sources to meet almost all of our household needs. (PA wire) “We are part of the GB network, so we rely on the UK government to make good decisions themselves. I think there needs to be, a bit like during Covid, honest explanations to people about the challenges we face, good advice to people about what we’re asking them to do.” He also said: “Any consent for new (oil and gas) exploration should not come without the most stringent climate compatibility checks.” He added that it would not happen in an independent Scotland “without strict compatibility checks. Not with Jacob Rees-Mogg waking up in the morning and deciding it’s the right thing to do.” Ms Sturgeon said: “My objection to the UK Government’s approach is the haphazard approach that undermines energy security. The road to energy security is renewable energy sources.” Maryam Zakir-Hussain October 7, 2022 09:21 1665129713
6 ways to light up your home during a blackout
A shortage of natural gas, which produced 40 percent of the UK’s electricity last year, could lead to three-hour blackouts to save supplies for heating homes and buildings. So how can you keep your home lit in the event of a blackout? Here’s everything you need to know:
6 ways to light up your home during a blackout
Households across the UK could face power cuts this winter Maryam Zakir-Hussain 7 October 2022 09:01 1665128790
Government is working with Ofgem and National Grid to reduce energy use, climate secretary says
The Government is supporting Ofgem to develop ways for businesses and consumers to reduce their energy use at peak times, Climate Secretary Graham Stuart said. He told LBC: “We have worked with Ofgem and National Grid and others to make sure we have the maximum flexibility we can, in the very unlikely scenario there was a supply shortage. “And that’s why we’ve come up with … we’ve worked with them, they’re talking to the big natural gas users and the commercial sector about a voluntary program where they could, you know, get paid to reduce their demand at peak times . “Because for us it’s about the peak, meeting those peaks and not the kind of overall usage in terms of security of supply, and similarly with the use of smart meter technology that’s been installed in many homes to allow people people to, again voluntarily, reduce their use and be rewarded for doing so.” Asked how the rewards would work, he said: “That’s driven by Ofgem and I’m not personally responsible for the means by which it’s delivered, so I don’t know exactly, but we’re supporting them to come up with practical plans to enable that to happen.” Maryam Zakir-Hussain7 October 2022 08:46 1665127622
Climate minister says ‘we’re not a nanny government’
Climate Secretary Graham Stewart said “we are not a nanny government” and described…
