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UK’s Self-Inflicted Energy Crisis: 5 Years to Prolonged Power Cuts
Over the last 25 years successive governments have failed to form a coherent, realistic and structured energy policy for the UK. The business and industrial community, which has already been forced to accept energy prices far in excess of its European counterparts, is now expressing grave disquiet.
Piecemeal legislation has resulted in a crisis situation for both short-term and long- term energy supply in the UK. Industry insiders predict major shortages within the next five years.
Prof Ian Fells, internationally acclaimed energy expert, explains how unrealistic “green” aspirations and wishful thinking about unachievable quantities of offshore wind generation has led to under-investment in energy base load infrastructure to replace the loss of one third of generating capacity over the next decade which the UK faces.
“The report discloses a staggering lack of understanding of the technical and engineering reality of what can be built within a short time scale.
The default position with the current policy is more gas, with all the political uncertainties on availability and price that implies,” says Professor Fells, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
- More inter-connectors to Norway, Germany, France and the Netherlands
- Burning of municipal waste in incinerators to generate electricity, provide power around large conurbations and cut down on landfill
- Coal power station life extensions may become essential despite the EU emissions directive post-2015
- Some further nuclear station life extensions and the nuclear new-build programme must start urgently to have a new station by 2018
- Government assistance for research into carbon capture and storage, which must be demonstrated urgently if CO2 emissions are to be reduced and security of supply improved
- Increased strategic gas storage
In future all CO2-free generation, including nuclear, should attract a premium, their report says.
The report highlights how a Severn Barrage, currently the subject of a government study, could provide 5% of UK electricity within 10 years but an urgent decision either way is needed to keep an overall integrated energy policy on course.
“All in all it will be a close run thing to provide electricity to keep the lights on through the next decade. A coherent strategic plan, as laid out in our “Route Map to Energy Survival” in the Report should do the trick”, Prof Fells says.
Well-known industrialist Andrew Cook, who commissioned the report, adds
“ A fearful void has opened in which we need more electricity yet increasingly lack the means to generate it”.
Professor James Lovelock FRS
“The UK’s need for a secure source of energy is far more important than satisfying EU or green obligations. Ian Fells and Candida Whitmill’s report tells us just what to do.”
Sir Eric Ash FRS, former Rector of Imperial College and chairman of Ocean Power Technology
“……a very impressive contribution.”
Prof Ian Fells
Fells Associates – Mobile: 07974 112 978 Email: ian@fellsassociates.com
Website: www.fellsassociates.com
Candida Whitmill
Fells Associates – Mobile: 07973 776 723 Email: candida@mc2business.co.uk
Andrew Cook
William Cook Holdings – Mobile 07802 937394, email:andrewcook@william- cook.co.uk.
“A Pragmatic Energy Policy for the UK” is available on www.fellsassociates.com