The UK has been going through a green energy transition from coal and gas to renewables. Labour have promised to accelerate this, in part by creating the Scotland-based Great British Energy. But it faces significant challenges. In their Manifesto Labour promised to “work with …
New reactor for Scotland not as improbable as it seems
Last week’s surprise revelation that the UK Government is planning to build a new nuclear station in Scotland is perhaps not as unlikely as it seems. Despite nuclear power making no economic or environmental sense. When Alister Jack said that the 2026 …
Hydrogen dream evaporating
Scotland hopes to be a major exporter of hydrogen, but problems with major projects in Europe show that ambitious plans for the use of hydrogen may never be delivered. There are a number of potential sources of hydrogen. The oil …
Agriculture and energy sectors need to reduce methane emissions
Action in agriculture and the oil and gas industry could produce rapid reductions in the powerful greenhouse gas methane. 25% of Scotland’s contribution to climate change in 2021 was due to our emissions of methane. Because methane is around 80 …
Fife hydrogen heating trial now completely pointless
UK ministers have resisted an organised backlash against heat pumps and the hype over hydrogen for home heating and are about to confirm targets for heat pump manufacture. The Scottish Government recently confirmed its ambitions on heat pumps with a target to …
A treaty to end fossil fuels
The UK has just left the Energy Charter Treaty supposedly on the grounds that it would hold back action to meet climate targets. The Treaty, dating from 1991, allows fossil fuel companies to sue governments over policies they don’t like. France, Germany, the Netherlands …
Cementing renewables links with Africa
Scotland is working with key partners in Africa to share expertise and learn from each other on renewable energy. In the early 2000s I was invited by the Director in charge of energy policy at the Scottish Executive, as it …
Never mind the climate crisis
Labour’s botched retreat from their commitments to a massive investment in reducing climate emissions looks doubly bad given its timing. First, in 2021 there was the pledge to invest £28 billion a year in measures to combat climate change. Then, …
Granting new oil and gas licences is insane
Despite the International Energy Agency saying in 2021 that no country should be granting new oil and gas licences, despite the UN Secretary-General saying that investing in new fossil fuel infrastructure is “moral and economic madness” and despite December’s climate …
Renewables energy’s rise and rise
Renewable energy prices are tumbling and installation rates are surging ahead. In almost every part of the world, it is cheaper to install wind and solar than it is to invest in new fossil-fuel power generation. Globally renewable energy grew by a …
Nuclear PR push can’t change the facts
The UK’s nuclear enthusiasts have been on another PR offensive, with announcements of new reactors and possible life extensions to old reactors. All of it denying the reality that nuclear is much too slow and much too expensive to be …
Tobacco style attacks on heat pumps
Transforming the heating of our homes and other buildings is essential to reduce climate emissions and protect people from the volatile costs of fossil fuels. But anti-climate forces and vested interests are using tactics straight out of the tobacco industry …