REGARDLESS of whether there is any scientific merit in the theory of global
warming, the remarkable thing is that the British Government is making no
positive effort to prepare for the elimination of fossil fuels from our
economy. Certainly, ministers have announced when new conventional cars and
hybrids will be banned – somewhere between 2032 and 2035. Also, the
Scottish Government has helpfully invited councils to set up low emission
zones.
However, where is the preparatory work for massively increasing our
generating capacity? We currently generate around 335 TWh (TeraWatt hours)
of electricity each year. To replace all petrol and diesel cars and lighter
commercial vehicles would need around a further 375 TWh. Add in lorries and
other larger commercial vehicles and a further 100 TWh would be required.
A further 510 TWh would be needed annually to replace all domestic oil and
gas heating and cooking. In other words, we will need to more than triple
electrical generation and that is before we consider industrial users of
energy from fossil fuels.
The only plausible carbon-neutral source of that amount of electrical power
for the UK is nuclear power. Wind turbines cannot provide the baseload
because their output is wildly variable, and because there is no economic
method of storing large amounts of electrical power. And yet we are not
starting the process of commissioning dozens of new nuclear power stations.
Also, a kiloWatt hour of electricity currently costs around four times as
much as a kiloWatt hour of energy from mains gas. This means that switching
over to electrical heating will push many millions into fuel poverty, even
ignoring the fact that increasing demand and inadequate supply will push up
the price of electrical power much further.
Furthermore, there is currently no viable alternative to plastics derived
from the oil and gas industry. For a great many purposes, including for
example electrical insulation and medical uses, they simply cannot be cut out.
The approach of Westminster, of Holyrood and of the climate change
activists is a recklessly dangerous fantasy.
Otto Inglis, Edinburgh EH4.

SAS Volunteer

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