Huge government investment in renewable energy would increase energy security during extreme cold weather, the Green Party has said today.
Following reports today that an estimated 2 million homes, schools and hospitals across the UK are expected to face fuel rationing over Christmas, as oil supplies are disrupted by the extreme cold weather and snow, while at the same time oil prices have risen from 40p a litre to more than 70p in the last month (1), the Green Party have reiterated the need for energy security.
Charles Hendry, the Energy Minister, has acknowledged that the current situation could become “very serious”, with some households already facing waits of several weeks for oil deliveries, ahead of further predicted snow.
The current situation highlights the need for local renewable energy schemes, which would allow people to take more control over meeting their own energy requirements, while also drastically reducing UK carbon emissions.
An essential long-term objective of government policy must be to ensure that electricity generation, storage and distribution occur as close to point of use as possible.
In order to facilitate this, a Green government would introduce a programme of investment in publicly-owned renewable energy projects, with an initial focus on onshore and offshore wind projects.
Green Party environment spokesperson Penny Kemp said today:
“Greens have always believed that a switch to renewable energy makes sense on a consumer level, as well as an environmental level. By offering increased energy security and, combined with energy efficiency measures such as home insulation, delivering lower fuel bills too, renewable energy can only benefit consumers, while also helping to mitigate severe climate change.”
Green energy efficiency scheme would save consumers money
In addition, proposals by the Green Party to introduce energy efficiency measures would cut fuel bills.
One such scheme was implemented by Green councillors in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, in 2007, offering all households free loft and cavity wall insulation. By October 2009, the scheme was saving 32,000 households an average of £200 a year on fuel bills, while reducing the area’s carbon emissions by 28,000 tonnes a year (2).
Notes:
1. Reported by The Telegraph, 16 December 2010, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/fuel/8199110/Millions-facing-fuel-rationing-over-Christmas-as-heating-oil-runs-low.html.
2. For more information on the Kirklees scheme, see http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news-archive/3356.html.