UK
Gas prices up
Gas prices rose by nearly 20% after Israel and Iran started bombing each others’ territories. Some observers wondered about the wisdom of Ed Miliband’s efforts to close down UK oil and gas production.
Miliband’s humiliation
Kemi Badenoch called for the windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas to be lifted, a not unreasonable request, given the absence of any sort of a windfall at the moment. With tax revenues in decline, Labour was forced deliver a humiliating rebuff to Ed Miliband, indicating a willingness to open the way to the new Rosebank and Jackdaw gas fields. Oil and gas majors watched on with interest. Meanwhile, it was revealed that Whitehall has quietly accepted that fossil fuels are cheaper than renewables.
Money for nothing
Scotland’s Moray West offshore windfarm, which became operational at the end of April, spent the majority of May being paid to sit idle because grid capacity was inadequate to get its output to market. The last Scottish offshore windfarm to open, Seagreen, spent most of its first full year switched off too.
Banks get the Net Zero memo
After several years of decline, bank lending to fossil fuel projects increased sharply last year. Financiers, it seems, have got the memo about the plausibility of Net Zero.
Green tech battered blue
Heat pump sales fell across Europe (£). The exception was the UK, where sales are nugatory anyway. The heat pump industry demanded more subsidies. Across the Atlantic, the solar industry remains in turmoil, with legislators writing green subsidies into the history books. Audi became the latest carmaker to signal a major retreat on EVs, and steelmaker Arcelor Mittal tore up its plans for green production.
Etcetera…
There was lots of media interest in Ed Miliband’s plans to expand drilling operations in the North Sea. Andrew discussed the subject on Talk. He was on GB News on the same topic, as was Harry Wilkinson.
Professor Michael Kelly explained that the UK doesn’t have the money, materials or manpower to deliver Net Zero. Ben Habib described it as the worst economic policy ever adopted.
Kathryn Porter noted that, in response to revelations that it is regularly breaking its grid stability threshold, the National Grid operator is lobbying for a new threshold that will be met more often.
The Daily Sceptic launched its own Substack site.
The London-based Net Zero Watch is a campaign group set up to highlight and discuss the serious implications of expensive and poorly considered climate change policies. The Net Zero Samizdat is a newsletter summarising the latest issues - for more information, please visit the website at www.netzerowatch.com.
Gas prices rose by nearly 20% after Israel and Iran started bombing each others’ territories. Some observers wondered about the wisdom of Ed Miliband’s efforts to close down UK oil and gas production.
Miliband’s humiliation
Kemi Badenoch called for the windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas to be lifted, a not unreasonable request, given the absence of any sort of a windfall at the moment. With tax revenues in decline, Labour was forced deliver a humiliating rebuff to Ed Miliband, indicating a willingness to open the way to the new Rosebank and Jackdaw gas fields. Oil and gas majors watched on with interest. Meanwhile, it was revealed that Whitehall has quietly accepted that fossil fuels are cheaper than renewables.
Political ping-pong
Undeterred, and perhaps demonstrating something of a disconnect with empirical reality, Ed Miliband announced that he would win the battle over Net Zero. Reform’s Richard Tice begged to differ, suggesting that Labour will be forced to abandon the project.
Undeterred, and perhaps demonstrating something of a disconnect with empirical reality, Ed Miliband announced that he would win the battle over Net Zero. Reform’s Richard Tice begged to differ, suggesting that Labour will be forced to abandon the project.
Some never learn
Experts tried to explain things to our political leaders. Ed Miliband was told that his plans for rooftop solar on all new builds would deliver chaos. Meanwhile, the SNP administration in Scotland was warned that their plans to ban sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles would lead to disaster too, as garages do not have the staff to switch to servicing electric vehicles on such short timescales. There is no sign that either of these messages got through.
Experts tried to explain things to our political leaders. Ed Miliband was told that his plans for rooftop solar on all new builds would deliver chaos. Meanwhile, the SNP administration in Scotland was warned that their plans to ban sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles would lead to disaster too, as garages do not have the staff to switch to servicing electric vehicles on such short timescales. There is no sign that either of these messages got through.
Climate hypocrite of the week
Labour’s ‘climate envoy’ was said to be ‘living like a travel writer’ clocking up tens of thousands of air miles.
Labour’s ‘climate envoy’ was said to be ‘living like a travel writer’ clocking up tens of thousands of air miles.
Money for nothing
Scotland’s Moray West offshore windfarm, which became operational at the end of April, spent the majority of May being paid to sit idle because grid capacity was inadequate to get its output to market. The last Scottish offshore windfarm to open, Seagreen, spent most of its first full year switched off too.
International
Banks get the Net Zero memo
After several years of decline, bank lending to fossil fuel projects increased sharply last year. Financiers, it seems, have got the memo about the plausibility of Net Zero.
Gas is the future
It was revealed that there are an astonishing 130 new natural gas projects in the pipeline in Texas.
It was revealed that there are an astonishing 130 new natural gas projects in the pipeline in Texas.
Green tech battered blue
Heat pump sales fell across Europe (£). The exception was the UK, where sales are nugatory anyway. The heat pump industry demanded more subsidies. Across the Atlantic, the solar industry remains in turmoil, with legislators writing green subsidies into the history books. Audi became the latest carmaker to signal a major retreat on EVs, and steelmaker Arcelor Mittal tore up its plans for green production.
Etcetera…
There was lots of media interest in Ed Miliband’s plans to expand drilling operations in the North Sea. Andrew discussed the subject on Talk. He was on GB News on the same topic, as was Harry Wilkinson.
Professor Michael Kelly explained that the UK doesn’t have the money, materials or manpower to deliver Net Zero. Ben Habib described it as the worst economic policy ever adopted.
Kathryn Porter noted that, in response to revelations that it is regularly breaking its grid stability threshold, the National Grid operator is lobbying for a new threshold that will be met more often.
The Daily Sceptic launched its own Substack site.
The London-based Net Zero Watch is a campaign group set up to highlight and discuss the serious implications of expensive and poorly considered climate change policies. The Net Zero Samizdat is a newsletter summarising the latest issues - for more information, please visit the website at www.netzerowatch.com.
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