Centrica have taken the decision to leave Britain’s largest gas field shut. The Morecambe Bay gas field in the North Sea, owned by British Gas parent company Centrica, is to remain closed. Centrica blamed the new taxes on profit gained from North Sea production as the reason for the closure.
Shale gas drilling suspended after earthquake
Test shale gas drilling in Lancashire has been suspended after fears it is linked to earthquakes A 1.5 magnitude tremor near a drill site in the north west has lead to Cuadrilla Resources suspending shale gas drilling. The tremor is the second in two months, and Cuadrilla will now wait to review data collected by the British Geological Survey (BGS) … Read More
Germany to phase out nuclear by 2022
German chancellor Angela Merkel has ordered all of the country’s nuclear power plants to be shut down by 2022. Merkel’s coalition government has performed a complete reversal of policy regarding nuclear power. There have been many anti-nuclear protests in Germany following the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Germany is the largest industrialised nation to go anti-nuclear for 25 years. The country is … Read More
New EU stress tests for nuclear plants
EU Nuclear watchdogs have finalised continent-wide stress tests for all nuclear reactors following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan All 143 of Europe’s nuclear reactors will undergo new stress tests devised by European nuclear watchdogs covering both natural and man made hazards. From 1 June, nuclear power plants will be tested for resilience to natural disasters like the earthquake and … Read More
MPs support UK shale gas drilling
A committee of MPs has urged the government to allow drilling for shale gas A commons committee said on Monday that there is no need for a moratorium on shale gas hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”. Just two weeks ago France recommended freezing shale gas drilling permanently, based on environmental concerns about the fracking process.
Government ends funding to energy bodies
The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced that the Carbon Trust and the Energy Saving Trust (EST) will no longer receive government funding DECC’s annual Delivery Review published last week announced the ending of core funding to both the Carbon Trust and the Energy Saving Trust. The two government-backed bodies will no longer receive financial support from … Read More
SSE announce profits and predict price rises
Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has reported profits for the last financial year SSE, the UK’s second largest energy generator, and one of the largest suppliers, announced a pre-tax profit rise of 1.6% to £1.3bn. The company said that rising wholesale energy costs had hit profits last year.
Huhne announces 50% carbon reduction by 2025.
Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has committed the UK to halving carbon emissions by 2025, from 1990 levels. The Energy Secretary announced yesterday that ministers have accepted the Committee on Climate Change‘s proposal to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions by 50% by 2025 – the biggest commitment of any EU country so far. The secretary, briefing MPs on the 4th carbon … Read More
MPs say reforms are hiding nuclear subsidies
A committee of MPs has said in a report released today that the planned reforms to the energy market are hiding subsidies for nuclear power The coalition government’s planned reforms of the energy industry are hiding subsidies for nuclear power, says the Energy and Climate Change Committee (ECCC). The committee claims these covert subsidies are betraying the previous promise that … Read More
Centrica warns of price rises
British Gas owner Centrica has released a statement warning of higher energy prices for its customers. Centrica specifies the forward wholesale gas prices for the coming winter, which are 25% higher than the prices from last winter, as the main reason for the probable price rises. Centrica said in the statement that the earthquake and nuclear crisis in Japan, coupled … Read More