The Energy Minister says fracking will begin “right across the south”. A study will soon be published, declaring that fracking for shale gas poses no danger of contaminating water in the UK, the Energy Minister Michael Fallon has said. Places such as Wiltshire, Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex could become bases for shale gas extraction sites.
EDF announce smallest price rise of Big Six
The french-owned energy giant is only raising prices by an average of 3.9%, less than half that of other major suppliers. The increase will come into force from January 3, and looks like a serious attempt by the firm to actually compete with rivals. The move will affect 2.4 million households, but EDF has warned that green levies must be … Read More
Is public opinion on shale gas changing?
Shale gas is an environmental and political hot potato. This article studies how the country’s feelings towards shale gas have evolved. It’s probably the hottest topic in energy at the moment – ‘fracking’ for shale gas. As with any new source of energy, it has drawn protests from hard left groups at exploratory drilling sites and the HQ of energy … Read More
Cameron “determined to win” shale gas debate
Fracking for shale gas will cut energy bills, create jobs, and pump money into local communities, the Prime Minister has stated. In an article published in The Telegraph on Sunday, David Cameron waded into the national debate on fracking for shale gas, saying it’s one he is “determined to win”. In it he claims that fracking is safe, and has … Read More
Labour slams Big Six profits
Figures released by the Labour party last week show that the largest energy suppliers have notched up £3.3 billion in profits since the Conservative-led Coalition came into power. The combined profits of E.ON, EDF Energy, ScottishPower, British Gas, Scottish & Southern and Npower have gone up 73% in the last three years, according to Shadow Energy And Climate Change Secretary … Read More
New nuclear power stations planned
Between 4 and 6 new nuclear power power stations will be built, creating 12,000 jobs during construction. The new plants will be built by Hitachi, bringing fresh competition to the UK nuclear programme. Hitachi Ltd acquired Horizon Nuclear Power, a joint venture set up by RWE Npower and E.ON in 2009, who later agreed to pull out of the nuclear … Read More
Minister: “Wind farms; enough is enough”
Conservative MP John Hayes has been in hot water recently for commenting on the vast number of onshore wind farms “peppered” across the UK. Mr Hayes has been publicly ‘slapped down’ by Lib Dem boss Ed Davey over comments he made in an interview with the Daily Mail. He was discussing a speech he was due to make the next … Read More
Fracking gets go-ahead in the UK
An era of cheap, abundant gas could be on the way, as new report confirms risk of earthquakes and water contamination are minimal. In what could be the most significant step in Britain’s energy security since the widespread exploitation of North Sea oil, hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking’ has been deemed safe in a new report produced in joint by the … Read More
Rio+20 calls for action on key global issues
Overpopulation, Overconsumption and Mass Extinction top the agenda at the ongoing environmental summit in Rio de Janeiro, but where are Cameron and Obama? Today is the second day of the Rio+20 Summit, formerly known as the UN Conference on Sustainable Development. It is 20 years since the original Rio Earth Summit in 1992, but unlike 1992 (where no less than … Read More
David Cameron: wind farms ”over subsidised”
In his most vociferous criticism of green energy yet, the Prime Minister has declared that wind farms have been “over subsidised and wasteful of public money”. Mr. Cameron plans to cut the subsidies for wind turbine construction, forcing them to be built in an economically viable way. He said during the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions “We’re cutting the subsidy to … Read More