6 September 2024

From the director

To our readers and all of our generous donors

It’s been a busy week. The arrival of the results of the annual Contracts for Difference renewables auction this week was something akin to lighting the blue touch paper on a firework, with everyone trying to work out just how much more pain was being piled on to consumers by the political classes. The answer is, undoubtedly, “quite a lot”, and with the auctions – and presumably new windfarm capacity – now arriving every year, the economic pain is starting to become intolerable.

In twenty year’s time, I imagine everyone will wonder how we could possibly have done such harm to our economy and landscapes. But, as many commentators are now observing, Ed Miliband is nothing if not fanatical about his Net Zero crusade, and at the moment, there is very little we can do to stop him.

At least our message is getting out there now. If you would like to help us in our work, do please consider signing up for our regular donation scheme. Details at the bottom of this email.

Wishing you all the very best weekend.

Andrew

As always, please don’t reply to this email address, which is not monitored.

The headlines

UK

• Renewables auction rip-off

• Coutinho bashes Miliband

• Viking pillaging the consumer

• Economic suicide

Decarbonisation

• Heat pump travails

• Motor car turmoil

• Sweden cancels aviation tax

Etcetera

• Miliband’s zealotry

• Fire deaths blamed on climate targets

• Scientists’ hurricane bemusement

• Media appearances

From the blog

• Royal Society report contains half-trillion-pound error

UK

Renewables auction rip-off

This year’s Contracts for Difference renewables auction delivered nearly 10 gigawatts of capacity. Costs to consumers were put at around £150 per household per year. 1.5 gigawatts of the total turned out to be windfarms that had withdrawn capacity from extant contracts, reentering it this year so as to take advantage of higher prices on offer. In Parliament, the Conservatives welcomed the results, while Reform asked when the promised bill reductions were coming.

Coutinho bashes Miliband

Claire Coutinho, the shadow energy secretary, accused her opposite number Ed Miliband of betraying families.

Viking pillaging the consumer

The newly opened Viking Windfarm on Shetland was found to have been paid to switch off for 62% of the time in August. In addition, it has, as yet, failed to activate its Contract for Difference, allowing it to take advantage of much higher market prices. A double whammy for the consumer.

Economic suicide

NZW chairman Neil Record had an oped in the Telegraph suggesting that renewables policy is ‘economic suicide’.

Decarbonisation

Heat pump travails

Heat pump manufacturer Mitsubishi announced 400 redundancies at its Livingston plant, blaming falling demand across Europe.

Motor car turmoil

Volvo announced cancellation of its plan to produce only EVs by 2030, blaming poor sales, a problem afflicting the whole industry. Things are particularly bad in Germany, where EV sales are in freefall. Even the mighty Volkswagen is under threat. In the UK, dealers are restricting sales of petrol and diesel vehicles to avoid stringent fines imposed by the government on “surplus” sales.

Sweden cancels aviation tax

Sweden cancelled a green aviation tax, saying it needed to promote internal transport links.

Etcetera

Miliband’s zealotry

In the Sun, Julia Hartley-Brewer described Ed Miliband’s ‘fanatical, almost religious zealotry’ about Net Zero.

Fire deaths blamed on climate targets

At Spiked! James Heartfield pointed out the link between the deaths in the fire at the Grenfell tower block and climate targets.

Scientists’ hurricane bemusement

With global temperatures spiking high this year, scientists were predicting a supercharged hurricane season for the North Atlantic. In the event, the season thus far has been the quietest for half a century.

Media appearances

It was a bumper week for media appearances:

• Andrew discussing the GB Energy and EVs with Julia Hartley-Brewer.

• Harry talked to Ian Collins about car manufacturers rationing petrol and diesel vehicles.

• Andrew spoke to Mike Graham about the renewables auctions.

• Andrew was also interviewed by Steven Edgington of GB News about Labour’s green plans.

From the blog

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