Over-turning the ban may be a cause célèbre for the free market right. But any genuine effort to tackle our energy security problem is going to require both a massive programme of spending and the clunking fist of central government.
In the 2019 election, all four major party manifestos presented Net Zero as a fait accompli: none made clear the upheaval it demands, the opportunity costs involved or the dramatic impact on our quality of life.
We face a situation where getting each project over the line is iteratively harder and no sooner is a project approved by the Secretary of State but a series of judicial reviews land from community groups.
Making older housing affordable to heat would both bills and our reliance on Russian gas, as well as creating the forward-looking careers that will drive the growth we sorely need.
These projects are vital to the national and local economy but delivering the infrastructure is proving to be disruptive.
The Government needs to be investing both in the next generation of nuclear power stations and developing the storage technologies needed to make renewables reliable.
The twenty-sixth article in a new series on ConHome about how government might be made smaller, taxpayers better off and and society stronger – through strong families, better schools and good jobs.
A fairer deal for those who have to tolerate new power lines and pylons is the best way to reach Net Zero and secure Britain’s energy supply.
The importance of expanding homegrown energy production extends far beyond the borders of Scotland. The domestic supply chain workforce spans from Shetland to Southampton, with job opportunities in almost every parliamentary constituency.
Being a global hub for data centres is brings huge benefits to Ireland – but demand for power is growing much faster than the supply of clean energy.
We will break down barriers, improve skills, get more people into better-paying jobs, and ensure support reaches those that need it.
Contrast the leisurely approach towards this allegedly extinction-level threat with the Government’s response to the pandemic.
Government risks fixating on specific projects, such as electric vehicles, rather than nurturing innovation and letting industry develop solutions.
None of Vince’s presuppositions about the project – that the technology, the economy, and the public are on side – stand up to scrutiny.
It’s time the Government saw the wood for the trees and stopped fritting away taxpayers’ hard-earned cash when so many key questions around this energy source remain unanswered.