Is the conservative led UK coalition government sabotaging energy efficiency to feed new nukes?

[kristopher]

The Cameron government is going all out to build an economic platform that will support new nuclear plants. They know that should energy efficiency measures deliver the goods, they will be reducing the potential electricity sales they must have to enable the nuclear plants to run enough to pay for themselves (and even then they'll have to use subsidies).

That begs the question of why their energy efficiency program was designed to fail, and why they haven't responded to continued warnings that it will fail, doesn't it?

From December 2011

'Green deal' will fail, government's climate advisers warn
Scheme to make 14m UK homes more energy efficient will only reach 2-3m households, Committee on Climate Change says
Damian Carrington
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 20 December 2011 11.38 EST

...The daft thing is that at the same time [as delivering the green deal plan], the government has put out a national carbon budget plan that states with complete confidence that they will get all the lofts and cavity walls done - but there is no programme to do it," said Warren.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/dec/20/green-deal-fail

May 2012

David Cameron briefed on concerns over green deal for homeowners
Impact assessment shows loft insulations and cavity wall insulations are set to fall dramatically under current plans
Damian Carrington
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 16 May 2012 11.43 EDT

...The green deal aims to provide "pay as you save" loans to homeowners to improve their energy efficiency and cut bills. It is due to launch in October but has faced widespread criticism from energy companies, the building industry, consumer groups and charities. The government's own impact assessment shows loft insulations and cavity wall insulations – the most cost-effective measures by far – are set to fall by 93% and 67% respectively under current plans. "The impact assessment says it is going to be a train crash," said Andrew Warren, director of the Association for the Conservation of Energy.

The escalation of the issue to Downing Street came on the same day as official data revealed that average home energy bills have shot up by up 12% – £140 – in 12 months, following a doubling in the past six years due largely to rising gas prices. Furthermore, national statistics on fuel poverty due to be published on Thursday are certain to show a rise from the current 5 million homes, a quarter of the total.

The green deal is intended to address fuel poverty, as well as being a crucial policy in cutting the carbon emissions driving climate change, but the Cabinet Office has been told it will flop unless fundamental changes are made. Warren and a series of other senior stakeholders were interviewed by Cabinet Office officials, who reported to Cameron, Clegg and energy secretary Ed Davey on Wednesday.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "As we implement all policy, we maintain constant dialogue with stakeholders and businesses who have an interest. The deputy prime minister and prime minister are fully committed to the green deal." While the commitment to the green deal is not under review, government sources said the implementation of the policy is being discussed...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/16/david-cameron-green-deal-homeowners


Ooooops. What do you know, it didn't work. Well, at least they'll have a larger market for the desired nuclear plants.




See also this study that looked at the relationship of nuclear power and the alternatives of energy efficiency and renewable energy. The study looks at the US and France, with a separate comparison among the states within the US.

States where utilities have not expressed an interest in getting licenses for new nuclear reactors have a better track record on efficiency and renewable and more aggressive plans for future development of efficiency and renewables, as shown in Exhibit ES-3. These states:
- had three times as much renewable energy and ten times as much non-hydro renewable energy in their 1990 generation mix and
- set RPS goals for the next decade that are 50 percent higher;
- spent three times as much on efficiency in 2006;
- saved over three times as much energy in the 1992-2006 period, and
- have much stronger utility efficiency programs in place.

Policy Challenges of Nuclear Reactor Construction: Cost Escalation and Crowding Out
LESSONS FROM THE U.S. AND FRANCE FOR THE EFFORT TO REVIVE THE U.S. INDUSTRY WITH LOAN GUARANTEES AND TAX SUBSIDIES
(September 2010). Dr. Mark Cooper, Vermont Law School.
Access pdf here: http://www.psr.org/nuclear-bailout/resources/policy-challenges-of-nuclear.html

[kristopher]

1. Plans to reform electricity market 'unworkable', say green businesses

Plans to reform electricity market 'unworkable', say green businesses
UK's leading renewable energy companies warn that changes will deter investment and expose consumers to price volatility

Fiona Harvey, guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 15 May 2012

Government plans to reform the electricity market to favour low-carbon power are "unworkable" and will lead to "a train wreck" in the sector, and higher and more volatile energy prices for consumers, according to a group of the UK's leading renewable energy companies.

Instead of promoting low-carbon electricity, as ministers have claimed, the reforms – which will scrap current subsidies and replace them with long-term contracts – will deter investment and make it harder for the UK to meet its renewable goals, the group of six companies has said, in a letter and statement to the energy secretary Ed Davey. The main beneficiaries, the companies believe, will be nuclear generators.

Keith MacLean, head of policy at Scottish and Southern Energy, the utility leading the charge, told the Guardian: "These proposals are too complex – they are unworkable, and they are looking more and more like a train wreck."

...

"The only logic we can see in this is that they [ministers] are still trying desperately to hide the nuclear support. They seem to be prepared to make life more difficult for renewables in a last-ditch effort to keep the nuclear option open," said MacLean....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/15/reform-electricity-market-unworkable