Instead Of Actual Energy Policy, Liz Truss Unveils Oil & Gas, More Oil & Gas As Culture War Totem

[hatrack]

How best to describe wilfully vandalising the planet and threatening human life to satisfy ideological bloodlust? Liz Truss – already a plausible contender for the “worst prime minister ever” gong before she even assumes office – apparently intends to issue up to 130 drilling licences for oil and gas firms. If the purpose of this is to confront the looming social catastrophe of energy bills, to describe it as an exercise in futility would be generous: it takes the best part of three decades to pump fossil fuels out of the ground and put them onstream. As Russia switches off Europe’s flow of gas via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline – it implausibly cites maintenance work as the reason – the need for drastic, swift action could not be more obvious, yet our soon-to-be prime minister has nothing meaningful to offer.

There are other paths. New renewable energy capacity secured by the government will cost only £48 per megawatt hour – compared with the current cost of running gas-fired power stations, which has surged to around £450 per MWh. (And, depending on the impact of action from the EU, it could rise further.) Renewables, therefore, are around nine times cheaper and far quicker to plug into our energy system. What possible reason is there not to make wind and solar the central pillars of an effective strategy to build energy independence and help stop millions being plunged into destitution? What explains this suicidal strategy?

It is undoubtedly that the ideological predilections of the Tory right are prioritised above the Earth’s survival, energy independence and people’s livelihoods. Renewables are indelibly culturally associated with dangerous lefty nonsense, while gas and oil somehow represent macho British tradition. That the case for renewables is based both on pragmatic economics and incontrovertible scientific facts is irrelevant. It is hard not to conclude, too, that an addiction to waging eternal culture war is at play. Much of the behaviour of the modern right is driven by a desire to offend their opponents; like announcing they have passed wind, they want you to be aware of and disgusted by their actions.

If you want to see such ideological spite in all its glory, consider the fact that onshore wind is a mere £50 per MWh, but has essentially been banned by the government. Why? Not because it’s unpopular – polling suggests that three-quarters back it, including a large majority of Tory voters. And not because another much less popular option they’ve also swung behind – expanding nuclear power stations – is cheaper. Nuclear plants are far more expensive and – toxic nuclear waste aside – still take so long to build that they would do little to address the current emergency. It gets worse: Truss has committed to change planning laws to hinder the development of solar power, trashing an energy source that costs just £55 per MWh. “Our fields shouldn’t be full of solar panels” she crows, while our streets will be filled with hungry kids and cold pensioners.

EDIT

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/01/liz-truss-oil-gas-energy-climate-crisis

[CurtEastPoint]

1. Quelle surprise! Another Conservaturd