Liz Truss, thinks fracking can be supplying gas to the grid in just six months. This is as ridiculous as the rest of her energy plans. Of course, the UK Government were elected in 2019 on a manifesto which said they …
Energy scenarios almost point the way
The long-awaited Scottish Energy Strategy is due to come out this autumn but new energy scenarios published this week contain some things to welcome but also some worrying ideas. The current Energy Strategy was published in 2017. It contains two scenarios, …
Sizewell C decision surely a joke
Approving another nuclear power station when we should be doing everything to reduce energy prices is surely a joke. Reports at the weekend said that Boris Johnson had approved government funding of £6bn towards the £20-30bn estimated cost for the …
Overhyped hydrogen put in its place
A recent report from Friends of the Earth busts the myth that hydrogen is a wonder fuel that is going to do everything from powering cars to heating homes. Instead it is an expensive, energy-intensive fuel which should only be used …
Peterhead’s climate-busting power plan
Scotland is supposed to be at the forefront of tackling climate change and we have renewable energy resources that are the envy of the world, yet energy company SSE is proposing to build a new fossil-fuel power station at Peterhead. …
The Ferret – Ministers urged to reject new Peterhead gas plant
A story in the Ferret and Sunday National covers plans to build a new gas fired power station at Peterhead. In a country which is supposed to be leading on climate change. This is the full quotes I gave to …
Pointless nuclear propaganda war
At the weekend a newspaper story revealed the scale of nuclear industry lobbying of MSPs and Ministers. Sadly for them nuclear reactors across Europe are increasingly showing the folly of relying on complex, always late and eye-wateringly expensive technologies for power. …
The Ferret – Industry lobbies MSPs to back nuclear power
A story in the Ferret and Sunday National covers the nuclear industry’s propaganda offensive to get nuclear power back on the agenda in Scotland. These are the full quotes I gave to the Ferret: “Investing in renewables and energy efficiency …
Golden opportunity for steel
Scotland is ideally placed to create a greener steel industry but will we manage to get our act together in time? Steel making is a big challenge in trying to reduce carbon emissions. It is a very useful engineering and construction …
Local action for the environment
As Scotland goes to the polls today we should remember the huge power that our councils have to deliver on climate and environment ambitions. Our 32 councils control a huge range of things that shape our daily lives. How far you …
UK and Scottish energy strategies on collision course
The UK Government’s new energy strategy makes no sense at all and puts Westminster on collision course with Holyrood. In early March Boris Johnson said he would produce, as a matter of urgency, a plan to respond to the twin …
Climate pathway off track
This week saw the publication of a major report which lays out how we might save the world from runaway climate change. It urges very rapid emissions reductions, with global emissions having to peak by 2025, but relies heavily on techno-fixes …