Why Friends if the Earth should demand NOW that the Government scraps Hinkley C plans

Below is a copy of a letter I have sent to Simon Bullock, the Senior Energy Campaigner of Friends of the EarthDear Simon,Thankyou for news of FOE's activities, which are most welcome. However, I am struck by one crucially important omission - a demand for the Government to scrap Hinkley C and replace it with plans for investment in more renewable energy. This is vitally important for the future of investment in renewables simply because long term plans are now being put in place...

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Why Scottish independence is more likely if the whole of the UK stays in the EU

There is a theory going around in Scotland that if the rest of the UK (rUK) votes to leave the EU whilst Scotland votes for the EU then Scotland can have another referendum, and that in such circumstances Scotland is more likely to vote 'YES'. Certainly the first part has great force. Scotland voted against independence on the constitutional basis of EU membership, so it would be reasonable that, if it requested, the Scots could have another indyref. However, the second part, that the Scots would...

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Tory bill to end windfarm subsidies likely to undermine EU approval for state aid to Hinkley C

Conservative efforts to 'end subsidies' for onshore windfarms seem likely to undermine EU state aid approval for Hinkley C. This is because the EU Commission's judgement was based on evidence submitted to the Commission which said that the state aid to nuclear was justified because similar support was available to other renewable and low carbon generators. Clearly if onshore wind is barred from enjoying the same sort of support (that enables it to be constructed) as nuclear power this argument no...

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Is China's slump in carbon emissions real or are they just making it up?

Jonathan Leake, writing in the Sunday Times described reports of reductions in carbon emissions from China as 'unlikely' 'in such a fast growing economy'. He highlighted a US initiative to launch a satellite to monitor carbon emissions. 'We're goin' to smoke you (Chinese) out!' is one interpretation. So is the Chinese Government really fiddling the books about carbon emissions?Of course we're all thoroughly (self) trained to repeat the mantra about the Chinese are building a coal fired power station...

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Nuclear power is more expensive than both onshore AND offshore wind power

Using the Government's own contract prices for nuclear power and wind power we can demonstrate how nuclear power is more expensive than both onshore wind AND offshore wind. Based on a plausible set of assumptions set out below (if anything which gives the benefit of doubt in favour of nuclear power), then we arrive with a set of costings over 45 years of �73 for onshore wind, �78 per MWh for offshore wind and �83 per MWh for nuclear power. This is...

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Are You A Global Warming Skeptic, Denier, or Contrarian?

Global Warming

(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); A previous Blog Post discussed two Opinion Groups that have major disagreements with the IPCC Report on Global Warming/Climate Change -- Skeptics and Deniers. But...

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Why fiscal autonomy will help both Tories and Labour as well as Scotland in general

The landslide victory of the SNP in the General Election allied to the nearly 45 per cent vote in the 'indyref' signals the support of the majority of the Scottish voters for devomax. If this is to have real meaning it must mean full fiscal autonomy (FFA). This will mean that the Scottish Parliament would have to take responsibility for social and economic matters and take the blame as well as the credit .Labour has resisted this arguing that Scotland gets a good deal out of the Barnett formula...

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Lib Dems to be right wing stooge with agreement to ditch onshore wind

Nick Clegg has already sold the pass on onshore wind even before negotiations with the Conservatives have begun for a new Government. Nick Clegg has announced that he will agree to cut-off incentives for onshore wind as part of a new agreement with the Conservatives. Given that the Lib Dems seem only likely to make a Parliamentary difference by propping up a Cameron Government one wonders just how much the Lib Dems much prized green commitments are really worth. Practically nothing, it seems. The...

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New Musk home solar battery will help fight utilities

Perhaps the biggest short term significance of the Musk home batteries which will store power generated by solar pv arrays (or wind turbines) is that they will help grassroots renewable energy generators fight back against monopolistic utilities in countries such as the USA and Australia. Various of these dinosaurs are trying to strangle the decentralised energy revolution at birth by refusing to pay much for solar pv 'exported' to their systems, or, even worse, in some cases, by actually charging...

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