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Noel Edmonds on UK energy crisis!
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 12:56
by clv101
Wow, Noel Edmonds, writing like this in the Mirror. It doesn't get much more mainstream that this. Next stop front page of the Sun?
We now have a massive dependency on gas. If - and it's a big if - we can get gas in future it's mainly going to come from Russia, Iran and North Africa, volatile political states who can hold the UK to ransom by simply turning a valve. China and India are now consuming so much gas there simply isn't going to be enough for little old UK. And our
politicians are doing nothing to protect our interests - which is why we're having power cuts.
They will be occasional at first but I predict that within three years we will get used to them at certain parts of the day.
Our lives are going to change forever. The Olympics in 2012 will go ahead. I don't think they will be held in the dark. But what I do guarantee is parts of the UK WILL be in the dark... just so the Olympics can be held. It is vital that people appreciate we're running out of energy at a rapid rate. The existing power stations are running out of life. Engineers and experts are telling us they cannot keep power stations going, they cannot extend their life.
...
Power cuts mean being cold and dark, and airports having to suspend flights because air traffic control can't operate.
We have electricity and power in every aspect of our lives.
And we are about to run out.
Mirror readers - and the people who come on Deal Or No Deal hoping to change their lives - will be among those hit hardest. It is those on lower incomes who will be vulnerable and desperate.
The way British people are being treated by our politicians is wrong.
This is not an attack on Gordon Brown. The Tories don't have a deliverable energy policy either.
This is not about emissions, global warming or green taxes.
This is about the rights of people in this country to have a secure power supply.
Because, right now, we don't."
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories ... -20600642/
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 13:03
by Ippoippo
Great for me though, because my folks are Mirror readers. Maybe they'll start to listen a bit more to me (and to be honest, I don't think I've been that 'ranty' with them.... maybe not enough)
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 13:04
by Vortex
Is he right?
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 13:09
by skeptik
Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so many brain cells in him?
(with apologies to W. Shakespeare)
Vortex wrote:Is he right?
Near enough. The energy policy of both major parties is ignorant and incoherent. Labour leaadership dithered far too long on the nuclear question. They should have come down firmly pro or anti years ago and then got on with addressing the consequences of that decision.
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 13:14
by clv101
Vortex wrote:Is he right?
I think so, timings, magnitudes, political comments all look good to me. I think he's a bit down on wind, but then maybe he's just being realistic. New wind deployments do not look sufficient to offset the declines we'll be seeing well within the decade.
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 13:26
by Vortex
Let's get this straight.
I do NOT want to end up living in a new offshoot of the third world.
Credit crunch, grasping politicians and bankers, energy crisis.
This is all beginning to p**s me off.
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 13:35
by Bandidoz
Didn't Noel Edmonds endorse the somewhat anti-wind group "Renewable Energy Foundation"?
[edit] - yes he did - says it in the article.....
Typical to say "green energy is a failure" - half of it down to the f**king NIMBY fraternity that he has indirectly supported.
In fact, the more I read the article, the more it comes across as an anti-wind rant.
Noel Edmonds wrote:We should be turning off unnecessary traffic lights, street lights, lights in offices at night and day.
Doesn't he realise that street lights form part of the Nuclear Baseload?
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 13:48
by clv101
Bandidoz wrote:Didn't Noel Edmonds endorse the somewhat anti-wind group "Renewable Energy Foundation"?
Yeah - he is anti-wind. But ignoring that, REF have produced a good report on UK energy security:
http://www.ref.org.uk/PressDetails/134
I think they characterise the problem well - but their solutions aren't ideal, down on wind, pro coal. And I think they are dead wrong on scrapping the Renewable Obligation and EU renewables targets.
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 13:49
by Cabrone
Noel Edmonds has been a peaker for a while.
I heard him a couple of years back talking about an energy decent if we didn't get moving quick.
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 14:14
by Andy Hunt
He's probably afraid he'll end up looking like Billy Connolly if he can't use his electric beard clippers any more.
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 14:38
by Totally_Baffled
Mr blobby for energy minister! (get a more coherent energy policy that way!)
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 14:57
by emordnilap
But what I do guarantee is parts of the UK WILL be in the dark
Should we hold him to that?
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 15:19
by Vortex
Liverpool 8 with the power off?
Gulp!
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 15:27
by gug
Heavens !
I hope it doesn't mean that millions of folks cant tune in to watch the deluded randomly opening boxes every day and pretending that there is a system to it.
Sometimes I wonder if energy descent would be *all* bad.
After the things he's said about wind turbines (mainly because they interfere with his freedom to hover around in his poxy helecopter (interesting to see him fuel that in a few years) ) - i'm disinclined to care about the opinions of old beardy (even if he might be right about powercuts)
Maybe its just me, but i always thought that posh paws was the one with charisma.
Re: Noel Edmonds on UK energy crisis!
Posted: 10 Jun 2008, 17:54
by Keepz
Well, I suppose it's no bad thing if it helps to convince people that we really cannot afford to leave new energy infrastructure projects languishing while the planning system faffs about for years at a time, although I suspect that is the opposite of our Noel's intention - he is a wind anti. But he is way off beam in a number of areas.
We now have a massive dependency on gas. If - and it's a big if - we can get gas in future it's mainly going to come from Russia, Iran and North Africa, volatile political states who can hold the UK to ransom by simply turning a valve. China and India are now consuming so much gas there simply isn't going to be enough for little old UK.
NORWAY
NORWAY
NORWAY
NORWAY
NORWAY
... and why should states whose main source of income is selling gas, want to reduce supply to one of the world's most lucrative export markets?
And our politicians are doing nothing to protect our interests - which is why we're having power cuts.
The recent power cuts were nothing, nothing, nothing to do with gas supply.
The existing power stations are running out of life. Engineers and experts are telling us they cannot keep power stations going, they cannot extend their life.
That'll be why a whole load of new ones are being built, then?