The UK’s competitiveness and future security will come under threat if the Government fails to act on energy policy, the Engineering Employers’ Federation (EEF) will warn today. The UK faces an unprecedented combination of energy challenges over the next decade and needs to invest billions of pounds in infrastructure, manage the risks associated with growing dependence on imported gas and meet renewable energy targets, the employment body says. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘energy crunch’
The UK is at risk of a energy crisis, engineers warn
Monday, July 12th, 2010UK business fears over the looming energy crunch
Monday, June 21st, 2010Over 80 per cent of UK firms expect energy and fuel prices to rise sharply with nearly half expressing fears that the UK could face serious energy supply shortages within five years. That is the conclusion of a new survey of over 210 UK executives carried out by the Economist Intelligence Unit, which revealed growing interest in smart meter and renewable energy technologies as a means of mitigating against rising energy bills. (more…)
Obama’s speech asks people to unite over cleaner energy
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010After the disaster which was the Florida Gulf coast oil spill, president Obama today asked all Americans to unite and push for a greener cleaner future. Such a future can only occur from public demand, and in a country which is still coming to terms with it’s unsustainable oil addiction, this plea has come at a critical point in the peak oil and energy crunch debates. (more…)
If you thought solar panels were a bad idea, peak oil will change your mind
Monday, June 14th, 2010Cheap, abundant, politically secure oil is no longer available. If you have ever thought your lifestyle whether you are rich or poor was comfortable long term, then please think again. Of late, there have been disparate predictions for our oil reserves, with some claiming that oil will last us for decades. In fact, the question is not: “When will there be no more oil left” but, instead: “When will global demand outstrip production?”, and that could happen sooner than most people realise. (more…)
Top scientist says politicians have ‘heads in the sand’ over energy crunch
Thursday, June 10th, 2010Global oil supplies are dwindling and governments need to act now to introduce low-carbon transport, says Sir David King
Britain’s former chief scientist has attacked politicians and industry experts who have their “heads in the sand” over dwindling oil supplies. (more…)
Mr Cameron – Time to get real over our looming energy crunch
Friday, May 21st, 2010David Cameron, Britain’s new prime minister, may have succeeded in bridging his country’s political power gap, but another looms that could very quickly short-circuit the Tory leader’s grip on national power, unless his coalition government gets real – and quickly – over energy and environment.
Lib Dems plans for the environment are the most ambitious of any party
Tuesday, May 4th, 2010Greenpeace have described the Lib Dems plans for the environment as the most ambitious of any party. But both Tory and Labour say their plans to cut carbon to zero without nuclear are unrealistic. In a 3 part series, we will look at what each political party will be doing for environment and the uk energy crunch.
Energy crunch just five years away warn big business
Thursday, February 11th, 2010Business leaders, including Sir Richard Branson, have criticised ministers for not doing enough to avoid a potential oil crunch and are calling on the next government to take action.
“Governments need to urgently, urgently wake up,” insists Sir Richard in an interview with the BBC News.
His Virgin Group is one of six companies that have formed a coalition called the UK Industry Taskforce on Peak Oil and Energy Security.
The taskforce – made up of engineering group Arup, architects Foster and Partners, Scottish and Southern Energy, Solar Century and Stagecoach, as well as Virgin – has launched its second report looking at the oil crunch, just months before the next general election.
It warns that Britain is unprepared for the oil shortages and price volatility that it predicts will become a reality in the next five years.
As a result, British businesses and consumers will face higher travel costs, increased food prices and higher utility bills.
“If somebody had been able to warn the world five years before the credit crunch, the credit crunch could have been avoided. The same thing could be said for the oil crunch,” says Sir Richard, whose airline and train companies are affected by volatility in the oil price.
“We suggest there should be a workforce for government and industry to work [together] on addressing this problem.
“We have to move from coal and oil to gas and nuclear. We need to move our cars from oil-consuming cars to electric cars and clean-fuel cars.”
He even suggests that targets should be set for the car industry: “The government should say, ‘For 2020 there should be no more oil cars running in this country and for 2015 no new cars can be sold using oil,’ just to force people to move over to clean energy.”
Peak oil
The group believes that “peak oil” – the point where global oil production reaches its highest practicable rate – will occur in the next decade, potentially by 2015, with production levels of 95 million barrels per day. In 2008, 85 million barrels per day were produced.
The report was welcomed by Friends of the Earth.
“Ministers must take this warning seriously and wean the UK off its addiction to oil – because ordinary people will experience the withdrawal symptoms when the wells run dry,” the organisation’s executive director Andy Atkins said.
“The government has been dithering for too long. We need bold political action to rapidly build a safe, clean and prosperous future for us all.”
One thing is for sure – whoever emerges triumphant from this year’s general election will be under pressure to address the issue of oil supply.
Original Source: The BBC
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