The real costs of wind power prove the sums don’t add up

The UK's energy policy is facing serious challenges as doubts grow over whether net zero and energy security goals can be achieved, with rising costs and practical difficulties hindering progress in the transition to carbon-free energy sources. Ambitions for renewable energy and decarbonization targets are being scaled back, prompting concerns over the government's ability to meet its goals.

telegraph.co.uk

Relevant topic timeline:

8/23/2023

UK needs Dragons’ Den approach to investing in net zero, says thinktank

The UK risks falling behind the US and EU in transitioning to a net zero economy unless the government increases green investment by creating a national investment fund and taking a stake in future companies, according to the left-leaning Institute for Public Policy Research. The thinktank proposes a Dragons' Den approach to supporting enterprises and highlights the need for a strategic industrial policy to drive the net zero transition.

9/1/2023

The electric car debacle shows the top-down economics of net zero don’t add up

The car industry's expectation of a surge in demand for electric vehicles has been proven wrong as supply outstrips demand and prices tumble rapidly, revealing the misjudgment of the scale of demand; this highlights the flaw in the top-down approach of forcing manufacturers to produce millions of electric vehicles without a guaranteed market, and calls for the arbitrary 2030 ban on petrol and diesel cars to be scrapped. The Government's wind energy policy is similarly divorced from reality as rising costs lead to the abandonment of major projects, jeopardizing Britain's ambitions in offshore wind capacity. Additionally, the campaign to promote heat pumps for homes has been unsuccessful due to high costs and technology flaws, resulting in minimal uptake despite government subsidies. The article questions the viability and fantasy-like nature of net zero economics, while also raising concerns about the lack of protection for productive hi-tech industries in the UK.

9/5/2023

Britain is losing its way in cutting carbon

Britain's progress towards achieving net zero emissions by 2050 is faltering, as evidenced by the slowdown in offshore wind projects and the lack of leadership on environmental issues from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, leading to concerns about the country's ability to meet its climate goals.

9/16/2023

Renewables Funding Falls Short of Paris Goals as Investors Shy Away from Emerging Markets Risks

The global renewable energy funding gap is primarily concentrated in emerging markets due to higher risk and lower investor appetite, falling short of the investment needed to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goals outlined in the Paris Agreement, according to S&P Global Ratings. Current clean energy efforts are insufficient, and greater collaboration between governments and stronger investment in renewable generating assets are necessary to accelerate the energy transition.

Topics

Posted 8/30/2023, 12:25:00 PM