UK Government’s Energy Security Strategy
The Government published its ‘Energy Security Strategy’ (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-energy-security-strategy) in April. In this it lays out its proposals for reducing the UK’s dependency on Russian oil and gas, dealing with the huge increases in gas prices, and accelerating the move towards ‘net zero’. It envisages a big increase in renewable energy generation, in particular from off-shore wind turbines, as well as a new generation of nuclear power stations. But lots of important issues are not addressed.
HVCA Review
HVCA’s recent review of our strategy puts increased emphasis on advocacy, since the big decisions about the big issues that will determine whether global greenhouse gas emissions are eliminated, global heating is halted and climate catastrophe averted are not going to be taken in the Valley! In pursuit of this, we wrote to both our local MPs, Robert Largan in High Peak, and Sarah Dines in Derbyshire Dales, asking some specific questions about the Government’s Strategy, and asking to meet them to discuss it.
Specifically, we asked what calculations the Government has made regarding electricity need up to 2050, what they are doing to support retrofitting houses with improved insulation, asked them to support the Local Electricity Bill, and for a meeting to discuss local support for on-shore wind installations. We also re-iterated our opposition to any new fossil fuel extraction developments, including fracking. A copy of the letter can be found here.
Response for our MPs
We had a response from Robert Largan which was, regrettably, disappointing. In it he expresses his support for the Strategy and his reasons, but does not answer any of the specific questions we asked. To be frank, it reads like a standard response to any letter on energy issues. You can read it here. We have replied (here) asking him to address our questions, and repeating our request for a meeting.
To date, we have not had any response from Sarah Dines.
Jeremy Wight HVCA Chair, May 2022.
