Dear Reader,
You are politely asked to consider the connection between the following two pieces of information :-
https://blogs.ft.com/energy-source/2009/07/15/us-government-moves-carbon-capture-forward
“CCS moves forward : July 15, 2009 3:47pm : by Sheila McNulty : The US government took steps this week toward building the country’s first commercial scale carbon capture and sequestration project. The Department of Energy has decided to work with the FutureGen Alliance, a public-private partnership to design, build and operate the world’s first coal-fueled, zero emissions power plant and proceed with the first phase of the project. That means that over the next eight to 10 months, the Alliance will complete a preliminary design, refine its cost estimate, develop a funding plan and expand the sponsorship group. It is then that the Department of Energy and the Alliance will decide whether to continue with the project, through construction and operation…”
https://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article6690137.ece
“From The Sunday Times : July 12, 2009 : Fresh blueprint for the low carbon economy : Tricia Holly Davis : This week’s [Low Carbon Transition] plan will be followed by an energy bill, which will be included in the next Queen’s speech…David Kennedy, who heads the CCC [Climate Change Committee], said a separate plan to boost investment in clean coal and nuclear power would follow next year. The CCC will submit a report to parliament in October outlining a number of additional “low carbon funding options”. These will include a carbon tax on power generation, which would exempt nuclear and renewable energy; a low carbon obligation scheme, akin to the renewables obligation, which would include nuclear and clean coal; and a guaranteed government tender for low carbon power generation to provide security of demand and entice investors. The government is obligated to respond to the CCC report early next year. Sir David King, the government’s former chief scientific adviser, is urging ministers to come up with a plan and stick to it…”
Two things that I think are intriguing – the first is the clear possibility that British Energy policy is being strongly guided by the American.
The second is that I think we’re heading for a “roll over, Beethoven” moment.
I don’t think any Government in Recession can justify raising funds for Clean Coal or New Nuclear.
It’s farewell to these “options”, then.