The world is warming up. That is going to prove catastrophic for both humans and other life on this planet. That is obvious. We can already see the effects starting and they are going to get a lot, lot worse.
The government has already sold its soul to the fossil fuel industry. Cash is all they are interested in.
I, on the other hand, want a global energy policy that provides cheap, clean energy, reduces carbon dioxide and hence counters the greenhouse effect. That makes the planet cooler and prevents the disaster of global warming.
CHEAP AND CLEAN.
Until such time as we achieve clean and affordable energy from fusion we have to rely on other means. Fortunately, we have the technology to do the job in an efficient and affordable manner.
Here is the Opher plan:
- Put in a lot of money into INSULATION. Properly insulate ALL UK homes for free!
- Change planning laws to make all new builds of a proper standard:
a. Properly insulated
b. Triple glazed.
c. Integral solar panels
d. Heat pumps
e. Heat retrieval systems from waste water.
f. Built-in energy use systems to use facilities (washing machines, dishwashers etc). at off-peak times.
The costs of new builds would go up a bit but the energy costs would be well down and the energy use greatly reduced.
3. Bring in big grants for solar panels and small turbines.
4. Bring in subsidies for heat pumps.
5. Extend on-shore and off-shore wind farms.
6. Bring in geothermal, tidal and hydroelectric schemes.
7. Fund development of energy storage/battery systems to resolve intermittency problems
8. Tidal Lagoons in Swansea and Hull etc.
I’m not even opposed to the new small nuclear fission plants. The nuclear industry shot itself in the foot by clandestinely dumping nuclear waste, trying to do things on the cheap and shoddy practice. We have had a depressingly long list of disastrous nuclear accidents:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_nuclear_disasters_and_radioactive_incidents
The major meltdowns only scratch the surface:
Windscale
Three Mile Island
Chernobyl
Fukishima
Then there is a mountain of nuclear waste that needs safely dealing with.
Until it is done properly, without cutting corners or polluting, I remain sceptical. I still think that it would not be cost-efficient but it could be done.
The Opher plan would result in cheaper energy bills for the public, cleaner energy production and we’d hit net zero without any problem. Run that out globally and we’ve solved the problem.
I don’t see how global warming sceptics could even complain. They’d be getting their energy cheaper. The fact that it is clean is a bonus.
Then we can look forward to the development of fusion power!!
Until then – THE OPHER PLAN is the sensible route to net zero (and I’m not in the pocket of the oil industry with all their fake news and lobbying).