Bishop Hill Helmer wants answers
Aug 16, 2012 Energy: wind UKIP UKIP energy spokesman Roger Helmer is pressing the government for some answers on the vexed question of wind power. The GWPF report authored by Gordon Hughes is providing some very useful ammunition by the looks of it.
You will recall that we have corresponded on the economics of wind power, and I drew your attention to the report from Professor Gordon Hughes of Edinburgh University, “Why is Wind Power so expensive?” You will recall that Prof Hughes concluded that wind power, with the necessary conventional back-up, saved little or no CO2 emissions, and that the capital cost of wind plus back-up was around ten times that of equivalent gas capacity.
From your reply, I formed the impression that the civil servants who are advising you had not really taken the trouble to understand Prof Hughes’ work — perhaps because it was so challenging in the face of current policy assumptions. Given the vast implications of Prof Hughes’ findings, I wonder if you could take a moment to see if we can find some common ground?
Reader Comments (11)
Well done Roger Helmer! That's very much the way to do it.
Did the Permanent Secretary depart because of this?
Was she instructed to lie by the Minister?
That is a truly excellent and incisive letter.
I wonder what chances there are of receiving a reply of similar quality?
Rogers article is 'Why is DECC clinging to wind?'
Wll, we all know why... ask the PMs father inlaw, or Cleggs wife or ... need I go on?
When these people have exited the wind market, thats when wind power will be consigned to history.
'I wonder if you could take a moment to see if we can find some common ground?'
Isn't this like the search in Venn Diagram colour-mapping territory for the overlap between white and black?
Roger Helmer gave evidence at out local wind farm public inquiry. He was very impressive, but no doubt the Government appointed Planning Inspector will ignore him.
I hop he gets a better response from Hendry than I have received in the past. All I've ever received is some standard response written by a DECC minion and signed by Hendry.
We know from FOI requests that DECC has never done the analysis to show whether wind power actually reduces CO2 emissions. They know wind power is a failed polcy which is ruining the country, but there are too many vested interests.
Well done Roger Helmer. Keep on to them, insist on an answer, we might (?) get an answer.
UKIP looks more electable all the time.
Philip: the opposition to the 'vested interests' appears to be becoming very substantial.
Presumably this is the reason for the attack on Yeo.
Roger Helmer needs more than just encouragement to this initiative. It would be a good idea perhaps, to back him up by drawing attention to his letter to other MPs until it receives a reasonable and acceptable answer. These questions are being asked and discussed around the country and not receiving answers.
"...saved little or no CO2 emissions..."
Well, that's OK. Since CO2 has been found not to drive warming in the way that it was claimed it did, there is no reason for these wind farms to save CO2.
Next question..?
Note to Roger Helmer: there is no common ground. The government and their 'advisers' at the Department of Energy and (hang on while I throw up) Climate Change have got their hands clapped so tightly over their ears while singing 'lalala can't hear you', that it will take an upheaval of seismic proportions before any common sense prevails on this matter.
I have had the most breathtaking statements by e-mail from DECC minions, so far detached from reality, that it took all my willpower not to reply along the lines of: 'Do you bozos not understand - the wind DOES NOT BLOW ALL THE TIME - and ESPECIALLY does not EVER blow in line with peak electricity demand...!'
Cue a long lie-down in a darkened room...