ENERGY POLICY: WHO’S IN CHARGE?

Categories: Energy Policy, Policy

This unpublished article looks at the lack of technical expertise in the policy formation of a very complex technical subject.

Economists in Whitehall treat the means of attracting investment as the critical part of energy policy. The article shows that the “market will deliver” philosophy is drawing investment away from long-term practical solutions to limited life generation incapable of synchronising with demand.

This article is unusual in so much as it does not push an interest. Individual engineers are sympathetic to the views expressed but not companies that have their own agenda. Engineers understand that wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) contribution to the generating fleet is limited by being unpredictable. PV in particular contributes nothing to the peak demand in winter evenings and yet from my own discussions with politicians there is no understanding of this and a desire to push ahead with even more of the same.

 

 

 

[addtoany]