Govt deception

[Smooth Hound]

This is an example of just how deceptive the govt can be when it comes to blocking alternative technology , whilst pushing through nuclear power.



Environment Breaking With Tradition The Guardian
18 February 2004


Using waves to generate electricity has long been dismissed as uneconomical. But Paul Brown and John Vidal report on a plethora of new plans to harness the power of seas, rivers and tides....

In the early 1980s, wave power was going to be the bright new future for energy, but in a government evaluation of how much the electricity would cost to produce, someone moved a decimal point -- and made it 10 times more expensive.


Years later, when the "mistake" was discovered, the government had already abandoned wave research, while the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) continued to pour money into design and development of the nuclear industry. If the decimal point had not been moved, the history of renewable development in Britain might have been completely different.

But, although it has taken 20 years, wave power has made a comeback. It has been joined by other tide-driven renewables to make the untapped power of the sea one of the greatest prospects for jobs and a new industrial base for coastal Britain.

[Enormous Sage]

Well, the fact that they spent all that money on a study into wave power and no one checked the figures shows how interested in it they actually were.

If you get your energy source / "fuel" for free, no one can make money by selling it to the power producer / generator, like they can with gas, oil and nuclear, hence until fossil fuels start to run out, there will always be hugely powerful corporate lobbying types who'll do whatever they can to block it, by fair means or foul.

[Martin]

it's fairly typical! - there was an excellent "costing the earth" on Radio 4 this week, during which Malcolm Wickes dared to say that the UK was "leading the world" in renewables, and just glossed over the fact that the presenter kept trying to remind him that only Malta and Luxembourg were doing less in the EU.........
The fact is that they've sold us out to Global Atom Corp. Inc, and are only paying lip-service to renewables - they start up umpteen "initiatives", "bodies" and grants systems whereby a few of their cronies make a killing at the taxpayer's expense (witness Swindlesave chocolate teapots!)
There is NO will whatsoever to do a damn thing - that would take brains and courage (singularly lacking from MPs) - instead they're working on the "full tilt into the buffers" plan of inaction.....

[Busy Bee]

The only energy the govmt is interested in is that which will provide profits for their friends in big business.

[Smooth Hound]

Well, the fact that they spent all that money on a study into wave power and no one checked the figures shows how interested in it they actually were.


No what it is saying is is ot that they werent interested, but they could see that it was viable, and so they deliberately moved the decimal point, and also this wasnt a lobby group that did it , it was the elected govt of the times, i blieve thatcher, the woman that also went to the lengths of destroying the mining indusrry tomake nuclear power seem like our saving grace, the govt whose political campaign was massively financed by the nuclear industry. and if they can deliberately decieve us over the viability of wave power then they can decieve s about any thing, which makes you wonder doesnt it, and on top of that they get away with it, there are neve any concequences. thatcher has just been cowned the best primeminister ever, that is surely evidence of that.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

The government here in France - while still truly, madly & deeply in love with nuclear fission - has started to do quite a lot to wean us away from oil, particularly where domestic heating is concerned.

They're doing this by giving us significant tax incentives - like 50% rebate on the cost of energy efficiency improvements (double glazing, insulation) and renewables (solar, anything burning wood, geothermal, etc).

They’re even giving us a 1000 euro grant to change our old cars for new, supposedly less polluting, models. Which is all very well, except that one still needs to find the rest of the money… And being as I am a fan of Shank’s pony and the old fashioned velocipede, I would prefer a grant for a new pair of boots and an upgraded (ie, less rusty) bike. Still, I suppose the thought counts.

This generosity is, of course, tempered by a bit of self interest. France produces practically no oil, but consumes about 2 million barrel per day. Every barrel off this represents an improvement in the balance of payments of around $90, so there is an incentive. Plus France manufactures much of the kit that goes into these greening schemes, and has a car industry that won’t mind one bit if demand rises for their products.

Nonetheless, I find it hard to knock the current regime of following national self interest where it coincides with environmental improvements.

I reckon practically every nation in Europe could find ways from benefiting from similar exercises in self interest, if they wished.

[mybarnconversion]

...They're doing this by giving us significant tax incentives - like 50% rebate on the cost of energy efficiency improvements (double glazing, insulation) and renewables (solar, anything burning wood, geothermal, etc).

They’re even giving us a 1000 euro grant to change our old cars for new, supposedly less polluting, models.

Government hates incentives in the UK ... witness the recent reduction in grants for solar power they would far rather add some extra tax burden to alternatives ... that way they can buy some more civil servants as well as pretend to be green...

[Enormous Sage]

Government hates incentives in the UK ... witness the recent reduction in grants for solar power they would far rather add some extra tax burden to alternatives ... that way they can buy some more civil servants as well as pretend to be green...

That's how it works over here : there's no incentive, just punishment if you don't comply.