The Alternative Green Energy Thread

Exiled_Tyke

JKenH said:

Magnitio said:

JKenH said:

The Tony Blair Institute has issued a report with recommendations on our clean energy future.

Is that the same Tony Blair Institute that receives significant funding from the UAE?

Does it ultimately matter where the funding comes from? It may to you and some others. But let’s be real, at the end of the day all that matters is whether or not Tony Blair or the TBI has sufficient influence to impact policy. Most democratic governments have policies they wish to pursue because they believe it’s the right thing to do but ultimately the priority of any government is staying in power and if the leaders see the political sands shifting beneath their feet they will look for firmer ground. Energy costs are a hot potato and with TB having personally approved the report it may be difficult for the prime minister to reject it out of hand. 

Yes, of course it matters, as I'm sure you will know, it points towards potential conflicts of interest and bias in reporting.   

JKenH

Exiled_Tyke said:

JKenH said:

Magnitio said:

JKenH said:

The Tony Blair Institute has issued a report with recommendations on our clean energy future.

Is that the same Tony Blair Institute that receives significant funding from the UAE?

Does it ultimately matter where the funding comes from? It may to you and some others. But let’s be real, at the end of the day all that matters is whether or not Tony Blair or the TBI has sufficient influence to impact policy. Most democratic governments have policies they wish to pursue because they believe it’s the right thing to do but ultimately the priority of any government is staying in power and if the leaders see the political sands shifting beneath their feet they will look for firmer ground. Energy costs are a hot potato and with TB having personally approved the report it may be difficult for the prime minister to reject it out of hand. 

Yes, of course it matters, as I'm sure you will know, it points towards potential conflicts of interest and bias in reporting.   

I am sure the PM and his cabinet know sufficient about TB and his institute to recognise potential conflicts of interest and bias, and then, having weighed them, act accordingly. As I said, it’s ultimately about whether the government take this on board or ignore it.

thevilla

I've only read the summary so maybe missed something.  The significant suggested change seems to be to make gas cheaper by removing carbon costs.  This, the report suggests, will make electricity cheaper and encourage decarbonisation of industry.  How would reducing the price of gas encourage a gas consuming industry to electrify?  It does seem to suggest the hand of the oil industry was a significant input to the report.

Maybe I'll read the rest when I have time.

Edit: Having read some of the rest of the report it's clear the summary is just that and there's more of interest.  The gas price is less prominent.  Interesting stuff.