UK energy future

[pjclarke]

Given the scale of new coal fired stations being built in China and Japan this idiotic UK policy will do nothing for global CO2 emissions whatever.

As U.S. Shutters Coal Plants, China and Japan are Building Them - IER

That's a rather skewed analysis from an industry-funded thinktank. China is indeed opening new coal plant, while at the same time closing smaller, older, dirtier stations.

“Coal demand is slowing” in China while all other fuels, including oil, gas and renewables, are being consumed more, said Sophie Lu, a Beijing-based analyst at BNEF. The IEA has identified shifting energy consumption in China, the most populous nation with 1.4 billion people, as among the reasons global carbon dioxide emissions was flat last year.

Fatih Birol, the IEA’s chief economist who was*named*in February as the agency’s next executive director, said the results are an encouraging sign.
“This gives me even more hope that humankind will be able to work together to combat climate change, the most important threat facing us today,” Birol said in the IEA statement

China Carbon Emissions Decline as 2014 Global CO2 Stays Flat - Bloomberg Business


That said, the UK decision is welcome, but pretty neglible in the global scheme of things. China however, in its submission to the upcoming Paris conference has pledged to work to ensure its emissions peak in 2030 then go into decline. Current signs are it will achieve the goal early, in 2025.



Chinese CO2 Emissions Headed To 2025 Peak, May Plateau Much Sooner | ThinkProgress

[d000hg]

What are they doing to destroy these industries exactly?

Maliciously not pouring oodles of borrowed money into propping up non-viable businesses.

[MrMarkyMark]

FTFY

It got sold, lock stock and barrel, to Bob Shawadiwadi

[EternalOptimist]

What are they doing to destroy these industries exactly?

It's a sort of unintended consequence of having high energy prices and other green taxes.
It's probably not the biggest factor, but it doesn't help

[rl4engc]

What are they doing to destroy these industries exactly?

Not investing in them. FWIR e.g. Redcar was one of the most efficient smelting plants in Europe, it needed to be kept supplied with coke otheriwise basically the huge freestanding ovens collapse, and it costs many millions or billions of pounds to rebuild them. Bearing in mind Steel is a cyclical industry, the prices go up and down. The government had two choices:

1) Keep the plant in it's mothballed state, limited production, whilst the global steel price is artificially low. Keep people in work, maintain a strategic industry.
2) Let it self destruct, everyone loses their jobs, decimates the area, plant can never be brought back on-line, loss of a strategic industry, reliance on foreign steel, cost of cleaning up the site for re-use is many billions.

Govt. went for option (2). s

[VectraMan]

Not investing in them. FWIR e.g. Redcar was one of the most efficient smelting plants in Europe, it needed to be kept supplied with coke otheriwise basically the huge freestanding ovens collapse, and it costs many millions or billions of pounds to rebuild them. Bearing in mind Steel is a cyclical industry, the prices go up and down. The government had two choices:

1) Keep the plant in it's mothballed state, limited production, whilst the global steel price is artificially low. Keep people in work, maintain a strategic industry.
2) Let it self destruct, everyone loses their jobs, decimates the area, plant can never be brought back on-line, loss of a strategic industry, reliance on foreign steel, cost of cleaning up the site for re-use is many billions.

Govt. went for option (2). s

It was owned by SSI wasn't it? What's it got to do with the government?

[rl4engc]

Maliciously not pouring oodles of borrowed money into propping up non-viable businesses.

.. except they're not businesses really are they, they're utilities that have been privatised and thus run for quarter-to-quarter profits rather than to keep a country functioning for any length of time.

I think you'll find it will cost the government a lot more money to clean up/replace these closed industries, than the private companies save by closing them.

[EternalOptimist]

.. except they're not businesses really are they, they're utilities that have been privatised and thus run for quarter-to-quarter profits rather than to keep a country functioning for any length of time.

I think you'll find it will cost the government a lot more money to clean up/replace these closed industries, than the private companies save by closing them.

They are known as strategic assets. i.e. in time of war they are necessary for survival and the war effort is maximised if they are publicly owned, in time of peace they are privately owned and run for the benefit of the shareholders

[rl4engc]

They are known as strategic assets. i.e. in time of war they are necessary for survival and the war effort is maximised if they are publicly owned, in time of peace they are privately owned and run for the benefit of the shareholders

So if a CW2 or anything kicks off, do we just then hold our hands up and say "Can we just pause for 8-12 years whilst we get a few smelting plants up and running? Oh and can we buy some steel off you to build these.. ah.. .. cancel that.."

It was owned by SSI wasn't it? What's it got to do with the government?

They had the ability to keep it running, it was still a national asset, but chose not to citing some European directive about State Aid. Now SSI has washed their hands of it, the clean-up job and paying benefits for the ex-skilled workers is everything to do with the government.

[EternalOptimist]

So if a CW2 or anything kicks off, do we just then hold our hands up and say "Can we just pause for 8-12 years whilst we get a few smelting plants up and running? Oh and can we buy some steel off you to build these.. ah.. .. cancel that.."

now you are getting it. and when you throw in the fact that we don't have the shipping either, to get stuff in
It's time to get two sets of 'Fly fishing by JR Hartley'
put one jacket on the Communist manifesto
the other on the Koran

then hide them in the bookshelf until you see who is winning