North Sea gas rig [image credit: safety4sea.com]
Climate obsessives think importing energy from anywhere and everywhere is somehow better than producing it at home. Economics and geo-politics don’t get considered. They expect to wake up one day and find fuel power is history, despite it providing about 80% of the world’s energy. Time to abandon the dismal mythology.
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The UK has started a new licencing round for oil and gas exploration despite the government’s pledge to achieving its net zero target, says ITV News.
Business and Energy Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg has insisted the move will boost both the UK’s economy and energy security.
The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) has now begun the 33rd round of offshore licences, which are being made available for sectors of the North Sea – known as blocks – with the NSTA estimating that over 100 may be granted.
Speaking ahead of the process getting under way on Friday, Mr Rees-Mogg said: “Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine means it is now more important than ever that we make the most of sovereign energy resources, strengthening our energy security now and into the future.
“Ensuring our energy independence means exploiting the full potential of our North Sea assets to boost domestic production – recognising that producing gas in the UK has a lower carbon footprint than importing from abroad.
“That is why we welcome the launch of the NSTA’s new licensing round, which will help support highly skilled jobs across the UK’s energy industry, boosting both our energy security and our economy.”
. . .
Mike Tholen, acting chief executive for industry body Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), said: “The UK gets 75% of its total energy from gas and oil so producing our own reduces our vulnerability to global shortages of the kind caused by the Ukraine conflict.”
He added: “There is no conflict between issuing new licences and reaching carbon neutrality.
“Our industry is committed to net zero and also to helping build the low-carbon energy systems of the future. But this is a journey that will take decades during which we will still need gas and oil.
“Many existing UK oil and gas fields are in decline so the risk is that production will drop much faster than demand, leaving us more dependent on imports. That is why new licences are so important.
“New licences also help maintain continuity for the energy operators and for our vital supply chain companies which, between them, employ over 200,000 people.
“The success of this and the next licensing rounds will be vital for our nation’s long-term energy security and to ensure we deliver on the UK’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050.”
Full article here.
Tallbloke's Talkshop 
[…] UK starts new licensing round for oil and gas exploration ‘despite climate fears’, says ITV News… […]
If the UK uses its own oil or gas instead of somebody else’s, where are the ‘climate fears’ in that? It’s nonsense.
Reblogged this on Climate Collections.
The media doesn’t appear to understand what “net” means in Net Zero.
Net zero is a very stupid idea.
Prepare for energy rationing, whatever delusional ministers are telling you
7 October 2022
Let me say it plainly. There will be rationing. The only question is how bad it will be. If certain heavy industry is forced to shut down (as it already has across much of the Continent), most regular punters won’t notice, despite the economic damage it wreaks. But if households are told to switch off their Netflix streams and forced to spend candle-lit evenings talking or reading, by God they will notice that.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/10/07/prepare-energy-rationing-whatever-delusional-ministers-telling/
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Weather-dependent electricity 🤨
Jimmy Carter: “Only government can manage scarcity fairly.”
Ronald Reagan: “Screw that! We’re America. We’ll just make more.”
Kamala Harris: “Vice President Kamala Harris promised that she and President Joe Biden would focus on principles of equity and environmental justice as they worked to rebuild communities after recent hurricanes.”
That’s what they mean by “fairly.”
Expect UK energy rationing to be done “fairly.”
NetZero destroys NetZero: Europe can’t make solar panels because green electricity costs too much
By Jo Nova
Ironies don’t get better than this: Thanks to the renewable energy transition, Europe can’t afford to make renewable energy.
When will the message get through that renewable energy is not sustainable?
https://joannenova.com.au/2022/10/netzero-destroys-netzero-europe-cant-manufacture-solar-panels-due-to-high-energy-prices/
Net Zero Watch looks at the European fossil fuel situation…
Conclusion
In reviewing the potential of shale gas to contribute to energy security, in 2014 the European Commission concluded that ‘the volumes produced will not make Europe self-sufficient in gas, but could help to reduce prices’. That conclusion is obviously correct, and applies with equal force to coal, oil, and conventional natural gas resources. No-one would argue from the data reviewed in this study that the European region can become self-sufficient in fossil energy, but it is equally clear that further exploration of the very substantial resources of these fuels could enlarge proven reserves, increase production and have a significant effect on regional prices and overall security.
Click to access Europe-Fossil-Fuel-Resources.pdf
“The success of this and the next licensing rounds will be vital for our nation’s long-term energy security and to ensure we deliver on the UK’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050.”
He just had to say it. I thought this Rees-Mogg fellow was going to be a good guy. But this declaration of orthodoxy crashes my hopes.