Energy crisis 'more serious than climate change'
Published on : 17/09/2008
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The UK is facing an energy crisis that should be prioritised over climate change as it is potentially more damaging to the country's wellbeing, it has been claimed.
Professor Ian Fells, emeritus professor of energy conservation from the University of Newcastle, said over the next 12 years the closure of outmoded coal and nuclear power plants will lead to the loss of a third of the country's generating capacity.
Such a situation would lead to prolonged power cuts which could lead to an economic downturn, job losses and shut down schools and hospitals, he commented.
He suggested extending coal and nuclear power plants beyond their official closing dates, buying in more electricity from Europe and burning municipal waste in incinerators to generate power.
"All in all it will be a close run thing to provide electricity to keep the lights on through the next decade," he commented.
In response to Prof Fells's statements, Doug Parr, chief scientist for Greenpeace UK described the concentration on older technologies as "naïve".
