Power struggle

Over the last few weeks there’s been a lot of publicity given to the big 6 energy companies here in the UK and how they’ve raised energy costs by around 10%. Apparently one of the reasons given by the companies is that the green energy taxes imposed upon them are a way of funding cleaner energy.

Last weekend we had a visit from two friends from Germany. And we got talking about energy.

As you may know, following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the German government decided to close Germany’s nuclear power plants. There has long been a vocal opposition to nuclear energy in Germany and for many years Germany has been encouraging alternative energy.

We last visited Germany in in 2011 and noticed then how many homes had solar panels and how along the sides of autobahns (motorways) were miles of solar panels. Our friends told us how since then there has been a great uptake in green energy. For example many villages are now investing in wind turbines so that the village will be self-sufficient in electricity. (The villagers set up a cooperative and establish small wind farms.)

Apparently over the summer (so our friends told us) Germany was exporting solar generated electricity to the Czech republic as Germany couldn’t use all the electricity being produced.

When we explained how there is opposition to wind farms here our friends said they couldn’t understand this. They thought Britain had an ideal climate for wind power and with our coast line why weren’t we investing in wave power? Good question.

I don’t why know people are so opposed to wind farms. Yes I must admit none of us wish to see hoards of wind turbines covering the countryside. But surely there could be ways around this? One or two turbines serving villages (as in Germany) or factories having one or two turbines. (The Honda plant in Swindon wanted to do this and the local Nimbys managed to put a block on this idea.) By the way, were people years ago opposed to windmills because they looked unsightly?

Our government has made much of how it wants to reduce the national debt as it doesn’t want to leave a legacy for future generations. But what of the legacy we are leaving for future generations by building new nuclear plants? 30,000 years’ worth of legacy in the form of toxic waste?

Meanwhile the energy companies just seem content to make money, pay their shareholders large dividends and their fat cat directors bonuses. And 340 MPs claim for the cost of heating their homes on expenses including Swindon North MP Justin Tomlinson who claimed £336. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/340-mps-energy-bills-paid-2671053 (Why by the way can MPs claim this on expenses? I work from home and I have to pay my gas and electricity. I can claim a 25% tax allowance.) While at the same time elderly members of my congregations worry about whether they will manage to be able to heat their homes.

I find it disappointing that Christians aren’t taking a more active role in challenging the Government over its energy policy. We believe that people are on earth to be stewards of creation. So shouldn’t we Christians in the western developed world be taking the lead (as is Germany is) on renewable non fossil