NUCLEAR POWER IS NOT THE SOLUTION - Friends of the Earth Scotland

NUCLEAR POWER IS NOT THE SOLUTION

09 January 2008
Topics: Nuclear

UK must learn lessons from Scotland, and both must put energy efficiency
first

Building a new generation of nuclear power stations is not the answer to the
UK’s energy problems and will do little to help tackle climate change,
Friends of the Earth warned today [1]. The environmental campaign group said
that the UK Government’s focus on nuclear power is a distraction from
developing real and sustainable solutions, such as a major programme of
renewables and energy efficiency, and more efficient use of fossil fuels,
including combined heat and Power (CHP). The UK Government is expected to
give the go-ahead to a new generation of nuclear plants tomorrow (Thursday).

The UK Government is also due to publish its Energy Bill tomorrow [2].
Friends of the Earth says that tackling climate change must be the central
aim of the bill and is calling for it to include measures to support a
massive expansion in renewable energy and the more efficient use of energy.
These measures must also include all sectors of the economy, including the
transport sector.

Friends of the Earth Scotland Chief Executive, Duncan McLaren, said:

“The decision to encourage the construction of new nuclear stations in the
UK is both irrational and unfortunate. It is irrational because the
economics do not stack up and because renewables and energy efficiency could
meet our needs more quickly and sustainably. It is unfortunate because the
nuclear option will limit our ability to lead in the exciting and fast
growing new markets for modern energy sources. And that is bad news for the
UK economy and jobs”.

“The UK should be learning from the Scottish Government’s decisions to rule
out new nuclear power, reduce climate changing emissions by 80% by 2050 and
to deliver over 30% of electricity from renewable sources by 2011 and over
50% by 2020 [3]. That would put the UK in line with other progressive
independent European countries such as Sweden, Norway and Ireland.

“The Energy Bill should put energy saving in all sectors – including heat
and transport – at the heart of energy policy, rather than focusing on
energy supply. Improving energy efficiency is by far the cheapest, most
sustainable, and most secure way of meeting our energy needs. Scottish
policy must also recognise this priority.

Friends of the Earth is also concerned that the Planning Bill - which is
currently before the UK Parliament - will be used to fast track major
infrastructure projects such as nuclear power stations and airports in
England and Wales [4].

The environmental campaign group is also urging the UK Government to
strengthen its climate change bill, which will set legally-binding targets
for cutting UK carbon dioxide emissions. Friends of the Earth says that the
bill must aim to reduce emissions by at least 80 per cent of 1990 levels by
2050 (with annual milestones to ensure that this happens) and include
Britain’s share of international aviation emissions. The campaign for a
climate change bill has been led by Friends of the Earth through The Big Ask
(www.thebigask.com)

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

[1] Friends of the Earth says that the UK Government can tackle climate
change, maintain energy security and keep the lights on by investing in
clean, safe alternatives. The campaign group opposes a new generation of
nuclear power stations.

·       Britain can meet its energy needs, maintain energy security and
tackle climate change through a comprehensive programme of renewables,
energy efficiency, combined heat and power and cleaner carbon technology. A
Friends of the Earth report by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change
Research (September 2006) shows how Britain can create a low carbon,
non-nuclear society:
http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/news/carbon_budget.html

·       Nuclear power is not the answer to tackling climate change.
Replacing nuclear plants would only deliver around 4-5 per cent of UK energy
consumption.

·       Nuclear power is expensive and leaves a legacy of deadly radioactive
waste that remains dangerous for tens of thousands of years. After 50 years
of civil nuclear power we still don’t have a long-term strategy for dealing
with the waste that has already been created. Furthermore, UK tax-payers are
already committed to a bill of up to £70 billion to deal with our nuclear
legacy. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4859980.stm

·       A new nuclear programme would encourage other countries to go down
the dangerous nuclear route, with potential implications for nuclear weapons
proliferation.

·       Building new nuclear plants would undermine renewable energy by
steering investment away from them, and hinder the UK attempts to meet the
EU target of 20% UK energy from renewable sources by 2020

·       The Government’s public consultation was a sham. In September last
year, Friends of the Earth and other NGOs pulled out of the rushed public
consultation on nuclear power. It failed to provide adequate information on
the dangers of nuclear power or the alternatives available and Ministers had
also already made up their minds in favour of nuclear power [4].

[2] Speaking at the Labour Party Conference last year, Gordon Brown said he
wanted the UK to be “a world leader in energy and the environment from
nuclear to renewables…” Friends of the Earth says that while the Government
appears to be bending over backwards to force through nuclear energy, they
are doing little to support renewable energy - despite being committed to
the EU target of 20% renewable energy by 2020.

Currently only 2% of UK energy (and under 5% of UK electricity) comes from
renewable sources. The Energy Bill must deliver a huge increase in UK
renewable energy if it is to meet its share of the target of 20% of EU
energy to come from renewable sources by 2020 (energy includes electricity,
transport fuels and heat). This will require the UK to generate between 30
and 40% of its electricity from renewable sources. The UK has the one of the
biggest potentials for wind power in the world. Reforms in the Energy White
Paper will only see the UK reach 5% renewable energy and 15% renewable
electricity by 2020

There must be much greater emphasis on ensuring much more efficient
generation from fossil fuels. It is simply not acceptable for coal power
stations to be constructed without waste heat used efficiently and without
the potential for their carbon emissions to be captured. The Energy Bill
should:

* Reform government’s gas and electricity regulator, Ofgem so that its
primary purpose is carbon emissions reduction and protection of consumers

* Legislate to give renewable electricity generators priority access to feed
their power into the National Grid.

* Consent for new coal and gas stations must only be given if they make use
of waste heatand capture carbon dioxide emissions.

* Give smaller scale renewable electricity producers (such as households,
businesses and communities who invest in producing their own renewable
electricity from say solar panels or wind turbines) a long term guaranteed
premium price for the electricity they generate. This is knownas a ‘feed-in
tariff’,and operates successfully in many European countries, especially
Germany.

[3] Scotland successfully surpassed its original 2010 target for 17%
renewable electricity in 2007.

[4] Friends of the Earth is also concerned that the Government will use the
Planning Reform Bill to fast track Major Infrastructure Projects (MIPs) such
as nuclear power stations, without proper public consultation. Under the
bill’s proposals decisions on MIPs will be taken by an unelected and
unaccountable body and local people will only be able to raise concerns in
writing. Friends of the Earth is campaigning for fair representation and
democratic accountability for these important decisions. The environmental
charity is giving evidence to a House of Commons Committee later today
(Thursday).

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