There’s no magic bullet to solve the UK’s energy crisis

theguardian.com:

As concerns about the energy crisis deepen, we hope to see inventive proposals put forward that will serve both people and the planet. The former Ofgem director, Christine Farnish, makes several interesting suggestions for market reform, including the concept of a “universal provision of energy” for essential use (I was an Ofgem director. This is how I would tackle the energy crisis long term, 7 September). To ensure a fair approach that protects the most vulnerable, the devil will be in the detail for all such proposals.

Daily energy consumption varies hugely from home to home: it depends on factors including who lives there, what low-carbon technologies are present and how well insulated the property is. Extreme weather events will become more frequent as a result of climate change – which means that we must also look ahead and consider conditions outside business as usual. In an unusually cold or long winter, a well-insulated property might expect a proportionately smaller increase in energy consumption than a poorly insulated property.

Thus, determining Farnish’s “modest” amount of universal energy provision will be a nontrivial exercise that must account for such complexities while being informed by real-world data, not just theoretical models. Separate concessions would need to be developed to reflect the impact of these extreme events on energy consumption across a range of households.

As we use more renewables, our energy consumption can become intelligent – shifting to times of the day when electricity is cheaper and plentiful. By addressing complexity and using innovative thinking, we can build a resilient, green and people-centred future energy system. Lucy YuCentre for Net Zero

If Stu Smith can avoid black mould