@richardlowes
Energy policy obsessive on clean/decarb, mostly clean heating and gas. Surfer, dog lover, live in Cornwall. Work for Exeter Uni and the Regulatory Assistance Project. Fellow of the Energy Institute. Co-chair of Clean Heat Forum.
The UK Oil and Gas industry knows the North Sea is in terminal decline. And they even say so. So always call BS on those who suggest otherwise. It has been in terminal decline since before any climate legislation. Details on LI.
www.linkedin.com/posts/richar...
The US, Russia and Iran were responsible for 40% of global gas exports in 2024 and Liquefied ‘Natural’ Gas (LNG), has become one of the key price setters in this market. The biggest exporters of LNG are the US, Qatar and Australia.
www.linkedin.com/posts/richar...
I'm worried about the development of 'post truth' narratives across the piece (things we used to call mis/disinformation, or lies) but I have a specific concern over discussions around the North Sea oil and gas basin.
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
The hybrid heat pump and biogas combo that only the gas grids are asking for: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Excellent fact check here led by @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org with insights from @janrosenow.bsky.social and @madgabes.bsky.social
Despite the noise from interest groups, experts know that heat pumps can bring down bills especially when combined with solar, heat pump tarriffs and batteries. That's as well as slashing emissions and imports.
www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-wh...
'I’m a green energy advocate that thinks heat pumps are shite” says Ecotricity owner Dale Vince in an article which covers all sorts of things.....
The reality is, that you can't call yourself green and not support heat pumps.
www.linkedin.com/posts/richar...
The Warm Homes Plan is out. Some thoughts: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
France, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, Japan, Italy and Germany all stand out to me. All countries which need to rapidly increase renewable generation and electrify end uses.
The graph above, based on IEA data, shows countries which are around 45% or more reliant on imported gas, alongside their total gas import levels. Food for thought, especially when you think about some of the countries which are both highly dependent and high users.
Developments in the Americas have put oil security in the spotlight but transport electrification is an obvious solution to manage oil security.
The bigger strategic issue is gas. Together, US, Iran and Russia are responsible for 40% of global gas exports - reliable partners?
I/RAP am advertising for a buildings energy policy expert, with experience of buildings in hot climates. Please share with your networks. Closes the end of the month. www.raponline.org/who-we-are/c...
Huge kudos to @janrosenow.bsky.social and @trystanlea.bsky.social for sharing this analysis.
Add time of use tarriffs, solar PV and batteries and running costs are decimated! And actually unbeatable. That's right, heat pumps are a central part of the solution to bring down energy bills for good!
A win for households, the climate and energy security.
Really great to see this work on how good heat pump installs can be. An average seasonal performance factor (sCOP) of 3.9 beats gas on running costs, even in the UK where the price ratio between gas and electricity is so bad.
This has been an fascinating piece of work to lead, thanks to all of my co-authors and colleagues who have been involved. Link to the report is here: www.raponline.org/knowledge-ce...
I hope this report helps raise this critical energy transition issue to the relevant international fora while providing case studies for what is possible. Overall we provide the following policy principles:
· In Denmark which has introduced a heat pump electricity discount.
· In Sweden where a world leading carbon price makes heat pumps a no brainer.
· In Beijing where rising block tariffs are not passed through to heat pump users and heat pump capital support is available.
· In the Netherlands where electricity prices have been significantly reduced, and gas prices increased, via tax…….
We provide case studies of where efforts have been made to reduce this price ratio:
· Germany where some electricity policy costs were absorbed by the government.
· In Massachusetts where seasonal pricing was introduced……
Across both North America and Europe, price ratios between fossil heating fuels and power vary significantly from good to concerning, between States, provinces and countries, respectively.
Across Chinese provinces, ratios are typically reasonable or require modest adjustment.
Yet electricity is often too expensive, typically because it is loaded with policy costs and taxes.
Our new global multi-partner report investigates this issue and shows that these price differentials are primarily a matter of policy choice💡
www.raponline.org/knowledge-ce...
Heat pumps are vital for moving the world off fossil fuel use in buildings, enhancing security and reducing local and global emissions. Ensuring heat pumps have lower running costs than fossil fuel alternatives is vital for their mass deployment.
🚨Just released🚨
'Tipping the balance: Cheaper electricity is needed to drive clean heating'
Our brand new globally focussed paper looks at the role of energy pricing in delivering clean heat uptake and provides examples of what has been done to reduce electricity prices.
The removal of the RO levy from bills to taxpayer funding is a huge win for UK households, energy policy and strategy. ECO reform was needed, but a cut seems foolhardy.
The cost of living crisis was caused in large part by gas prices.
Heat pump policy supports a solution which which gets the country off gas AND reduces emissions.
I seriously hope this is some crossed wires, if not we really are in trouble.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
A grown up conversation is needed on this structural economic problem and sadly I don't see it coming.
Graph data from Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and map from Ember.
The reality is that renewables and electrification are our greatest assets for energy security and indeed that is the case for many of the world's nations reliant on imports which often come from unsavoury places.
These views have undoubtedly been boosted by social media and AI. Evidence shows that is not going to happen.
The decline is forecast to continue to nearly full gas import dependency by 2040. EEK. Looking ahead, my worry in UK politics is what appears to be a broad lack of objectivity and the unfounded belief that we can drill baby drill, frack and easily build nuclear generation.