Katherine Porter is one of Britain’s leading energy experts. Until 2023, she wrote a weekly column for the Telegraph, relaying the latest happenings in the sectors of oil, gas, and green alternatives. Today, she runs her own energy consultancy firm - Watt-Logic - and is an associate member (as a non- Parliamentarian) of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Energy Studies.
Why did we invite her on?
Life in Britain seems increasingly tough on its people. The factors are a multitude, but something fundamental sits at the heart of it: it’s too expensive. And even then, the reasons are endless, and many that most of us never stop to consider Namely: net-zero.
We’ve long been admirers of Katherine’s analytic skill, and we wanted her to sit down with us and explain how and why net-zero united the parties at the expense of the public, the ideological thinking at the heart of it, and the costs we may soon feel for chasing it.
What did we learn?
Britain is not alone in its eco-neurosis. Most of Western Europe has developed a similar panic about it, and the rush for renewable energy is an increasingly universal pursuit. But Britain is alone in one aspect - we might be the worst off. Kathryn has spent her career analysing energy markets and scientific development, and she describes Britain’s response with
”We have the dumbest policies, which is saying something.”
Other countries, she says, might have more absurd plans, but Britain is paying for theirs more than anyone else. Germany and its neighbours have at least found efficient means to achieve their plans. We have not. Why?
”We’re abusing the retail market and using it as a stealth way of collecting taxes. Normally, if a government wants to collect taxes, they raise them, and it’s scrutinised thoroughly. But when they decided they wanted to incentivise renewables, they found a way to pay for it through bills, rather than through taxation - it’s effectively a hidden tax, a mandatory payment. And it’s worth billions of pounds a year.”
The blame for high energy costs is placed on the oft-described ascent of gas prices. “We’d love to lower energy costs, but gas prices are just too darn high. In fact, that’s as good a reason as any to abandon it entirely.”
Seems coherent. But, in reality, gas is cheaper now.
”Ed Miliband keeps saying energy prices are high because of gas prices. But gas prices are actually down 84% from their peak - your bills aren’t.”
But, ultimately, what does it matter?
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