9 May 2025

Net Zero hostilities begin

The headlines

UK

• Net Zero hostilities begin

• More Labour discord on Net Zero

• Miliband mayhem

• Greens admit they are losing the Net Zero debate

• Another one bites the dust

• More jobs to go in Aberdeen

International

• Lights out in Spain again

• Spending without end

• OPEC brings hope

Etcetera

• Media appearances, opeds, and some science news

From the blog

• Peston’s power trick

UK

Net Zero hostilities begin

Newly emboldened by the local elections results, Reform UK declared that its councils would do everything in their power to stand in the way of renewables projects.

More Labour discord on Net Zero

Labour grandee Lord Blunkett followed in the footsteps of his former boss, Tony Blair, in calling for caution rather than a headlong rush to Net Zero. The GMB union sounded the alarm (again) on the same subject, although Mr Miilband still seems unable to hear it. The party’s MPs, previously green enthusiasts to a man (and woman), are said to be increasingly nervous about the Miliband agenda on their prospects for political survival.

Miliband mayhem

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband continued to exhibit signs of madness, calling for all carparks to be equipped with solar panels. Housebuilders pointed out that his targets for rooftop solar were going to undermine the government’s housebuilding targets. Financiers warned that his tinkering with housing standards would lead to a wave of evictions in the rented sector.

Greens admit they are losing the Net Zero debate

The deputy leader of the UK Green party admitted the party is losing the debate on decarbonisation. At Net Zero Watch, we are not even sure there has been a debate worth the mentioning.

Another one bites the dust

Danish renewables giant Ørsted pulled the plug on the planned Hornsea 4 offshore windfarm, saying that the sums no longer added up for the 2.4-GW project. With the government having guaranteed the owners a selling price around £10 per megawatt hour above current market levels, the move confirms that true renewables costs are far above what is claimed by ministers and officials.

In related news, a major pumped hydro development in Scotland was put on ice.

More jobs to go in Aberdeen

Harbour Energy, the North Sea’s largest oil and gas producer, slammed the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, as it announced major job losses in Aberdeen

International

Lights out in Spain again

Just a week after experiencing a total blackout, Spain was hit again, this time in the Canary Islands. Apparently blind to the risks, the socialist government said it intending to continue with the drive to Net Zero.

Spending without end

EU auditors said that the bloc’s electricity grid required a trillion-dollar upgrade to make it ready for Net Zero. The success of the project therefore appears unlikely.

OPEC brings hope

OPEC, the oil producers’ cartel, announced that it would increase production, bringing hope of price reductions.

Etcetera…

Andrew was on Talk with Mike Graham, discussing all things Net Zero.

The BBC said that the consensus on Net Zero is unravelling. It also covered the issue of wake effects in offshore windfarms, perhaps reflecting a new-found willingness to question green certainties.

In the wake of the Great Iberian Blackout, questions are being asked about the stability of the GB grid.

On the scientific front, there has been a record-breaking increase in Antarctic sea ice, accompanying a similar rebound in the Arctic ice cover. Judith Curry published a new paper on the credibility of the climate catastrophe narrative.

Tilak Doshi reckons Ed Miliband is the UK’s major source of Net Zero information. We don’t disagree.

From the blog

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