Monday, February 21, 2005
UK to shun ‘clean’ hydrogen energy
According to the Sunday Herald this weekend:
THE UK government is set to reject investment in a clean energy source identified by the US, Japan and China as a major alternative to fossil fuels and with potentially important spin-off benefits to Scotland.
[snip]
The report argues that the production of grid electricity is “the most CO2-effective use of limited renewable resources”, and adds that “it is not currently possible to assess whether hydrogen could enable the exploitation of remote renewables”. This latter assertion has met with strong opposition among the country’s fledgling hydrogen and fuel cell businesses, which argue that the report ignores the potential for applying the new technology in rural communities with an abundance of renewable energy potential, notably the Western Isles, the Northern Isles and parts of the Highlands.
David McGrath, managing director of Aberdeen-based fuel cell company siGEN, reacted angrily to the report’s recommendations. He says it suffers from “fundamental errors that will block any developments north of the Border”.
[snip]
Alistair Carmichael, MP for Orkney and Shetland, also criticised the report saying it was too “London-centric”.
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So, there you have it. Labour are trying to prevent the Western Isles from developing an alternative to Nuclear and (possibly) to windfarms, and Calum doesn't say a thing.
THE UK government is set to reject investment in a clean energy source identified by the US, Japan and China as a major alternative to fossil fuels and with potentially important spin-off benefits to Scotland.
[snip]
The report argues that the production of grid electricity is “the most CO2-effective use of limited renewable resources”, and adds that “it is not currently possible to assess whether hydrogen could enable the exploitation of remote renewables”. This latter assertion has met with strong opposition among the country’s fledgling hydrogen and fuel cell businesses, which argue that the report ignores the potential for applying the new technology in rural communities with an abundance of renewable energy potential, notably the Western Isles, the Northern Isles and parts of the Highlands.
David McGrath, managing director of Aberdeen-based fuel cell company siGEN, reacted angrily to the report’s recommendations. He says it suffers from “fundamental errors that will block any developments north of the Border”.
[snip]
Alistair Carmichael, MP for Orkney and Shetland, also criticised the report saying it was too “London-centric”.
--------
So, there you have it. Labour are trying to prevent the Western Isles from developing an alternative to Nuclear and (possibly) to windfarms, and Calum doesn't say a thing.
