The Problems

There are three key issues facing the United Kingdom on energy issues. The first is our increasing dependence other countries for our energy needs, following the decline of coal production.

The second, related, issue is what types of energy we should rely on in future. There is a strenuous debate about whether we should retain nuclear energy, for example.

The third is the sudden recent steep increases in the cost of energy, with some consumers in 2006 facing increases of nearly 25% in their gas and electricity costs.

We believe the Conservative government under Mrs Thatcher made a mistake in privatising gas, electricity and water, thereby losing control of our energy supplies. Some now have been sold to French and German companies.

Since Labour came to power they have done nothing to correct this dangerous situation our country is now in. Energy is probably the most important policy for any nation that needs to govern itself, make a safe secure society and ensure prosperity for its citizens.

Britain faces becoming a major importer of both oil and gas over the next decade or two. Government projections indicate that between 55%-90% of UK gas consumption could be imported by 2020. This exposes the UK to considerable risk, particularly when 38% of world reserves are in the Former Soviet Union and a further 35% in the Middle East.

Imports of oil and gas will be pumped through the European Union. It is proposed that they will be controlled by the E.U. under what they call their ‘Trans-European Networks’ (Ten’s). To encourage rapid implementation of the most important cross-border interconnection capacity, a number of projects have been declared to be of European interest. This increasing interconnection will mean that if, as we propose, Britain leaves the European Union, it will be necessary to negotiate the terms on which we get our oil and gas from the E.U.

It’s also worth pointing out that under current E.U. Treaties, Britain’s oil and gas could be deemed to be a ‘European community resource’. If there were an unforeseen emergency affecting the European Union’s energy needs, we would be forced to supply our energy.

Relying on oil and gas from Russia and the Middle East is also dangerous - as political instability, international crises or even natural disaster such as earthquakes affecting these regions could easily lead to rapid price increases or even, on a worst case scenario, the risk of supplies being cut off altogether, as happened recently in the case of Russia’s supply of gas to the Ukraine.

So far as Britain is concerned, we would be ‘last in line’ to receive oil and gas travelling across the E.U., with us being unable to control or power to the distribution of fuel through the E.U. We have already seen how the French government cave in to rioters and pressure from it's citizens, there is no doubt in our minds that this would be the case if fuel poverty became a problem within the EU.

The companies that supply our fuel are making vast profits whilst the old, infirm and vulnerable go cold to save on heating costs. It’s clear that neither the market nor existing regulation is able to control these companies’ profits.

Our Solutions

Become self sufficient in energy by doing the following:

Building a New state owned energy industry, i.e. a controlling stake of at least 51% shareholding in any energy-producing business, plus building and investing in new technology such as:

Hydrogen power

We will explore possibilities and commit to building Hydrogen extraction plants for use in both fuel cell technology and power generation through the use of abundant resources already available within the UK.

Atlantic wind turbines

Generating electricity to power the electrolysis of water, splitting the hydrogen from oxygen and mixing the hydrogen with air to generate electricity and the exhaust waste water used again and again, also to use hydrogen in turbine power stations as fuel burn, again producing waste water

Coal

The UK has vast reserves of coal that may be used for hydrogen extraction and production of clean burn energy.

Waste recycling power stations

We will build more waste power stations to alleviate both energy poverty and reduce landfill, unlike hydrogen which is 100% clean, the waste burning would be classed as a pollutant technology, however with new technology and scrubber investment, this would be kept to a minimum, and with the reduction and eventual decommissioning of fossil fuel power stations we expect CO2 emissions to be drastically reduced to a bare minimum.

Nuclear

Our overall policy is to decommission, eventually, all nuclear power stations within the UK. Whilst we do not rule out building any more nuclear power stations, we believe that investment should be concentrated on developing the clean and renewable energy sources we’ve mentioned above. Nuclear power is expensive and existing technology does not at present permit safe decommissioning.

Solar power

Will be encouraged for use in new build housing

New energy efficient standards for housing

All new housing should to be built to a new, higher energy efficient standards relating to insulation and conservation, using cost effective and proven means such as extra insulation and low-consumption appliances and lighting.

Costs

Power supply costs to consumers and industry to be kept low thus ensuring competitiveness within manufacturing and industry plus also ensure the old, infirm and vulnerable are never put in a position of hypothermia or other medical problems that impact on both the state and NHS as well as being distressing for the family. New technology developed by the nationalised industry will be made available to other nations under licence, and profits from both the industry itself and technology will be pumped back into the system ensuring the UK is self sufficient and energy rich for its future needs.

VAT

We will scrap all VAT on domestic fuel charges once the nation is 100% self-sufficient.

Europe

We will gradually reduce our reliance on the European Union, Russia and Middle East for all our fuel and power needs, through our transport policy we will encourage fuel cell technology, and will push for less reliance on oil from the unstable and volatile Middle East. Through our policy of 100% self sufficiency, we can be confident that the EU cannot influence our withdrawal from the Union, and we can ensure a fair and free trade system that will both benefit the UK our allies and our trading partners.

Education

Our education policy will reflect the educational skills we will need for the future development our policy in energy by increasing the teaching of environmental and energy issues in the national curriculum and ensuring that we have first-class Fuel Technology departments in our colleges and universities.

Transport

Our transport policy will reflect the alternative fuels we will need for the future needs and development of our nation by encouraging the switch to alternative fuels such as ethanol by cars and lorries - as they have done in Sweden - and generally promoting the use of alternative fuels in our transport networks like the fuel cell and bio fuels reliance.

Our policies will gradually reduce our reliance on the E.U., Russia and the Middle East for our energy needs.

Reduce the costs of gas and electricity by doing the following:

Tightening the powers of regulators to ensure that fuel supply costs to consumers and industry are kept as low as possible. This will assist heavy fuel-users in manufacturing to remain competitive and enable fuel to be supplied at lower cost to consumers, helping the old, infirm and vulnerable. As new technology become available, the Popular Alliance will constantly monitor and refine its energy policy. We want to ensure the most cost-effective and clean energy for our nation’s future.

Our costings for this policy may be found via the main menu or by clicking HERE

Our energy spokesman will be pleased to discuss queries, suggestions and ideas with you on all matters relating to fuel technology. Send us an e-mail - and we will get back to you. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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