Featured Posts
Time to accept that wind farm costs are not falling
There has been a consistent narrative that the cost of building new wind farms is falling, with falling subsidy [...]
Windfall tax harms oil and gas production and must be cut
In May last year, the UK Government introduced a windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas companies [...]
Why Norway’s views on energy security should ring alarm bells across Europe
Norway's energy security would appear to be a done deal, yet the past couple of years have been very [...]
Addressing the high real cost of renewable generation
Over the past few months we have been inundated with claims from interested parties that more renewables are the [...]
Recent Posts
The Iberian blackout shows the dangers of operating power grids with low inertia
Last week there was a widespread blackout across Iberia which also briefly affected the south of France. All power was lost on the peninsula and it was many hours before it was fully restored after a rare black start. [...]
Net zero realism is growing with the UK Government increasingly isolated
In the 9th anniversary of the start of my blog, I’m feeling very encouraged by the growing net zero realism. I have long argued against current climate policies on the basis they are making energy more expensive and less [...]
Busting the British Steel bailout myths
Last weekend, the UK parliament was recalled to pass the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025 in a single day. But there are very many myths and mis-understandings about what this means. Setting aside the irritating self-congratulation of MPs [...]
Heathrow blackout after substation fire highlights infrastructure vulnerability
Late on Thursday night a fire broke out at the North Hyde substation in Hayes, west London causing a blackout at Heathrow airport as well as thousands of homes and businesses. Of three transformers on the site, one was [...]
Norway turning away from electricity interconnection
Norway is turning away from electricity interconnection as its governing coalition collapses over disagreements over energy co-operation with Europe. Most of the Storting now agrees there should be no more interconnectors while several parties want to renegotiate the deals [...]
New report: Blackout risks in the GB grid
Today Net Zero Watch has published a new report I’ve written on the risks of blackouts in the GB power market. The report was primarily drafted late last year but sections were re-written after the near-miss on 8 January [...]
“Trust me, I’m a doctor” – NESO’s approach to transparency
The National Energy System Operator (“NESO”) has been stung by my analysis of the blackouts near miss on 8 January, at one point apparently telling journalists, somewhat pompously that “WE are the National Energy System Operator, and SHE is [...]
NESO forecasting errors: the silent threat to energy security
My blog post on the threat to energy security on 8 January went viral. It’s the single most widely read thing I have ever written, and it has been widely re-shared on social media and quoted in the press. [...]
Blackouts near miss in tightest day in GB electricity market since 2011
Yesterday saw a blackout near miss in what turned out to be the tightest day the GB electricity market has seen since 2011. Wind power was 2.5 GW through the evening peak, solar was (obviously) zero and there were [...]
As Donald Trump says the UK should scrap the EPL and windfarms here are my tips for US energy policy
Writing my review of 2024 got me thinking about the link between energy and economy. Cheap energy is positive for economies while expensive energy is negative – that is not in question, and is why policy-makers are at pains [...]
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