Claverton summary

From Energy-Experts

Claverton Group 2 page summary

Moderator Dave [djm@regentech.co.uk]

Who we are Claverton is a group of energy profesionals from across the UK and many overseas members. Drawn from the entire energy industry from upstream oil and gas through power utilities, major engineering companies, renewable energy industries and energy customers each is an expert in their particular field.

The Group purpose is to discuss energy issues and share expertise. It seeks to influence in members, member industries, wider industry, local government and national goverment. We seek to influence energy policy and practise and in particular request/demand establishment of practical sustainable energy generation and energy use policies within the UK. A UK Energy Transition Strategy

Statement of Energy concern

The Claverton Group remain deeply concerned about mankind’s environmental impact. However, our immediate concern is the future availability of fossil fuels and their relationship to every part of all national economies. Oil, gas and coal are finite and limited resources. They must, will and are depleting yet demand continues to rise. A worldwide consensus is growing that peak oil is upon us or likely within a very short period. Opinion not evidence is cited to refute the incontrovertable evidence. Current forecast of achievable oil and gas production will achieve the carbon emission targets but at an immense econimic cost.

Society regards energy supply as a matter of economics and ignoreing evidence of geology and exploration. The resources of the Earth are finite but we have failed to recognise this: we now face potential disaster through our profligate use of these resources. We believe, however, that it is still possible to avoid this disaster by the application of greater energy efficiency and the avoidance of waste and through the rapid introduction of well understood sustainable energy production technology.

If the fossil fuel is not there to be had, what do we do for energy, particulary transport?

The impact on the world's economy will be devastating if we do not take comprehensive corrective action swiftly. Top 6 issues that reflect this concern:

• Oil and gas will and must begin a net worldwide production decline and soon,
• Energy is the World's single most important industry bar none. It leads food production which is heavily energy dependent for inputs, production and distribution. Every aspect of our lives, is energy dependent.
• The impact of fossil fuel supply deficit will see rising energy costs across the world’s economy
• Serious energy shortfall consequences include, serious inflation (stagflation likely), industry failures, rising unemployment followed by depression.
• Fuel Shortages will disrupt food production and distribution. Forecourt shortages disrupting commuter transport and immense social unrest
• Economic depression sees rising of poverty, increasing social unrest and potential social disorder.

These statements are made by very sober, senior and exceptionally well informed professional enegineers and scientsists from around the world inside and out with the oil and energy industries.

Statement of UK strategic planning deficiencies The UK government:

• aparatus in Westminster and BERR gives the impression of not being aware of this issue
• focuss is soley carbon mitigation. It assumes sufficient fossil fuels to meet growiung forward demand
• Westminster raises over £5b in green taxes of which a miniscule proportion is invested in green measures or alternative energy
• is deferring all decisions and investment to the private sector and free market forces. These are by definition reactive.
• has fallen behind every other manistream EC country in investments in demand reduction and alternative energy measures
• is using the green issue as deliberate and cynical excuse for extending UK taxes without investing in measures required
• has over dependent faith in carbon trading as its orincipal carbon abatement measure
• yet it continues to criticise other nations like the US whose investments exceed the entire UK green tax take,

The opportunity

This threat carries a counter opportunity. Enough energy lands on the earth in 40 minutes to meet mankinds total energy needs for a year manifest in many diverse forms. In the absence of sufficient fossil fuel to meet demand it can only come from "renewable resources". These include:

• solar thermal, solar electric, wind, marine, hydro, geothermal, biowastes.
• Nuclear is not renewable as it depends on a finite fuel source. (Fast breeder programme terminated) Coments from experts please

Energy demand manifests in Heat, Electricity and Motion for industry through commerce, government, public and private transport and domestic residences. This energy is delivered primarily as Liquids, Gasses and Electricity

• A vast array of new energy technologies from harvesting, storage and reuse are in development and deployment NOW
• The technology development is being funded by governments and corporations all over the world
• There are enormous manufacturing, value added and service industry employment opportunities
• Entriely new industries are in formation and this will continue but in the nations who are investing
• The UK can deploy thee technologies, develop the service capability and attract much of this manufacturing

Specific requests and recomendations

As we write a technological energy revolution is unfolding across the world within which the UK is desperately losing ground.

1. Swiftly appoint a profesional team of oil/energy profesionals to investigate the peak oil phenomenon with a totally open mind. The brief: to investgae the geological data of Simmons International and Petroconsultants in Houston et al

2. Task leading economists to report on the impact of a decline in world energy production.

3. Develop and implement a radical deep energy transtion strategy elements of which include:

• Significant demand supression measures
• Phase out ineffcient fossil combustion systems in favour of CHP and fuel cell technologies
• Rapidly increase the use of every renewbale eneregy resources including solar, wind, hydro, tidal, biowastes and geothermal.
• Begin the investment in hydrogen as fuel vector sources from very source available, make it local useit local.
• Assume a zero fossil strategy of wwhich carbon mitigation is but a transitionary component only.

4. Implement sweeping chamges to the planning process

5. Impement a radical refocussing on R&D spend in near market solutions and invest substantially in the new energy infrastructure.