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Despite only a brief respite from work, I did over the festive period reflect on how we are doing as a planet looking after our resources. I was struck by the large amount of hope and positivity in a few people but an even larger amount of apathy/lethargy in a larger number of people. My wider family were using recyclable paper and the Cleaks used brown paper and twine as a small improvement on last year. However, I was dismayed by the amount of wrapping paper spilling out of bins and the sheer volume (at least it was in recycling) of cardboard produced by the Christmas giving fest.
Whether it is people or firms I don't believe that using just a stick approach is the way to change opinions and hearts. This incident back In August left many people without electricity albeit for less than an hour. My business brain says yes, it is right that this should be looked at and yes people should be compensated, but that is retrospective and doesn't create an incentive going forward. Let's also not hide from the fact that part of the problem was a renewable energy development. The issue here was not a specific type of generation but the fact that the system overall could not cope. If there had been backup storage (note: I said storage not batteries) then this could have been avoided.
My personal New Year resolution is to keep looking at the small acts that my family and I do and how these can be improved. My New Year wish (as it always seems to be) is some political stability and consistency so we can design a system that encourages sustainability while providing a framework for developers to deploy energy solutions that benefit individuals AND the planet.
The power cut struck just before 17:00 BST on Friday 9 August, and blackouts spread across the Midlands, the South East, South West, North West and North East of England, and Wales. Following Ofgem's investigation, RWE Generation, which runs Little Barford Power Station, and Orstead, which runs Hornsea offshore wind farm, have both agreed to pay £4.5m. Distributor company UK Power Networks has agreed to pay £1.5m
