Few if any will have heard of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil and Gas (APPGOPO) however this group comprising over 20 MPs of all parties has met regularly since 2007 to research and debate policy on how best to transition the UK away from fossil fuels.
Their recent policy report “sets out in detail the vital role that an economy-wide tradable rationing scheme could play in guaranteeing personal energy security and inspiring the active participation and cooperation of citizens as we meet that challenge.”
The takeaway headline reads:
FUEL RATIONING WILL BE NEEDED BEFORE 2020 ACCORDING TO MAJOR NEW REPORT
Whether you agree or not with the policy or even the predictions it seeks to address, this marks a major shift in thinking by our politicians. The days of cheap, affordable energy for all (noting that most of the worlds population have NEVER has this) are over.
The Government is not going to fix this for us… other than to perhaps make fossil fuels even more expensive through escalators and hiked VAT rates. Community scale renewable energy projects are one way in which it possible to “hedge” against future price increases.
Buying a stake in a community wind turbine equal to your own personal consumption (eg average UK house consumes approx 4,000 kWh/year) ensures that income from the scheme will track your increased energy bills.