Electricity price reform shows need to move on from fossil fuels

Environmental campaigners have reacted to the announcement today from UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband MP that the UK Government are reducing the impact of expensive gas on our electricity bills and doubling down on their renewable power plans. 

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s oil and gas campaigns manager Rosie Hampton said: 

“Moving to renewable energy is the only way to permanently bring people’s bills down and tackle the impacts of climate breakdown. We need an energy system that is run in the public interest, where the benefits are shared with all of us, not hoarded by company bosses.” 

“This change will also underline for the public just how much fossil fuels are costing us all, from soaring energy prices to political volatility and the climate damage they wreak.  

“Decoupling the price of electricity from the market price of gas further demonstrates how dangerous to bills it would be if the next Scottish Government where to approve reckless plans to build a new gas burning power station at Peterhead.”  

“The fallout of the war in Iran and the decisions of warmongers like Trump reinforces how dangerous it is to rely on fossil fuels. It’s telling that the only people who want to keep the status quo are oil and gas industry bosses, who are already making over $30 million per hour in windfall profits from the present crisis.” 

“The measures set out today should only be the start. People deserve to live in warm homes, where they don’t have to choose between heating and eating – and the way to do that is to get off fossil fuels for good.”