Episcopal hysterics

Further to my story on the greens getting upset over proposals to suck CO2 out of the atmosphere using genetically modified plants, here is another story to get our environmentalist colleagues choking on their herbal infusions.

Senior cabinet ministers are pushing for Britain to be the first nation in the world to get much of its power from the tides, as part of a massive new expansion for renewable energy. The Environment Secretary, David Miliband, Welsh Secretary Peter Hain and Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling want a giant £14bn barrage to be built across the Severn.

This would generate about 5 per cent of Britain's electricity without producing any of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

Their move is not meeting any serious opposition within the Cabinet but will spark off a furious row with environmental bodies, which say that the barrage would devastate the estuary's wildlife.

You couldn't make it up could you? Can I suggest to all my environmentalist friends: You've been 'ad mate!

(Hat tip: EU Referendum) 

Comments

[Kit]

Slightly off topic. After the BBC science correspondent David Shukman's rather shrill end is nigh reports from the Arctic. What the scientists actually think is rather a different. The best question is saved to last. I suspect the scientists dad is a bit of a sceptic.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/6670581.stm

[Bishop Hill]

Shukman is a bit of a legend isn't he? He really needs sedating before he is let loose on a story.

[chris strange]

Luckily we don't need a barrage to extract tidal power when you have tides like in the Bristol Channel. Turbines would work almost as well and there is a company in Bristol that builds them. Their first 1MW test unit (some as much power as the biggest bird blender) to be connected to the grid is due to go online in Northern Ireland this summer. Thats capitalism for you, if there is a regulation in the way it will just route around it.

[Bishop Hill]

Chris

If we don't need a barrage, then why are they proposing building one?