More fossil fuel extraction from the North Sea, which is less environmentally damaging than importing gas and oil from overseas, will increase energy security in the UK, according to the Conservative government.
Climate Minister Graham Stewart stated on Friday, “I know that sounds counterintuitive, but it’s actually helpful for the environment.
According to him, burning domestic gas produces fewer pollutants than burning gas from abroad while also preserving British jobs.
“With Europe’s energy resources in decline due to the Ukraine crisis, gas and electricity costs have increased by an amount never before seen, forcing nations to prioritise finding new sources immediately.
If the gas-fired power plants that generate 43% of Britain’s electricity are unable to obtain enough gas to continue operating, planned blackouts this winter may be necessary, according to the company in charge of managing the country’s electricity infrastructure.
The international oil crisis and several coal miners’ strikes in the 1970s caused scheduled blackouts in the United Kingdom.
Nearly 900 new exploration blocks and partial blocks from the North Sea are available, according to the North Sea Transitional Authority, or Nasta. Up to 100 permits could potentially be given. Four sites off the east coast of England believed to hold hydrocarbons and adjacent to current infrastructure will receive priority.
More oil and gas drilling, according to the government and the fossil fuel sector, won’t jeopardise Britain’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
CEO of Nasta Andy Samuel stated that there shouldn’t be a conflict between supply security and net zero. “The sector has pledged to investing extensively in power, carbon storage, and hydrogen by 2030 and to halving upstream emissions.”
Environmentalists assert that the only method to keep global warming below the range of 1.5°C (2.
Fossil fuel extraction must end when temperatures reach 7°F) above pre-industrial levels.
British return to North Sea due to energy crisis
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