Maf Smith
@smithmaf.bsky.social
Climate and renewables, big offshore wind fan. Working for rapid energy transition and a green economy.
It would create regulatory uncertainty, and clearly will have real economic impact on some players in the electricity market and change their future revenue. If there is a market change then there will be winners and losers (unless Govt wants to compensate the losers which is unlikely)
July 17, 2025 at 12:43 PM
It would create regulatory uncertainty, and clearly will have real economic impact on some players in the electricity market and change their future revenue. If there is a market change then there will be winners and losers (unless Govt wants to compensate the losers which is unlikely)
That means moving fast and breaking things which is not what the energy sector likes. But as Reform UK showed, yesterday there is now a credible and less palatable alternative for the energy sector.
July 17, 2025 at 9:05 AM
That means moving fast and breaking things which is not what the energy sector likes. But as Reform UK showed, yesterday there is now a credible and less palatable alternative for the energy sector.
You'd have thunk. But the official language around REMA and next steps is full of aspiration, but is vague and long term. Govt needs decisive action that will have an impact in 2 years to give time for billpayers to notice.
July 17, 2025 at 9:05 AM
You'd have thunk. But the official language around REMA and next steps is full of aspiration, but is vague and long term. Govt needs decisive action that will have an impact in 2 years to give time for billpayers to notice.
The fact that the Govt seems to think of gas prices and charging reform as a technocratic policy issue rather than fundamental politics is bizarre.
July 17, 2025 at 8:52 AM
The fact that the Govt seems to think of gas prices and charging reform as a technocratic policy issue rather than fundamental politics is bizarre.
If by end of election UK Govt has supported growth of renewables but has failed to tackle underlying energy cost pressures, then Reform UK will point at and conflate these 2 things.
July 17, 2025 at 8:52 AM
If by end of election UK Govt has supported growth of renewables but has failed to tackle underlying energy cost pressures, then Reform UK will point at and conflate these 2 things.
Agree on all your analysis Andrew, but as you know and others are pointing out, that's not the reason behind their action. However, UK Govt needs to be active in addressing cost of gas issues - otherwise renewables looks an expensive project and Govt failing in its commitment to bring bills down.
July 17, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Agree on all your analysis Andrew, but as you know and others are pointing out, that's not the reason behind their action. However, UK Govt needs to be active in addressing cost of gas issues - otherwise renewables looks an expensive project and Govt failing in its commitment to bring bills down.
thanks for the clear explanation Tina
July 15, 2025 at 1:18 PM
thanks for the clear explanation Tina
Deciding where to put wind turbines is a sensitive subject but the least helpful way to engage in this discussion is by harking back to a bygone era of ideals that can't be brought back as it never really existed.
July 14, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Deciding where to put wind turbines is a sensitive subject but the least helpful way to engage in this discussion is by harking back to a bygone era of ideals that can't be brought back as it never really existed.
Since that time it will have become more intensively farmed, likely losing a lot of character, variety and biodiversity. Roads, towns and villages will have been expanded, and likley noone now objecting to a wind farm will have had anything negative to say about this ecological decline.
July 14, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Since that time it will have become more intensively farmed, likely losing a lot of character, variety and biodiversity. Roads, towns and villages will have been expanded, and likley noone now objecting to a wind farm will have had anything negative to say about this ecological decline.
Adam did a noble attempt to talk about hydrogen lorries vs transmission and I did an attempt to undermine him using cheap humour - that kind of stuff?
July 11, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Adam did a noble attempt to talk about hydrogen lorries vs transmission and I did an attempt to undermine him using cheap humour - that kind of stuff?
Yes, that would scare most people off. Did you see this from Gniewomir: www.linkedin.com/posts/gniewo...
🪖 I spent a year attempting to build a Power-to-X company so you don't have to! | Gniewomir Flis
🪖 I spent a year attempting to build a Power-to-X company so you don't have to!
💡Here's what I've learned: | 114 comments on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com
July 10, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Yes, that would scare most people off. Did you see this from Gniewomir: www.linkedin.com/posts/gniewo...
Aha - sow doubt in people's minds. "If you chose hydrogen trucks instead of the transmission line, you will only need to deal with 11 trucks passing your house each day.... oh hang on, make that 22 trucks"
July 10, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Aha - sow doubt in people's minds. "If you chose hydrogen trucks instead of the transmission line, you will only need to deal with 11 trucks passing your house each day.... oh hang on, make that 22 trucks"
Thanks for being the person who actually did the maths. My initial reaction is that isn't a done deal for what people would prefer.
July 10, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Thanks for being the person who actually did the maths. My initial reaction is that isn't a done deal for what people would prefer.
Fiendish. They look just like normal middle class female
shoppers going about their business.
shoppers going about their business.
July 10, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Fiendish. They look just like normal middle class female
shoppers going about their business.
shoppers going about their business.
Project 2 is the one in the middle of the 3. The only obvious difference is it would have to deal with English and Welsh consenting bodies as it straddles the line between the 2.
June 19, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Project 2 is the one in the middle of the 3. The only obvious difference is it would have to deal with English and Welsh consenting bodies as it straddles the line between the 2.
The Crown Estate says that the remaining development area "will be progressed through delivery arrangements which will be detailed shortly." It would be good to understand practically what that means.
June 19, 2025 at 8:58 AM
The Crown Estate says that the remaining development area "will be progressed through delivery arrangements which will be detailed shortly." It would be good to understand practically what that means.
So my view would be its not a question about overdiagnosis but the way these are then used. A tick box education and health system tends to use these diagnoses as labels and decision points on treatment rather than as useful information.
June 19, 2025 at 8:10 AM
So my view would be its not a question about overdiagnosis but the way these are then used. A tick box education and health system tends to use these diagnoses as labels and decision points on treatment rather than as useful information.
Most kids with EHCPs simply need better schools and teaching, sometimes in specialist settings. Getting a diagnosis such as for autism or ADHD is critical to understanding more about how they learn.
June 19, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Most kids with EHCPs simply need better schools and teaching, sometimes in specialist settings. Getting a diagnosis such as for autism or ADHD is critical to understanding more about how they learn.
The Government's response to the growth in need of Education, Health and Care Plans has evolved in 12m from blaming the last Government, to moving to formally restrict access rather than informally through budget restrictions as the last Govt did.
June 19, 2025 at 8:10 AM
The Government's response to the growth in need of Education, Health and Care Plans has evolved in 12m from blaming the last Government, to moving to formally restrict access rather than informally through budget restrictions as the last Govt did.
I found this really helpful and I tend to agree with the author's conclusion.
June 19, 2025 at 8:10 AM
I found this really helpful and I tend to agree with the author's conclusion.
Offshore wind companies will need to write down their US losses, but the biggest loser from the change is the US itself, not offshore wind.
January 23, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Offshore wind companies will need to write down their US losses, but the biggest loser from the change is the US itself, not offshore wind.
But the US wasn't yet a major global wind market, even looking ahead to 2040. So new priority needs to be supporting those in US, while refocusing on accelerating deployment across Europe and Asia, and looking at other new markets.
January 23, 2025 at 1:44 PM
But the US wasn't yet a major global wind market, even looking ahead to 2040. So new priority needs to be supporting those in US, while refocusing on accelerating deployment across Europe and Asia, and looking at other new markets.