Theo Bertram
@theobertram.bsky.social
Director of the Social Market Foundation
Tacking right on net zero
March 18, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Tacking right on net zero
Finally, locational pricing is an idea whose time has come. The CEO of Ofgem said as much on Friday. Of course not every datacentre will move north but we can make it easier & more desirable for energy-hungry businesses to locate where the energy abundance is.
February 10, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Finally, locational pricing is an idea whose time has come. The CEO of Ofgem said as much on Friday. Of course not every datacentre will move north but we can make it easier & more desirable for energy-hungry businesses to locate where the energy abundance is.
On energy, the government should be championing SMRs (prefab mini nuclear plants). Not just one or two but building fleets, so that the costs come down. Thanks to companies like Rolls SMR, this is an area where the UK can lead.
February 10, 2025 at 9:03 AM
On energy, the government should be championing SMRs (prefab mini nuclear plants). Not just one or two but building fleets, so that the costs come down. Thanks to companies like Rolls SMR, this is an area where the UK can lead.
On planning, the government have made the right start in their AI strategy but we can go faster & further. Simplify the process & let councils keep the business rates to incentivise them to be part of the solution.
February 10, 2025 at 9:03 AM
On planning, the government have made the right start in their AI strategy but we can go faster & further. Simplify the process & let councils keep the business rates to incentivise them to be part of the solution.
The
@SMFthinktank
makes 3 key recommendations:
1) Incentivise datacentres through datacentre zoning & bypassing planning
2) In the long run - build fleets of SMRs (mini nuclear plants)
3) Locational pricing - allow the price of wholesale price of energy to come down in Scotland
@SMFthinktank
makes 3 key recommendations:
1) Incentivise datacentres through datacentre zoning & bypassing planning
2) In the long run - build fleets of SMRs (mini nuclear plants)
3) Locational pricing - allow the price of wholesale price of energy to come down in Scotland
February 10, 2025 at 9:03 AM
The
@SMFthinktank
makes 3 key recommendations:
1) Incentivise datacentres through datacentre zoning & bypassing planning
2) In the long run - build fleets of SMRs (mini nuclear plants)
3) Locational pricing - allow the price of wholesale price of energy to come down in Scotland
@SMFthinktank
makes 3 key recommendations:
1) Incentivise datacentres through datacentre zoning & bypassing planning
2) In the long run - build fleets of SMRs (mini nuclear plants)
3) Locational pricing - allow the price of wholesale price of energy to come down in Scotland
Alarm bells should be ringing. While the UK leads Europe on datacentres, this is not guaranteed indefinitely. Our key competitors - France & Germany - are catching up. Frankfurt & Paris are accelerating their compute growth faster than London.
February 10, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Alarm bells should be ringing. While the UK leads Europe on datacentres, this is not guaranteed indefinitely. Our key competitors - France & Germany - are catching up. Frankfurt & Paris are accelerating their compute growth faster than London.
The absurdity of the UK's outdated energy market is that we have excess supply in Scotland &the North & excess demand in the South East but can't connect one to the other. Ridiculously, we're routinely switching off wind turbines in Scotland that would power London for a day.
February 10, 2025 at 9:03 AM
The absurdity of the UK's outdated energy market is that we have excess supply in Scotland &the North & excess demand in the South East but can't connect one to the other. Ridiculously, we're routinely switching off wind turbines in Scotland that would power London for a day.
The UK’s cripplingly high energy costs are stunting the growth of the UK’s data centre sector. Our energy market risks pricing the UK out of the AI race.
February 10, 2025 at 9:03 AM
The UK’s cripplingly high energy costs are stunting the growth of the UK’s data centre sector. Our energy market risks pricing the UK out of the AI race.
🧵HOW TO POWER AI - New from
@SMFthinktank
The UK ranks 4th gl;obally on AI talent & research but infrastructure is the Achilles heel of the UK’s AI ambitions, where we rank 17th. Two problems: planning & energy costs risk us losing our European crown. The problem in one chart:
@SMFthinktank
The UK ranks 4th gl;obally on AI talent & research but infrastructure is the Achilles heel of the UK’s AI ambitions, where we rank 17th. Two problems: planning & energy costs risk us losing our European crown. The problem in one chart:
February 10, 2025 at 9:03 AM
🧵HOW TO POWER AI - New from
@SMFthinktank
The UK ranks 4th gl;obally on AI talent & research but infrastructure is the Achilles heel of the UK’s AI ambitions, where we rank 17th. Two problems: planning & energy costs risk us losing our European crown. The problem in one chart:
@SMFthinktank
The UK ranks 4th gl;obally on AI talent & research but infrastructure is the Achilles heel of the UK’s AI ambitions, where we rank 17th. Two problems: planning & energy costs risk us losing our European crown. The problem in one chart:
What this amounts to is a doubling down on supply side reform - or at least Labour's version of supply side reform.
January 29, 2025 at 4:27 PM
What this amounts to is a doubling down on supply side reform - or at least Labour's version of supply side reform.
They're sending a message that is on the one hand clear and stark to regulators (you must consider growth) but on the other hand is hard for regulators to act on
January 29, 2025 at 4:27 PM
They're sending a message that is on the one hand clear and stark to regulators (you must consider growth) but on the other hand is hard for regulators to act on
They're positioning growth in opposition to environmental protectionism and green nimbys but not in opposition to net zero - that's a tricky balancing act
January 29, 2025 at 4:27 PM
They're positioning growth in opposition to environmental protectionism and green nimbys but not in opposition to net zero - that's a tricky balancing act
Today marks a decisive shift in Labour's strategy. Reeves' speech and Starmer's article are less doomsterish and much more bullish - not just about the future but the present.
January 29, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Today marks a decisive shift in Labour's strategy. Reeves' speech and Starmer's article are less doomsterish and much more bullish - not just about the future but the present.
Alex Jones - banned from Facebook, Apple, Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, Mailchimp, LinkedIn, Paypal - is allowed on X since Musk bought it.
Below is an ad promoting Jones & his conspiracy theory that MRNA is causing 'COVID AIDS'.
X directly profit from this misinfo.
Below is an ad promoting Jones & his conspiracy theory that MRNA is causing 'COVID AIDS'.
X directly profit from this misinfo.
January 23, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Alex Jones - banned from Facebook, Apple, Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, Mailchimp, LinkedIn, Paypal - is allowed on X since Musk bought it.
Below is an ad promoting Jones & his conspiracy theory that MRNA is causing 'COVID AIDS'.
X directly profit from this misinfo.
Below is an ad promoting Jones & his conspiracy theory that MRNA is causing 'COVID AIDS'.
X directly profit from this misinfo.
To cut through the confusion & noise, consumer champions are more trusted voices than government or companies.
Govt can also do more to show (not tell): a key recommendation is that heat pumps are widely used in public buildings - build confidence by making that visible.
Govt can also do more to show (not tell): a key recommendation is that heat pumps are widely used in public buildings - build confidence by making that visible.
January 23, 2025 at 12:36 PM
To cut through the confusion & noise, consumer champions are more trusted voices than government or companies.
Govt can also do more to show (not tell): a key recommendation is that heat pumps are widely used in public buildings - build confidence by making that visible.
Govt can also do more to show (not tell): a key recommendation is that heat pumps are widely used in public buildings - build confidence by making that visible.
There is scepticism about who to listen to on net zero. Experts are seen as having a vested interest and politicians are untrusted. Very few people know where to go to find reliable information on things like heat pumps.
January 23, 2025 at 12:36 PM
There is scepticism about who to listen to on net zero. Experts are seen as having a vested interest and politicians are untrusted. Very few people know where to go to find reliable information on things like heat pumps.
Myths about net zero spread easily - often by politicians and public figures. The idea that heat pumps only work in new build, are untested, or will be forced upon people are common myths.
January 23, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Myths about net zero spread easily - often by politicians and public figures. The idea that heat pumps only work in new build, are untested, or will be forced upon people are common myths.
There are several challenges facing net zero advocates.
Many people feel that they have no say or control over net zero decisions and instead feel it is being done *to* them, rather than with or for them.
Many people feel that they have no say or control over net zero decisions and instead feel it is being done *to* them, rather than with or for them.
January 23, 2025 at 12:36 PM
There are several challenges facing net zero advocates.
Many people feel that they have no say or control over net zero decisions and instead feel it is being done *to* them, rather than with or for them.
Many people feel that they have no say or control over net zero decisions and instead feel it is being done *to* them, rather than with or for them.
A primary concern is the cost to the taxpayer. This is a meme that has widely taken hold. It doesn't stop support for net zero but it encourages scepticism about achieving goals.
January 23, 2025 at 12:36 PM
A primary concern is the cost to the taxpayer. This is a meme that has widely taken hold. It doesn't stop support for net zero but it encourages scepticism about achieving goals.
Across the political spectrum (even among the Greens) and particularly among Reform voters there is a prevalent view that net zero by 2050 is a 'nice idea but too difficult to achieve'.
January 23, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Across the political spectrum (even among the Greens) and particularly among Reform voters there is a prevalent view that net zero by 2050 is a 'nice idea but too difficult to achieve'.
However when you start to dig below the surface, support for net zero is significantly softer among older people and among those on lower incomes.
January 23, 2025 at 12:36 PM
However when you start to dig below the surface, support for net zero is significantly softer among older people and among those on lower incomes.
🧵New analysis on public attitudes to net zero from
@SMFthinktank
First, the good news - Brits are much less likely to be climate change sceptics than the US. 'Drill, baby, drill' is not going to be a 'vibe shift' in the UK, as it was in the US.
@SMFthinktank
First, the good news - Brits are much less likely to be climate change sceptics than the US. 'Drill, baby, drill' is not going to be a 'vibe shift' in the UK, as it was in the US.
January 23, 2025 at 12:36 PM
🧵New analysis on public attitudes to net zero from
@SMFthinktank
First, the good news - Brits are much less likely to be climate change sceptics than the US. 'Drill, baby, drill' is not going to be a 'vibe shift' in the UK, as it was in the US.
@SMFthinktank
First, the good news - Brits are much less likely to be climate change sceptics than the US. 'Drill, baby, drill' is not going to be a 'vibe shift' in the UK, as it was in the US.
Why is the triple lock 'unsustainable' in the long run?
Because it guarantees that we as a country pay out (pensions) more than we pay in (earnings) and eventually that becomes unaffordable for workers.
The IFS modelled it here:
Because it guarantees that we as a country pay out (pensions) more than we pay in (earnings) and eventually that becomes unaffordable for workers.
The IFS modelled it here:
January 17, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Why is the triple lock 'unsustainable' in the long run?
Because it guarantees that we as a country pay out (pensions) more than we pay in (earnings) and eventually that becomes unaffordable for workers.
The IFS modelled it here:
Because it guarantees that we as a country pay out (pensions) more than we pay in (earnings) and eventually that becomes unaffordable for workers.
The IFS modelled it here:
This is bad. And - at least in Europe - seems doomed to fail as a strategy. Hard to see Europeans saying 'yeah, you're right, US big tech should just operate as you feel without complying with our laws'. Europe is not going to roll over. Especially while Musk uses his platform as a political weapon.
January 11, 2025 at 11:50 AM
This is bad. And - at least in Europe - seems doomed to fail as a strategy. Hard to see Europeans saying 'yeah, you're right, US big tech should just operate as you feel without complying with our laws'. Europe is not going to roll over. Especially while Musk uses his platform as a political weapon.
This makes it sound like Priti Patel sees Prince Andrew as Britain's number one official threat
December 22, 2024 at 9:22 AM
This makes it sound like Priti Patel sees Prince Andrew as Britain's number one official threat