How is this Different ?

How is this different from the UK government 10 point plan?

UK government 10-point plan

Practically Carbon-Free

1) Increase in Renewables (Off-shore wind in the UK)

Fully agree with this point

2) Low-carbon Hydrogen

We should only produce Zero-carbon Hydrogen. Producing hydrogen by steam reformation of methane and capturing the CO2 does not make sense in terms of energy and should not be done.

3) Advanced Nuclear power

The 10-point plan proposes a fleet of small reactors based on the old technology that produces long term nuclear waste. It would be far better to go straight for safer Molten Salt thermal generators, that produce no long term waste, ideally powered by thorium rather than uranium. You could replace all the aging Nuclear plants with Molten Salt generators burning up the old nuclear waste, and all old fossil-fuelled power stations with replacements powered by the far safer thorium.

The new power plants should all be dual-tap, producing electricity as required, but using the surplus heat directly to run other useful processes. Examples include zero-carbon production of hydrogen, or the hydroxide-based atmospheric CO2 capture process or any other chemical process requiring heat – metal smelting, fertiliser production, cement manufacture, etc.

The electrical output can be varied to balance shortages between the renewable production and demand, thus making the grid more stable without needing to burn natural gas.

4) Zero emission vehicles

A fleet of electric vehicles will need a huge infrastructure investment to provide sufficient charging stations, and a rebuild of the electricity distribution grid to supply enough power. To make sense, all the electricity must be produced in a completely zero-carbon way. Hybrid vehicles, using electric batteries for low speed within-town journeys, and liquid fuel made from zero-carbon hydrogen and Atmospheric captured CO2 for long journeys would be a better, truly global solution for transport. That is probably also a more cost-effective solution in the UK.

5) Public transport / encouraging cycling and walking.

This makes sense, but it is more of a political aspiration than a practical solution. It will happen if fuels are priced appropriately.

6) Jet zero and Green ships

Use liquid fuel produced from Atmospheric captured CO2 and zero-carbon hydrogen. We may need to modify engine designs slightly and should research that, along side the methods of production of the net-zero liquid fuels to find a sensible balance of technologies.

7) Greener buildings

Agreed, but the best way to effect change would be to subsidise the products which you want people to install – e.g. solar water heating, domestic PV and heat pumps, so these are cheaper than gas boilers. When it costs around 10k for a heat pump boiler and 1.5k for a gas boiler, people will continue to buy gas boilers.

8) Carbon Capture Usage and storage

Agreed, but with a huge caveat – the CO2 should be made far more dense, not just compressed, before dumping it under the North Sea.  One assumes that what those offering to pump it down for you are actually trying to do, is to push out the remaining fossil fuels from their wells. Using CO2 for that purpose should not be encouraged.

9) Protecting our Natural environment

Yes, obviously, but this is a side issue.

10) Green finance and Innovation

Essential, but need to make sure investment is in the right places.

Investing in Fusion (which is specifically mentioned in the 10-point plan) is a poor choice. It is a high risk plan – the modern equivalent of trying to turn lead into gold. Theoretical Fusion has been “ten years away” for the last 50 years. If it is made to work and can scale commercially it will be a game changer, but there is no credible plan for this in less than 30 years.  We cannot wait for that to happen, and must not waste resources, when there are practical projects that can make an immediate impact and need investment today.

It would be better to finance the first generation of Molten Salt Generators, so that an industrial base can be developed. Also liquid metal batteries for grid-level storage.

Not mentioned in the 10-point plan

  • Replace all fossil-fuelled power stations with ones which do not burn any carbon.
  • New thermal power stations should be designed for dual purposes, both the production of variable amounts of electricity, and also to provide thermal energy efficiently for chemical processes which just need heat.
  • Installation of grid-level storage – is touched on when referring to off-shore wind, but it should be a substantial part of the plan, and wise choices should be made on the storage technologies.
  • Domestic electricity load-shifting, by building/encouraging intelligent domestic fridges, heat pumps and air-conditioning units.