Page 8 - Gi_October2021

industry & Government news

UK IMPORTED MORE THAN HALF ITS

GAS IN FIRST THREE MONTHS OF 2021

AS DOMESTIC PRODUCTION SLOWS, THE UK IS BECOMING
INCREASINGLY DEPENDENT ON OTHER COUNTRIES

THE UK IMPORTED more than half its “Oil and gas provided nearly three She said that fuel tax breaks for the
gas supply in the first three months of quarters of the UK’s total energy last year. aviation sector artificially kept prices
the year, the industry has said. “We will continue to rely on them to low and stimulated demand.
Oil and Gas UK’s (OGUK) annual heat our homes, keep our lights on and She added: “We’re definitely going
economic report said 56 per cent of create many of our everyday essentials. to need to develop our renewable
the requirement for homes and power “We all know that change is needed energy potential - luckily Scotland has
stations between January and March so the question is how fast we make that enormous potential in this area.
came from abroad. change. This report shows the reality “We do need to phase out oil and gas.
The industry said that was down to a that cutting off the domestic production The plan is to have a just transition.”
rise in demand coupled with a drop in of oil and gas faster than we can reduce The UK government is still to decide
UK production due to the pandemic. demand risks leaving us increasingly whether to give the go-ahead to the
Scottish Green Party Co-leader Lorna dependent on other countries.” new Cambo oil field development with
Slater told BBC Scotland it was time to The report said the industry was pressure growing from climate change
turn to sustainable energy sources. ready to invest £21 billion over the campaigners for it to be refused.
Ms Slater, who was recently next five years into exploration and Sir Ian Wood, former Chairman of the
appointed as a junior minister in Nicola production. oil services firm Wood Group, said that
Sturgeon’s government, said oil and gas It also said the oil and gas sector Cambo needed to be given the green
needed to be “phased out”. supported almost 200,000 UK jobs in 2021. light so an energy transition could be
It comes as OGUK said the UK faced But Ms Slater told the BBC’s Good carried out in an orderly way.
the choice of investing in its offshore Morning Scotland programme: “Current The Scottish government has
industry for a managed green transition models of oil and gas demand neglect previously described its climate
or relying on other countries for its to look at how oil and gas demand change legislation as “world leading.”
energy needs. is manipulated through tax breaks, It includes a target to reach net zero
Chief Executive Deirdre Michie said: through direct subsidies.” emissions by 2045.

UK ENERGY SUPPLIERS ANNOUNCE MAXIMUM PRICE RISES

SEVERAL UK ENERGY suppliers have early 2019 owing to a surge in global
said they will raise the price of their gas market prices. The regulator said
standard gas and electricity tariffs to that for 11 million households who
the maximum limit set by the energy pay by direct debit, energy bills would
regulator for the coming winter. increase from an average of £1,138 a
WHOLESALE GAS PRICES ARE Ofgem’s price cap will climb to its year to £1,277 from October.
LEADING TO HIGHER BILLS highest level since it was introduced in For another four million households

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