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Just been approved by government, overturning local council ruling.
I can't claim to be any kind of expert, and I understand that we need to meet the demand for energy, but this just strikes me as a bad idea...
It had to a lot of large companies are going to make a huge amount of money out of it and sod the people who live locally, there houses are going to be worthless, as subsidence /noise starts ,then theres the pollution aspect, and transportation problem,s etc.
Thing is the majority of us plebs never wanted it, and will never accept it.
Very sad news 🙁
A sad day.
Glad I am north of the border again (for the moment).
And the award for the most expected announcement of the day goes to........
Ridiculous decision, but inevitable, unfortunately.
It's ok, they'll be checking for earthquakes...
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Much as I probably won't get any sympathy but the other day on another forum I got lambasted for buying "cheap Chinese steel".
No one ever said "don't buy cheap Saudi oil" or "Don't buy cheap American Ethane". In fact I can almost guarantee that most people have seen petrol at £1-£1.10 and done a little happy dance.
Pictures of two things that are regular at the moment (that's American gas being imported as it's cheaper and more plentiful than the North Sea).
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And (I don't have a photo of me at the job centre but you get the idea)
[img] 
?w=460[/img]
It was patently obvious from the off that there was no way that the [url= http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/fracking-lord-howell-george-osbornes-3536842 ]concerns of some uppity northerners[/url] were going to get in the way of this governments mates making shitloads of cash.
They changed the law specifically so they could overrule Lancashire council. They don't give a flying * about us, up here. Especially if we're inconveniently in the way of their money-making plans.
I don't believe for a second that fracking will reduce our energy bills. Our energy market is too dysfunctional for that. It'll just allow the usual suspects to make even more money.
And theres no way on earth that any of the communities up here that are going to be effected by all of this are going to see any benefits whatsoever.
We've just been well and truly *ed over! Again!!
We've just been well and truly ****ed over! Again!!
Said the Brazilian tribe as they watch another tree felled to make paper for one of Binners prints.
I don't believe for a second that fracking will reduce our energy bills. Our energy market is too dysfunctional for that. It'll just allow the usual suspects to make even more money.
I refer the honourable gentlemen to my previous comment about the price of petrol being about 40% less than it was a few years ago.
RIP Lancashire.
Big business over local people once again.
This and Hinckley C pretty much sums up the Tories ideological hatred of renewable energy. Assuming Brexit is now inevitable there is going to be much more of this.
It won;t be that long before we reopen the coal mines and start building coal fired power plants. Fracking will seem like clean energy at that point.
It won;t be that long before we reopen the coal mines and start building coal fired power plants. Fracking will seem like clean energy at that point.
Straw-man / hyperbole.
[b]IF[/b] this was the result of oil hitting £200/bl again and energy was in short supply, then yes, coal might be an economic option if we were building the power stations to burn it in or the coke furnaces in S.Wales/Teesside were running.
But it's not and they're not. So there's neither the economic case or the demand for coal. And with the government refusing to give CCS the go ahead it's unlikely to change (although a few projects are still progressing with private funding).
Fracking is new technology that's actually relatively cheap.
So far in the Uk the case for fracking is more about cheaper raw materials for the domestic chemical industry rather than as a fuel for electricity generation. Grangemouth, Runcorn, Teesside etc. Will gobble the stuff up. Like opencast The jobs getting the stuff out of the ground will be negligible.
Amused that this is somehow being presented as a 'blight' on Blackpool - the Fylde Coast is hardly a national treasure
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OK we now have a new form of fuel to extract from our land.
How about we sell it to a foreign country then buy it back for twice the price?
Previously I've called Tony Blair a weapons grade ****.
Mrs May ...step forward you are an evil, weapons grade ****. **** you you stupid ****ing **** and those stupid ****ing retards you call your ****ing government.
This government never cease to amaze
Fracking will be more tightly controlled here than in the US but I still wouldn't want to be living anywhere near it, the lorry traffic alone would be a nightmare.
They are indeed a pile of ****s, but with no credible opposition who will stop them?
I live in the last rural community inside the M60. Consultation starts next week about building 1200 houses on Green Belt.
but I still wouldn't want to be living anywhere near it, the lorry traffic alone would be a nightmare
One of the many objections of the local population, and their elected politicians who universally rejected the planning applications. But which have been just been loftily overruled from London
Same old, same old....
This is far from finished though. Local feeling was strong anyway. And that was before everyone had their apparently wrong democratic, and genuine concerns decision casually dismissed from our remote rulers in London
Theres going to be all manner of shit kicks off when they actually try to physically start drilling on those sights. Obviously Theresa is happy with how the large-scale protests and the inevitable confrontations/violence/arrests are going to look on the news
good hydrocarbon extraction:
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Bad hydrocarbon extraction:
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Oh * off ninfan, you clown!
That mining picture from the 70's is a total misrepresentation. As you well know!
Ii note that you, like the people who've just overruled local democracy, because we gave them the wrong answer, will be absolutely nowhere *ing near where any of this is taking place. Its like bloody colonialism!
Dick! 🙄
EDIT: So you've edited your image. The comment still stands that thats an old technology being phased out. So you're still a dick!
Fine... I'll give you a nicer picture of more recent coal mining (see edit above) happy now?
I may be a dick - but you're a hypocrite
km79 - Member
RIPieces Lancashire.
FIFY.
However, sorry but I think it's a good idea.
*must... stop... feeding... the... troll*
Fossil fuel, not hydrocarbongood hydrocarbon extraction:
[/pedant]
It's interesting looking at how planning applications for windfarms and those for fracking are dealt with; windfarms go through many hoops at different levels so they have a high change of being canned, fracking is handled centrally so it still goes ahead however many people object.
It's a good job there isn't some kind of global agreement that maybe we ought to actually do something about climate change, otherwise the government would be seen as totally hypocritical. Phew!
It's interesting looking at how planning applications for windfarms and those for fracking are dealt with; windfarms go through many hoops at different levels so they have a high change of being canned, fracking is handled centrally so it still goes ahead however many people object.
No, both get objected to by NIMBY on parish councils, then maybe/maybe not on district councils, then get overruled by Westminster and given a go ahead.
Or can you point me at a windfarm which was blocked by Wesminster?
I take it all the objectors don't have gas fired central heating? No hypocrites here. We need gas and the benefits outweigh the risks. Cheaper gas and security of supply. Bring it on.
Fine... I'll give you a nicer picture of more recent coal mining (see edit above) happy now?
Yes, because the choice is shale gas vs. coal.
I take it all the objectors don't have gas fired central heating? No hypocrites here. We need gas and the benefits outweigh the risks. Cheaper gas and security of supply. Bring it on.
If I ever get stuck in a traffic jam does it mean I have no right to complain about building more roads?
Is Balcombe going to get it next?
Well its better than shipping it from Qatar or USA as we currently do. Also we already extract oil & gas from onshore sites like Wytch Farm, and Gatwick both of which are down south.
No, both get objected to by NIMBY on parish councils, then maybe/maybe not on district councils, then get overruled by Westminster and given a go ahead.
Have you ever actually been to Lancashire? Heres the view from my bedroom window....
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We've got wind turbines all over the place. hundreds of 'em! And while there are a few (mostly grumpy old) objectors to them, most people are happy to have them here. I love looking over to them slowly turning on the other side of the valley.
Are you seriously suggesting that its just nimbyism to object to putting fracking wells in the middle of densely populated areas, given their track record in barely populated areas in the states, with regard to contaminating ground water, causing earth tremors etc? And that the environmental impact is just the same, and no riskier then some wind turbines?
Seriously?
Or can you point me at a windfarm which was blocked by Wesminster?
My point was that there are no instances where a windfarm blocked at the local level was subsequently overturned at Westminster. Westminster shouldn't need to interfere with either, so why are they doing so for fracking?
irc, there's no hypocrisy... I have gas heating, but our bill is so small we've had our bills messed up twice because the suppliers assumed the readings weren't right. With such cheap gas home efficiency measures don't really make financial sense, so there's very little incentive to reduce our energy usage. New houses could have very low heating requirements, but currently developers are not required or incentivised to build or update houses as such. This will all come back to bite us when we *have* to reduce our gas usage, either because of rising prices or the dawning realisation that we need to take climate change seriously.
The process of fracking I have no real issue with, as a geologist I view it as being relatively safe.
However, it's 2016. We absolutely, definitely should not be burning any more things to produce energy. Why the money for fracking can't be invested in renewable of nuclear is beyond me.
[b]Theresa May on Sunday:[/b]
the Government I lead will be driven not by the interests of a privileged few, but by the interests of ordinary, working-class families.
[b]Theresa May on Wednesday:[/b]
Our democracy should work for everyone, but if you’ve been trying to say things need to change for years and your complaints fall on deaf ears, it doesn’t feel like it’s working for you.
[b]Theresa May's Government on Thursday:[/b]
Screw you, ordinary working class families, trying to block the interests of the privileged few with your democracy. Your complaints fall on deaf ears.
Amazing stuff. 😆
However, it's 2016. We absolutely, definitely should not be burning any more things to produce energy. Why the money for fracking can't be invested in renewable of nuclear is beyond me.
Absolutely. With the Paris agreement it's acknowledged that we must not burn the fossil resources we know about, let alone whatever else we find. So why are we even still looking?
We have fracking sites in the South Downs where I live.
So it's not just confined to the Northern Counties.
Have concerns, water table/large fractures/contamination. But it's nothing like the desolation caused by Coal Mines, and no one bothered moaning when they were in full swing, belching out stink across the UK. And I'm not trolling, Coal Mining made a lot of people both warm and comfortable, enabled them to earn a living on their doorstep and huge communities grew and prospered. The only difference I see with this is the NIMBY attitudes who fail to grasp the need for Gas. I guess you could turn it off for all those NIMBIYs who object to it, see how far consternation gets them..
Why the money for fracking can't be invested in renewable of nuclear is beyond me.
well bell pottinger have been lobbying the tories, for some time on behalf Cuadrilla to get this (and hinkley) moving
bikebouy - I don't really get the comparison with coal. Its not an either or decision.
I think the main problem with the wells in Lancashire is their positioning. They are proposing putting them in the middle of densely populated areas. The woman on the radio has just pointed out that the one approved has nearly 200,000 people living within a 5 mile radius.
And this is why the council refused the permission to drill. A couple of years ago they had to shut down the test drilling as it was causing earth tremors in the area.
But hey ho. Its only some northerners who'd probably vote labour anyway, and a labour council, so we'll just tell them the decision we've reached in Whitehall, and they can **** off with their local democracy
But it's nothing like the desolation caused by Coal Mines, and no one bothered moaning when they were in full swing, belching out stink across the UK. And I'm not trolling, Coal Mining made a lot of people both warm and comfortable, enabled them to earn a living on their doorstep and huge communities grew and prospered.
Yes, and it was brought to an end. A lot of people suffered severe physical ailments, as a result of coal mining and coal burning.
As said above, we should not be burning anything for fuel these days: The renewable technology is there now, and can only be improved upon, if the government lets it; but they choose to stand it it's way at every given opportunity.
There are small, developing countries who are going whole days/weeks/months on fully renewable energy sources. Meanwhile, the UK continues along the same old path it has done since the industrial revolution. This Country is nothing short of a disgrace, from this point-of-view.
Have concerns, water table/large fractures/contamination. But it's nothing like the desolation caused by Coal Mines, and no one bothered moaning when they were in full swing, belching out stink across the UK
You're saying that people didn't complain about coal mining and burning?
Or can you point me at a windfarm which was blocked by Wesminster?
I can give you nineteen examples: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/eric-pickles-accused-of-rejecting-wind-farms-to-win-votes-9804278.html
It's actually much less dangerous to everyone than coal mining, but as above, coal mining stopped for good reason. Why would we want to try a modern equivalent when a completely viable alternative is already available to us in the form of renewables?
It needs leaving in the ground, and that should be the end of it.
Sadly, there's a lot of money to be made here by politicians and their mates in charge of the fracking companies. Short term gains for a few apparently a better idea than focusing on what's going to help in the future. Nb - the next few years only isn't what I define as the future.
Not to mention the abandonment of local democracy. But I would expect nothing less from the current government. They have got their energy policy (amongst other things) badly, badly wrong.
On wind farms, they are centrally determined by Section 36 planning application if >50MW. Difficult really to compare the two. Commercial, industrial scale fracking hasn't even started yet. We've got all that to look forward to.
Lancashire - We've got wind turbines all over the place. hundreds of 'em!
pffft, I see your 'hundreds' and raise you South of central belt Scotland.
Money money money it's all about the money...tis all those at the top table of government care about...also, it's easy to make these decisions when it's another part of the country, as if they'd agree to it if it was in their back yard...
It needs leaving in the ground, and that should be the end of it.
Not going to happen, too many economies rely on O&G production.
as if they'd agree to it if it was in their back yard...
Define back yard, as there is stuff down south, you can see the maps here:
[url= https://www.gov.uk/guidance/oil-and-gas-onshore-maps-and-gis-shapefiles ]O&G Onshore UK Maps[/url]
Absolutely no coincidence that the company that will be doing the fracking, Cuadrilla, is chaired by Lord John Browne, Baron Browne of Madingley.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Browne,_Baron_Browne_of_Madingley
No, I'm sure no influence or pressure was exerted there. None at all
The process of fracking I have no real issue with, as a geologist I view it as being relatively safe.However, it's 2016. We absolutely, definitely should not be burning any more things to produce energy. Why the money for fracking can't be invested in renewable or nuclear is beyond me.
This. However, on the basis that we can't agree to proceed with clean renewables either, it was an inevitable development.
I think the jury remains out about whether the risks are as real as pressure groups would have us believe. I'm a scientist and i tend to believe other scientists on these matters, but as per the synthetic chemicals discussion, they can't be trusted can they.
Absolutely. With the Paris agreement it's acknowledged that we must not burn the fossil resources we know about, let alone whatever else we find. So why are we even still looking?
The shale gas we now import from America goes to INEOS at Grangemouth to be turned into plastic. It supports jobs in Glasgow, Runcorn* and Teesside.
There's a lot more to petrochemicals than just keeping the STW servers running and it's readers Audi's on the road.
*see, local jobs for the North West as a result of Fracking
as if they'd agree to it if it was in their back yard...
As a southerner who bought a house last year the survey came back with a note that the house is in an area which has been identified as suitable for Fracking. I'm still not worried.
I have to say, the (small) fracking activity in the South Downs, has Brighton not far from it. So, well I see your argument, and it's bugger all to do with "Norveners" v "Suvverners" and highly probably do to the geological location of a large Gas field...hence the choice to dig/bore in Lancashire... sorry, but if you are going to keep it all to yourselves then what do you expect.
😕
Personally, as an environmentalist, I fundamentally disagree with the principal of making it more and more difficult to wean ourselves away from fossil fuels, regardless of any spurious statistics regarding job creation or financial reasons. The creation of an industry to exploit our shale gas resource does exactly that.
Its also a very short term 'solution'.
We have had our fun with fossil fuels, and we are in a very fortunate position as a country where we could set the world an example of a successful country moving towards a reduced dependence on fossil fuels.
But no, back to the good old days we go.
We have had our fun with fossil fuels, and we are in a very fortunate position as a country where we could set the world an example of a successful country moving towards a reduced dependence on fossil fuels.
This, clearly it would be much more efficient (in the longer term) to develop the tech to use renewable energy combined with batteries to smooth out the peaks and troughs. We are now so much closer to having this than before, just look at the stuff coming from Tesla etc. Once we nail that driving fully electric cars etc. also starts to become possible for the majority.
If I was dictator I'd also be telling them scientists to stop dicking about with Fusion and get it working already 😀
Happens all the time with Planning applications in Cambridge. City Plan has brown field sites marked for local housing, Big Co applies for student flats as they're very profitable and gets turned down by LA. Government over rule and we get all our brown fields sites become upmarket student flats and no new houses...
I'm so upset by this, it's equally likely to hit us down here in the leafy suburbs as well.
With all the trends to renewables, all the options we should be pursuing and once again the damn government gives in too lobbyists, it's another example of us having a totally toothless Green opposition.
They've also cancelled that tidal project in Wales I heard last week when I was over there, we live on an Island surrounded by tons of water that moves up and down twice a day as regular as clockwork yet still we haven't harnessed the huge untapped energy resource that represents.
And I agree wholeheartedly with the BigEaredBiker, all the battery technology that is out there we should be on it like a car bonnet.
frack on for me.. we live in lankyshire and if the area can make a few bob take a few off the dole and keep some home fires burning.. thats ok by me.. i d prefer that than a corbyn utopia which wants to rebuild the steel and coal industry and renationlise the choo choos. ( will bernard cribbins be back boasting of been hornby size again at christmas)
I really can't get angry about this.
Yes, there is an argument against burning more fossil fuels, but as a method of extracting gas from the ground, 'fracking' is established and is not the scary thing portrayed by some.
The above-ground impact will be minimal, as shown on the earlier photos. Fylde will not become covered in nodding donkeys and smelling of crude oil.
The road traffic impact will probably be relatively insignificant too, compared with that of Blackpool.
90% of earthquakes in fracking areas triggered by fracking...
[url= http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/more-than-90-of-larger-earthquakes-in-western-canada-triggered-by-fracking-1.3510812 ]http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/more-than-90-of-larger-earthquakes-in-western-canada-triggered-by-fracking-1.3510812[/url]
Nope, nothing to worry about here.
Coal mining caused masses more earthquakes than fracking does, if that worries you.
But, this-
We have had our fun with fossil fuels, and we are in a very fortunate position as a country where we could set the world an example of a successful country moving towards a reduced dependence on fossil fuels.
is right. Encouraging fracking is like reintroducing oil burning steam trains. It's harmful out of date Victorian technology with a slightly modern twist.
There's a lot of public protest about energy cost and fracking.
But:
- most people can't be bothered to spend 2 mins switching energy suppliers (AIRI 70% of homes have never switched)
- a lot of people can't be bothered to take any steps at all to save energy by turning things off
- so we need to keep producing elec and gas even though a lot of this is wasted
- and...most car journeys are for distances less than 3 miles. Presumably this will be even worse with plug-in "clean" electric vehicles.
Perhaps the counter to the "fracking outrage" is along of the lines of "change your behaviour and reduce energy use first before you complain about where the energy comes from".
As one of the above posts references, we are dependent on imported energy and shale gas for chemical / energy intensive industries but this wouldn't be such a big need if we weren't wasting so much energy / raw materials on an individual basis. Our behaviour as individuals needs to change.
[b]"...but less than 1% of fracking directly responsible for earthquakes"[/b]
Tremors are of varying severity too, folks.
wwaswas - Member
90% of earthquakes in fracking areas triggered by fracking...Nope, nothing to worry about here.
POSTED 5 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
Ohhh come on, from the first line of that report [i][b]"But less than 1% of fracking activity directly responsible for earthquakes"[/b]
[/i]
39, out of 12,289 wells studied.
Whether you agree with fracking or not it's about time that the government took some tough decisions to get our economy, energy and infrastructure in shape. NIMBY's are often the result that nothing really happens in this country, wasting multi-millions of pounds on consultation after consultation, delay after delay, money that could otherwise have been put to good use to improve our country, with a net result that British infrastructure is now lagging far behind the best in the world.
Fingers crossed for the 3rd Heathrow runway - just get on with it and lets move this country forward. The money we save on not going through a 3rd or 4th round of consultations would probably be enough to pay for some world class hospitals or some leading conservation projects.
Coal mining caused masses more earthquakes than fracking does, if that worries you.
Is that because there are more coal mines?
We have fracking sites in the South Downs where I live.So it's not just confined to the Northern Counties.
That's alright then, if two wrongs make a right.
Top Tip.
USE LESS FUNKING ENERGY!
is right. Encouraging fracking is like reintroducing oil burning steam trains. It's harmful out of date Victorian technology with a slightly modern twist.
captainsasquatch - MemberTop Tip.
USE LESS FUNKING ENERGY!
Yes, but wind turbines may well power your PC. But you'd struggle to find a way to make a keyboard out of them. Ethane on the other hand, if only there was some way to address the undersupply of ethane for our hydrocrackers to make ethylene from..............
With all the trends to renewables, all the options we should be pursuing and once again the damn government gives in too lobbyists, it's another example of us having a totally toothless Green opposition.They've also cancelled that tidal project in Wales I heard last week when I was over there, we live on an Island surrounded by tons of water that moves up and down twice a day as regular as clockwork yet still we haven't harnessed the huge untapped energy resource that represents.
And I agree wholeheartedly with the BigEaredBiker, all the battery technology that is out there we should be on it like a car bonnet.
If you can make renewables make rich people richer, then it will take off. O&G is a proven established no brainer, basically liquid money, and hence a very powerful industry which has governments all over the world by the short and curlies.
Once low carbon can do the same thing, it will take off.
Once low carbon can do the same thing, it will take off.
Because nuclear power stations are built by small co-operatives and wind farms are knitted from organic yogurt?
Although the guts of what your saying is true. Once other energy sources are cheap enough that their subsidised use is cheaper than oil which is heavily taxed. Then yes, it stands to reason it'll be favoured.
In the mean time, it's not just energy (I'm starting to feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall on that point).
They will dig the ground from under your house if they even suspected they could make something off it.
Im all for nuclear power stations. And of course renewables in the form of wind and tidal. I would think living on an island there would be plenty of each.
But they are reluctant and feel they must destroy the environment first before exploring all options,or in investing heavily in them.
Personally, I want to see Lancashire get hit by a Richter 9 earthquake so that I can watch all the Northern Brexiters crying on tv about their homes and their dead dogs. Bring on the fracking!
I'll then setup a kickstarter campaign to give money to the first upset European I see on tv, send it to a few political advisor mates to circulate on social media and then laugh my balls off.
Whether you agree with fracking or not it's about time that the government took some tough decisions to get our economy, energy and infrastructure in shape.
Absolutely - the government should be allowed to ignore the democratic will of the people and just do what it and its expert advisors think is the right thing for the country's future and economy.
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😉
A lot of the big companies involved in wind are involved with O&G also. Not many other companies can raise the cash and execute big complex projects.
Yes, but wind turbines may well power your PC. But you'd struggle to find a way to make a keyboard out of them. Ethane on the other hand, if only there was some way to address the undersupply of ethane for our hydrocrackers to make ethylene from..............
You keep saying this like it's OK for us to do it to make plastic. But we shouldn't be making anywhere near as much plastic as we do, and what we do should be mostly recycled. So much plastic goes into stuff we don't need in packaging (and in other places where plastic doesn't need to be, as you'll know since you use laminate sails on your boat) that encouraging a new source of plastic production shouldn't be encouraged either.
I'm aware of the impact on jobs but the environment is much more important than a few people being in work and a tiny amount of people making money. But sadly that'll never get you elected so that shift in thinking won't happen until it's too late.
Opting out of the EU has basically removed any possible delays,right to object and reasonable regulation so we can now get on with ****ing everyone up the ass... dry 😉
yay for Brexit!
^^^ That's what makes it so gloriously fun - I just want to see the country burn and people coming to the realisation that we're not in this together - everyman for himself in Mays world.
Whether you agree with fracking or not it's about time that the government took some tough decisions to get our economy, energy and infrastructure in shape.
Pretty sure the local community, and I will be working within sight of the sites, really ought to have a say here and they said Frack off.
Its a difficult one in general but this is controversial locally and is not supported. This was always going to happen though as this govt values money over the environment and locally democracy but that is not really news is it
Whether you agree with fracking or not it's about time that the government took some tough decisions to get our economy, energy and infrastructure in shape.
I agree. Being strong with a message that the economic damage caused by Brexit will far outweigh any "gains" made by increased nazism towards immigrants would be a bold but also welcome move. It would allow strong investment in renewable and energy efficient technologies, and enable easy transfer of overseas expertise to assist with this.
NIMBY's are often the result that nothing really happens in this country, wasting multi-millions of pounds on consultation after consultation, delay after delay, money that could otherwise have been put to good use to improve our country, with a net result that British infrastructure is now lagging far behind the best in the world.
What an odd rationale. When the CEGB was around, it took strategic decisions about investments in power generation despite short-term costs for long term stability. Since privatisation, with the exception of far too many gas-fired power stations that have greatly reduced the resilience of our energy infrastructure while maximising short-term profits for their owners, there's been bugger all investment in the long term future of energy generation in the UK. The problems we now face in terms of generation can be easily attributed by the failure of the market to provide a cohesive long term plan in lieu of short term shareholder profits.
Fingers crossed for the 3rd Heathrow runway - just get on with it and lets move this country forward. The money we save on not going through a 3rd or 4th round of consultations would probably be enough to pay for some world class hospitals or some leading conservation projects.
You'd need fewer hospitals or conservation projects if rampant development regardless of the environmental or health costs didn't happen.
Because nuclear power stations are built by small co-operatives and wind farms are knitted from organic yogurt?
I think you underestimate the sheer financial scale of the O&G industry, wind farms and even nuclear are a fart in a gale in comparison. And as you mention, even though EDF will (possibly) make a huge amount of money selling us our electricity, it's only because we will be subsidising it massively because the production cost is so high - oil and gas is positively throwing itself/money out the ground at you by comparison.
A lot of the big companies involved in wind are involved with O&G also
I can't think of many, Repsol recently pulled out and sold UK wind interests to China.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-37565927
More on topic insanity from the tories