Treehugger had an interesting post a couple of weeks ago, which I’ve only just come across, about Sweden announcing their intention to become oil free by 2020, without the use of nuclear power.

It’s a long term goal, and perhaps more aspirational than acheivable, but how refreshing to see a government that’s trying to find a good answer to their oil problems rather than just giving up and heading for the nuclear option. Sweden has a few advantages for renewable energy over the UK - lots of big rivers, lots of geothermal power, and a rather smaller population - so it may be easier for them, but can we not consider it too?

After reading James Lovelock’s book, Revenge of Gaia, last week (see earlier blog) I have become quite depressed about the whole thing. His arguements for nuclear are convincing, but isn’t that a terribly defeatist attitude? Surely there must be a better way?

There seem to be so many questions, but also many possibilities for reduced oil usage in the UK which, with funding and support, would at least reduce our need for nuclear, if not eliminate it all together

• Wave power on the Severn Estuary could potentially give us 10-12% of our electricity needs (Lovelock) - is that practical? What would the effect be on the ecosystems there? If its this good for the Severn (using, I presume, the Severn bore), are there other estuaries that could be used?
• Reducing the amount of car travel in this society where 60 minute commutes are normal would surely be good for everyone and improve our quality of life enormously. We could do this by introducing a payroll tax on journey times, encouraging companies to recruit locally and locate where people live. Remove the tax advantages of doing high mileage in company cars would help too. Use the money to subsidise trains, or keep the whole thing revenue neutral. What would the effect be of reducing the average annual car mileage by 25%?
• Cogeneration in homes, as I discussed last week, decentralising the supply and therefore reducing the risk of major failure as well as using wasted energy
• Cogeneration in businesses, especially data centres and other highly controlled environments.
• Sponsoring innovation, by funding competitions and providing venture capital for startup companies with good ideas in this area.
• Sponsor local innovation, by funding competitions and giving grants to schools, universities, neighbourhood groups to find local solutions, and then promulgate the best of these to others
• Set up scholarships for engineers and scientists to do research in renewable energy
• Make unmetered schemes, such as the one used by Camden Council for its council house pool heating, illegal and fund the installation of meters. People have got to see the effect of their own consumption
• Remove the VAT on thermal underwear, and get Naomi Campbell to model it.
• Fund this with a windfall tax on British Gas, who’s shares have been rocketing along with the oil majors in the last few months.

Maybe Lovelock, Blair and the other doomsayers are right, and the only way out is to pepper the country with nuclear power plants, but I’m not prepared to just roll over and accept that.