Top lobbying groups in historic green energy U-turn

Energy UK, which represents big six providers, says it now supports phasing out coal-fired stations, after years of defending use of fossil fuels

The UK’s biggest energy lobbying group has shifted its position on green energy and will start campaigning for low-carbon alternatives for the first time, in what environmental campaigners are describing as a watershed moment.
Lawrence Slade, the chief executive of Energy UK, which represents the big six providers and has been regarded as a defender of fossil fuels, said the shift was urgent in order not to be left behind.
“No one wants to be running the next Nokia,” he said, referring to the mobile phone company that was overtaken by forward-looking rivals. “I want to drive change and move away from accepted (old-style) thinking.”

Analysis Why are energy firms U-turning on green agenda now?

Lobbying group has been on wrong side of carbon debate for far too long, so should we really believe that this is more than just words?

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This is a major turnaround for an organisation that has historically been criticised by consumer and green groups as a dinosaur protecting the vested interest of incumbent supply companies such as British Gas, SSE and others.
Energy UK now officially supports the government’s phasing out of coal-fired power stations and is critical of ministers over the way they have cut subsidies to wind and solar power so deeply and suddenly.
Slade accepts that the big six, along with ministers, have made plenty of mistakes in the past but he says it is now time to develop a national plan that everyone - especially consumers - can buy into.
Slade said: “It would be quite a sensible thing to have an Energiewende [Germany’s plan to move to a majority of renewable energy sources] but the emphasis would have to be on our own version not a direct cut and paste.” The German energy transition programme has attracted support but also some criticism.
Slade, who formally took over the top job last summer, was talking following the publication of Energy UK’s Pathways to 2030 policy document prepared with the help of professional service company, KPMG.
Amid concern about the lights going out, 60 local authorities argued last week that coal-fired power stations should be kept open, but Slade surprisingly disagrees, saying we need lower-carbon solutions.
Energy UK wants to see more demand reduction, plus regulatory changes, to help support electricity storage projects that help balance out the peaks and troughs caused by wind and solar power.
Slade also believes urgent action is required to encourage power companies to keep existing gas-fired plants running, as well as the provision of aid to make it worthwhile for new ones to be constructed.

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Energy UK is calling for much more long-term thinking and financing. It says that details on the levy control framework of subsidy levels should be published so that investors have a clear picture up to 2025.
Slade believes onshore windfarms should be allowed access to new forms of subsidies and says that aid cuts since the last election have undermined investor confidence.
He said: “Energy policy is not as yet coherent. It is becoming clearer but more needs to be done. Investment is there but not forthcoming because there is not black and white clarity [on government policy]. The abruptness of some of the cuts and the scale of some of the cuts have alarmed people.”
Slade said he is keen to move on from arguments of the past and concentrate on solutions as Britain moves away from big central power stations to a more decentralised system of energy.
Catherine Mitchell, a professor of energy policy at the University of Exeter and a champion of the low-carbon economy, welcomed the apparent U-turn by Slade’s organisation.
She said: “Energy UK is the conventional industry lobby, and is generally at the conservative end of arguments. This [Pathways] report reads almost as if they have ‘flipped’ to the other side. I take this to mean that their members realise that their future is in the ‘new’ energy system rather than the ‘old’, and this is to be welcomed.”
Richard Black, the director of the non-profit Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, also viewed Energy UK’s new stance as positive. He said: “The report shows that experts across the industry see a time of tremendous change ahead for the electricity system, with the traditional utility model increasingly outdated.
He added: “Falling demand, increasingly competitive renewables, storage, interconnectors, demand response – this is the blueprint for the electricity system just 15 years hence, and it’s telling that it comes from an industry body rather than a ‘green’ thinktank.”

Wind turbines at WE Niederaussem coal-fired power station in Germany. The UK has been urged to create its own version of Germany’s energy transition programme.   Thanks for reading.

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Dasukigate;Presidency vows to indict Jonathan if involveed

The Presidency has pledged to charge former President Goodluck Jonathan for corruption if found to be involved in the arms purchase scandal
According to the President Muhammdu Buhari’s spokesperson, Femi Adesina, the President will not shield any corrupt person from being prosecuted.
It will be recalled that bigwigs in the People Democratic Party (PDP) including its national Publicity Secretary, Olisah Metuh, DAAR communications chairman, Raymond Dokpesi, among others were being grilled by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) for allegedly benefiting from the arms purchase money.
Olisa Metuh who was alleged to have collected N400 million from Former NSA, Sambo Dasuki is still undergoing trial at an Abuja Federal High Court following a fresh charge filled by the EFCC on Thursday. He was charged for destroying his own confessional statement made to the agency. Thanks for reading.

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Dasukigate;Buhari,beign mindful to probe Jonathan says former minister

Former power and steel minister and current Deputy National Leader of the Northern Elders Forum, Dr Paul Unongo, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is being mindful to summon former President Goodluck Jonathan over the $2.1 billion Arms purchase fund which was allegedly siphoned by former Security Adviser, Lt. Col Sambo Dasuki (Rtd).
According to Dr Paul, Jonathan must face the wrath of the law if found guilty to have masterminded the $2.1 billion diverted Arms purchase fund through Dasuki.
He said: “I think President Buhari is trying to be careful in not summoning Jonathan so far. I don’t believe there was an agreement President Buhari had not to probe Jonathan as being reported”.

Former President – Goodluck Jonathan

Dr Paul who acknowledged the fact that Jonathan was a hero by conceding defeat in the last 2015 presidential election also stated that, “Jonathan deserves a special consideration for his contribution to democratic culture in Nigeria and for enabling us to avert a national crisis by conceding defeat during the general elections. He also mobilised support for the present government. Jonathan was great in defeat. He is a hero for doing this.
“ if it is proved by a transparent process that he stole the country’s money and he refuses to return it, then the law should take its course, whether he is a former President or not. He should be prosecuted and jailed. This is important in order to serve as a deterrent to others”.  Thanks for reading.

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Buhari's Anti-corruption in line with APC'S idealogy says Oyegun

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National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign was not targeted at anybody.
While addressing Journalists yesterday in Benue State during a Senatorial campaign of Mr Daniel Onjeh, representing the Benue South, Oyegun asserted that the anti-corruption war by the President was for the general interest of Nigerians.
He stressed that the anti-corruption war was not selective adding that both members of the ruling APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) found wanting were being prosecuted by the anti-corruption agencies.
“Certainly, there will be hard nuts to crack. When we took over, we did not expect to meet this kind of economy where our currency would be so depreciated and crude oil sold as low as 38 dollars per barrel.
“The manifesto of the APC is built around the Presidency and welfare of the citizen is the paramount objective of the party.
“The Buhari administration will not deviate from this original ideology of the party. He will stabilise the economy and fulfil all his campaign promises. Most importantly, everything the President is doing is for the overall interest of the Nigerian citizens”.
Oyegun added, “PDP has been in government at the centre for 16 years when all these atrocities were being perpetrated; so. It is normal that majority of the people dragged to court will be their members.
“Recently, there are backlogs of cases coming up as reported by the media and some of the people being taken to court are members of the APC. So, it is very unfair to say that the President is doing selective justice in his fight against corruption,” he noted. Thanks for reading

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Osun workers demand full salary from Aregbesola

Labour leaders in Osun  State have asked Governor Rauf Aregbesola  to henceforth start paying  salaries of all categories of workers  in full.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Jacob Adekomi and  Chairman, Joint Public Service Negotiating  Council, Mr.  Bayo Adejumo, made this demand at a press conference in Osogbo on Saturday.

They said labour leaders  did not sign any agreement with the government that they would be collecting half salaries contrary to what some former commissioners and government appointees have been saying.

Workers from grade level 01-07 are being paid in full while those from level 08 and above have been receiving half salaries since July 2015 but the NLC said they did not sign this agreement with the government.

The labour leaders blamed some of the former aides of the governor for plunging the state into the financial crisis It was facing now because of their alleged recklessness.

The NLC chairman said, “Our demands are that government should start to to pay our 2014  bonus which was factored into the bailout given to the state. Thanks for reading

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You wine and Dine with vultures, Lamido mocks Buhari

Former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Dr. Sule Lamido, has told Nigerians not to expect much from the All Progressives Congress (APC), just as he said that President Muhammadu Buhari was surrounded with people of questionable characters.
According to Lamido, Nigeria’s problem was not only corruption. He stated that the current crop of APC members were in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), when it was in power.
“How can President Buhari say he is fighting corruption when he is surrounded by people of questionable characters, a group of people who were part of the government he is criticizing” .
“Democracy should be able to address our problems, unite us and not to put fear in the land, compelling people to be pretending to be what they are not because they don’t want to be imprisoned.”
It will be recalled that Sule Lamido and his two sons, Mustapha and Aminu, were arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over money laundering charges.
Lamido also reportedly named former Vice president, Atiku Abubakar and Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso as the real enemies of President Muhammadu Buhari. Thanks for reading

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Nigeria begins move to establish national career says Presidency

The Presidency on Sunday disclosed that the Federal Government has commenced discussions on partnerships towards establishing a national airline for the country.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists from Doha, Qatar where President Muhammadu Buhari is currently on an official visit.
Adesina did not however disclose the details of the discussions and the level the government has reached.

He however said that Nigerian authorities have reached an agreement with the State of Qatar which will soon translate into direct flights between major cities of both countries.
H added that the two countries have also signed an agreement that will forestall double taxation and tax evasion.
Adesina said the Bilateral Air Services Agreement and the other agreement were signed on Sunday in Doha on the sideline of Buhari’s state visit to Qatar.
According to him, the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, signed the air services agreement on behalf of Nigeria while Qatar’s Minister of Transportation and Communications, Jassim Bin Saif Alsulaiti, signed on behalf the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hammad Al-Thani.
The statement read in part, “The agreement which was signed in the presence of both leaders is expected to operate on the principle of reciprocity by the designated airlines on behalf of the countries.
“The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, also signed the agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes income with her Qatari counterpart, Ali Shareef Al Emadi.
“It is also expected that the agreement on bilateral air service will promote trade, commerce and tourism between the two countries just as Nigeria has also commenced discussions on partnerships towards establishing a national airline for Nigeria.
“The agreement on the avoidance of double taxation which had been negotiated since February 2015 will no doubt bring in more investments and businesses between Qatar and Nigeria.” Thanks for reading.

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