Poking the energy policy dragon

A straw-man energy manifesto for the UK?

Define the key problems and the protocols for how they should be addressed rather than feeling a need to presume immediate solutions.

Namely:

TARGET...

1) Transport

2) Buildings

3) Food production

INCORPORATING...

4) Grid design, security and management to deal with changing supply

5) Recycling and product longevity warrantees

6) Sector consistent GHG/Carbon emissions pricing, realistically reflecting future environmental costs

and NOT...

7) Energy sector "solution" cherry picking - the best routes fall out of 6) above

but WITH...

8) Phased incremental change to avoid shocks and assist planning where major adjustment is mandated

9) Local government resourcing to audit and activate

10) Assist for households and small businesses hardest hit in transition

11) Reference to items 4) 5) and 6) as the parameters for optimisation and merit decisions, IF items for consideration are really big budget and hence for national account - i.e. know what the first priorities are and stick to them...

12) At least nominal discussion across the political spectrum to ensure some long term continuity

Given the above, reinforce the priorities constantly, and guide law, funds, and expertise allocation accordingly. Resist the temptation as a politician to tie up the surgeon and dive in to the patient with a scalpel.?

I make no attempt, deliberately, to define the "how" for the above. Let the experts, providers, and customers, within constraints of the defined cost frameworks resolve it. The focus is on the "what" first.

All of those things above a thousand times easier to say than to do, but in terms of a wish list, a start?

Yet it is nothing like what any of our main parties seem to be saying. Or am I missing something again? It has been known...

Yes, it probably is arrogant of me to presume to even attempt such a thing, and yes, there is a lot I'm probably missing - but we seem so wide of the mark right now, poking the energy policy beast seems a fair cop really. Surely it can be tamed.

See also: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/cherry-picking-requirement-dave-waters/