Energy Policy update:

Two further independent consultants have commented that they believe that it would not be appropriate for the Energy Policy to consider the carbon intensity of imported electricity to be of circa 0.06 to 0.08 kg of CO2 per kWh particularly if this was the driver to back out gas and heating oil on the island.  This takes the tally to four independent consultants who believe that imported electricity should be assigned a higher carbon intensity figure.

• AEA Technology
• Peter Cameron a director of Energy Markets International who will be visiting the island on Monday to meet with the Energy Policy Group and possibly GEL if they accept the invitation.
• Peter Ritson of ISIS Ventures International Ltd, energy and utility advisors.
• Angus Paxton, Senior Consultant, Poyry Energy Consulting

Paul Garlick, Managing Director of Guernsey Gas, again reinforced his comment not to forget about the significant costs of phasing out fossil fuels, estimated to be £300M:  “We simply cannot afford it.  Even if we do consider imports of electricity to be low carbon, which they appear not to be, the costs of replacing gas and heating oil with electricity to reduce carbon dioxide emissions are massive (the cost of abatement).  Guernsey can and will find more cost effective ways of addressing environmental concerns.”