Tara Singh, the chief executive of RenewableUK, has joined Octopus’ Greg Jackson on calling for a more pragmatic approach to the UK’s transition and allow the North Sea to be opened.

Citing the current energy issues caused by events in the Middle East, Singh notes that the UK would be less buffeted by price volatility and more energy secure if it produces more home-grown energy of every kind, including oil and gas.

Writing in The Telegraph, she calls for the debate to be raised above “culture wars” and accepts that gas will be needed into the foreseeable future, again reiterating that reduction of consumption is the goal and that the geographic place of production is irrelevant to the planet.

However, she underlines the need for a long-term renewable strategy, commenting that the North Sea is a mature basin, and could at best supply half the UK’s needs until only 2050 at current rates.

Of course, and as repeatedly pointed out here and elsewhere, gas and oil is sold on the global market, but domestic tax revenue (direct and indirect) jobs, supply chains and ultimate ownership in a crisis is sovereign.

More controversially, Singh says that she is not opposed to fracking but again sees this as a very short-term solution whilst longer-term renewable and nuclear energy solutions are deployed.

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