Roger Harrabin is an environment analyst.

Image source, Reuters/YVES HERMAN

Is it possible for the government to keep energy affordable while also hitting its climate change targets?

Boris Johnson wants to produce an energy strategy that will do all three things.

Can he pull it off and what are the political obstacles he faces?

Some journalists have been told that the PM may encourage further research into the practice of fda.

The launch will offer an acceleration of existing plans.

There will be no new coal-fired power stations.

As he deliberates, Mr Johnson is being tugged in two different directions.

The business department, and most experts, tell him that the plans to cut fossil fuels will help shield the UK from rocketing global prices of oil and gas.

They want the government to support home insulation. Electric heat pumps should be quickly deployed. They want fast deployment of nuclear and renewables.

Conservative commentators agree with the desire for new nuclear, but insist that the UK should also resume the practice of frack to protect the country from rising fuel prices.

The PM wants to announce plans from the short term to the long term.

It is possible to get instant cheap results by cutting our use of gas and oil.

Image caption, Big questions are being asked about the future role of nuclear energy

According to the International Energy Agency, turning down the thermostat by a degree could save up to 10% of heating energy.

It makes your home more comfortable. Basic draught-proofing and a draught excluder make a small difference. It is easy to heat only the rooms you are using.

A speed limit of 55mph is the most efficient for many cars and could be set during the energy crisis to cut carbon emissions. The RAC Foundation said it would be more effective to make fewer trips, and to break and accelerate more smoothly.

The top speed of the trains could be reduced.

If they were persuaded of an urgent need, the public might accept the restrictions.

Some analysts want the government to stop selling new boilers quickly. Electric heat pumps powered by electricity generated by British wind farms would replace imported gas boilers.

It would require a challenge to increase heat pump installations when there are too few people and a poor supply chain.

Others want a government energy savings campaign like the one used to tackle the oil crisis in 1970s, with silly slogans like "Save energy - bath with a friend".

What about the medium term?

This is where the debate about the use of chemicals in the oil and gas industry begins. There were high hopes that Britain could follow in the footsteps of the United States.

There were problems. The operators were unable to predict the effects of the process, and neighbours complained about minor earth tremors and house prices. The quantity of gas in the UK is not the only thing that raised doubts about our ability to get it out of the ground.

The economists warned that fracked gas would be sold on to the global market so it wouldn't lower UK prices.

Iain Conn, the former head of the gas giant Centrica, told the Today programme that it was not possible to drill enough wells to make a difference to the UK supplies.

No10 said in a statement that the government put a moratorium on frack in order to make sure the gas can be obtained without significant tremors. The official line is that, but a spokesman for the Prime Minister said nothing had been ruled out.

The PM could announce an inquiry which might or might not find in favor of the practice of frack, but at least relieve political pressure from some of his backbenchers.

The medium term holds wind energy. Polls show that the general public likesshore wind power. Some newspapers still label wind farms "hated."

Rules were imposed by the government which allowed just one protester to kill a project.

Image source, Science Photo Library
Image caption, A lot of UK houses are poorly insulated

Operators want the rules changed.

It takes 20 years to develop an offshore wind farm. If the government gives more resources to the authorities that grant consent, new turbines could be spinning within two years.

Oil and gas operations are a long-term bet. They take an average of 28 years to start production.

There is no fossil fuel bonanza left in the North Sea. All produce will be sold at world prices. It was better to get UK gas with UK jobs and taxes than it was to get foreign gas with more impact on the environment.

The International Energy Agency wants to stop new fossil fuel operations because there is enough evidence to wreck the climate.

The consenting process for new nuclear power stations would take decades to be built, and the incident at the Chernobyl reactor in Ukraine won't make it any easier.

Nuclear power can be used to cover for renewables when the wind isn't blowing.

The government has not embraced it until recently because of public fears, the lack of waste storage and the cost. Nuclear comes in at 90 per megawatt hour, while new offshore wind is around half that.

The wind is blowing nuclear's way after decades of dither from Conservatives and Labour. Mr Johnson will offer a boost for mini-reactors. Nuclear enthusiasts say the UK needs a lot of new nukes.

Image caption, Would motorway users accept a 55mph speed limit if it benefited the environment?

It could be a critical moment in the UK's energy history.

The government has been criticized for failing to live up to its promises on climate change, but Mr Putin's missiles may have plans to improve energy security.

Labour wants to ramp up renewables and nuclear.

It says that if 19 million homes were insulated over a decade, they would save up to 400 dollars on their energy bill.

Chancellor Sunak has so far refused to commit to a strategy that could keep bills down.

The government feels the weight of climate sceptics over its shoulder, according to Labour.

The Liberal Democrats and Greens have been demanding action towards energy-saving and low-carbon domestic electricity.

The PM is about to give a speech.

The real test will be if the government is willing to invest the cash and policies to deliver its climate targets, hold down bills and protect us from Mr Putin's war.

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  • Wind power
  • Fracking
  • Climate change
  • Renewable energy