Gas may run out in seven years thanks to the Government!

Politik reports:

Energy Minister Megan Woods yesterday confirmed that the country may run out of gas in seven years.

Yay, the country will be saved. The world will be better. Oh wait. No it won’t be. We’ll just have to import coal instead.

The change In timeframe is important because it cuts the amount of time that oil explorers with existing permits have to get any new wells up and running if there is to be no gap in supply.

Here’s the problem. If a company has an exploration permit and finds gas or oil, they then need to get a mining permit. And does anyone think this ideological Government would ever grant one? So in reality current exploration permits are useless.

And it puts immense pressure on electricity generators to build new renewable generation plants from wind or geothermal.

If they can’t meet the seven-year deadline then it is likely that they will either have to import gas or use coal to run stations when demand peaks.

It’s hard to find policies that are bad for both the economy and the environment but Labour has managed it.