Utility bill crisis on the way?
All this talk of global warming is hard to take considering the unusally tepid weather we are experiencing. With utilty bills set to rise on most suppliers (and the others will follow after a token amount of time) there is talk again of a utility bill crisis. Is this a result of utility providers trying to save the planet by raising prices to encourage us to economise or just a slightly cynical excuse to cash in our fears?
I don’t believe for a minute that raising prices particularly forces the majority to economise (raising tax on tobacco and alcohol has not let to reduced cancer or cirrhosis), it seems to me that in the same way as increased duty on petrol has priced out the least well off while lining pockets of huge companies-without addressing the real problem of Where does the energy come from?!!
The utility bill crisis will not be resolved by putting up a few windfarms (which are one of the least efficient forms of power-if the wind is too low the turbines dont turn and if the wind is too high they dont work either!) or solar (a pipe dream scheme straight out of HG Wells) and hydro-electric (due to the prohibitve costs of setting it up). All these schemes would end up costing the public MORE and then utility companies would say thet they are doing it for our own good.
Finally, I saw a story on the TV some council somewhere were advertising one their buildings to sell and left lights on inside like Blackpool Illuminations to allow it to be seen by potential purchasers. What kind of message does this send out!! Do as I say not as I do! Utilty bill crisis indeed.