Only Nigel Farage would oppose the push for renewable energy

In launching his latest campaign, the Brexit-monger has failed to take stock of basic economics, argues Harry Cockburn

Nigel Farage wants the UK to turn its back on plans to reduce climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions to net zero (AFP via Getty)

What one thing could we do in the UK to make the world a worse place? Nigel Farage not only has the answer, he is already trying to make it happen: He is campaigning for a referendum on the UK’s plans to hit net zero emissions by 2050.

On a Union Jack-bestrewn website for his new campaigning outfit called "Vote Power Not Poverty", the reason provided for opposing the UK’s legally-binding net zero target is that it "will do nothing to deliver any meaningful benefit to the global environment but will destroy British jobs and lead to massive increases in energy bills year on year".

All of these claims are demonstrably false. Furthermore, there is nothing on the website in the way of evidence to back them up.

But perhaps focusing on the incredible level of nonsense of the argument is missing the point – we all know that the oily motor that fires Farage is not running on truth or any concept of striving towards a better future.

It is all about sowing and reaping: Farage is an expert sower of bulls***. Upon finding a small fissure in society seeping concern, instead of helping patch it up, he instead sows nefarious seeds of bulls***. Over time he lovingly nurtures his tender crops, grows them until they are grotesque parasites sucking in all sense and reason, and eventually they become self-seeding farms, whereupon society has no choice but to reap it all.

He loves this process, and is good at it – the media is in thrall to the naked provocations he trades in.

However, when it comes to the climate crisis and energy bills, there can only be one winner, and it is not Farage.

He has left it too late this time. It will not only be the politicians, scientists, climate campaigners and all the millions of people with common sense who ensure that his latest venture is nothing but an embarrassing folly, but also the very force he claims to champion – the free market.

Even without Russia’s invasion of Ukraine pushing countries away from importing fossil fuels like never before, the market is already doing it.

What is the cheapest way to generate energy in Britain? It is solar power. Even on cloudy days modern photovoltaic panels are astoundingly efficient. In 2020, solar power became "the cheapest power in history" according to the International Energy Agency.

What is the next cheapest form of energy generation? Wind power.

In Britain we’ve only just begun our foray into renewables but already we are seeing incredible returns on investment. Between 2010 and 2020 renewable prices plummeted – onshore wind down by 70 per cent, solar by 89 per cent.

Meanwhile the amount of power they are providing has rapidly shot up, with renewables providing around 40 per cent of the UK’s total power for 2020, and up to 60 per cent on windy days. On sunny days, solar is able to contribute over 34 per cent of power to the grid. These numbers are only going to go up.

The last remaining coal plants are due to be permanently turned off by 2024, and there is diminishing public appetite for fossil fuels.

This is highlighted by a waning influence on public life, with public institutions such as universities, museums and art galleries divesting from fossil fuel investments or ending their long-term sponsorship deals.

When the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow, it does leave us with an energy generation gap however – and this is the small crack which Farage is seeking to pour his efforts into.

Currently this gap is largely plugged by gas, supplied to the UK from a diverse range of sources, including from the North Sea and Europe (with only around 1 – 3 per cent coming from Russia).

But as the rollout of renewables continues and battery technology improves, the idea the government should abandon the cheapest power ever made and return to the polluting fossil fuels of the past, is ludicrous.

If Farage’s folly can have one positive impact, it will be to highlight the incredible strides made in renewable energy, and the toxicity – both politically and environmentally – of coal, oil and gas.

The other toxic factor here is Farage himself. For energy company executives, the sound of Farage coming to their defence is unlikely to be welcomed.