Households across the country could be asked to move mealtimes, avoid putting the washing on, or turn the lights off to avoid total blackouts this winter depending on the weather, an energy expert has warned.
Kathryn Porter, an energy consultant with Watt-Logic, has warned that rationing measures could be put in place this winter, asking millions of households to cut back on their energy usage to prevent full blackouts if a high-pressure weather system hits - reducing the amount of wind and making it more difficult to create renewable energy through turbines, whilst the cold weather it brings will increase heating demands.
At the moment, the global energy crisis, deepened by the world's decision to stop buying energy from Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, has seen tens of millions of people across the United States of America asked to avoid using washing machines, dishwashers, and ovens between 2pm and 8pm, with suggestions that car charging for electric vehicles should wait until after 9pm.
Over in Germany, lights on monuments have been turned off, advertising boards switched off at night, and a total ban on heating private swimming pools has been implemented to try and save energy ahead of the coming winter, as the European country struggles with a lack of gas from Russia. The French Prime Minister has warned of potential rolling two-hour power cuts this winter due to the energy crisis.
It seems like the UK will be unable to avoid disruption too if the weather fails us, as the continued production of renewable energy is our only hope of making it through this winter unscathed according to Ms Porter.
She told the BBC: "Unfortunately each winter that goes by the risk of blackouts are increasing because we’ve been replacing thermal and nuclear generation with intermittent renewables that makes us vulnerable in times when wind output is low, and we’ve had quite low wind output in July and August.
"On three separate occasions National Grid warned that we might run out of electricity in the summer and demand is a lot higher in the winter, so if we had those weather conditions in the winter then the system could get very tight and that raises the risk of blackouts. If we have the type of high pressure weather system that we’ve been experiencing throughout July and August then it will be really difficult.
"Whereas in the summer that weather is very still and very hot, in the winter it’s still and cold, so it increases heating demands and there’s obviously no generation from wind. Much of Northern Europe has had similar low wind conditions to us, which really restricts our ability to import electricity from elsewhere, so if those weather conditions happen in the winter then we will be vulnerable.
"I think that there’s been an expectation among industrial users, and I’ve been hearing this from clients since March, that they expect to be rationed through this winter. There could also be measures taken to request households reduce their demand, there’s similar schemes in the US in California at the moment and a few weeks ago in Texas, where the authorities were asking consumers to reduce their use of electricity during certain hours and giving advice on how that could be done. It’s possible that we’ll see something similar here this winter."
On Wednesday, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak were asked about the possibility of rationing this winter. Whilst Sunak was less definitive with his answer - saying nothing could be ruled out because of the challenges, Truss stated she would not be considering rationing if she was announced as the next Prime Minister on Monday. However, Ms Porter says Truss may not have any choice in the matter, as if there are any issues with generation, the country will have to start rationing or face blackouts.
She added: "Liz Truss isn’t in a position to say there’s going to be no rationing. If there’s not enough generation to meet demand then either you have rationing or you have blackouts, and the problem with blackouts is that they affect everybody.
"Clearly there’s a hope that important infrastructure such as hospitals will have back-up generation on site which they can use and it’s important that they test those facilities just in case they’re needed in the winter. I don’t think National Grid is going to sit there and just allow blackouts to happen because Liz Truss has said she doesn’t want to have rationing, we will have rationing before we have blackouts."
The interview came as Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi admitted he was "deeply concerned" that people could freeze this winter, stating that "no-one should be cut off" because they can't afford their rising energy bills, which are set to hit over £3,500 a year from next month, with a further price hike expected next year.
Speaking to Sky News whilst visiting the US, Zahawi said nothing was "off the table", but warned "there are no easy options". He added: "I’m working with the (energy) companies to make sure, and NGOs of course, to make sure those people who really are struggling get that help both financially… but the companies themselves have already started to write letters and emails to ask people if they are vulnerable, if they are feeling that they can’t pay, that they should contact their supplier, their companies.
“My pledge to your viewers is that we will deliver the £37 billion – so, that £1,200 to the most vulnerable eight million households, – but we’ll go beyond that because we know we need to, and we need to send a message to Mr (Russian President Vladimir) Putin that this strategy is not going to work.”
Independent Age launched a £1m emergency fund to support over 65s struggling to heat their homes, as a survey of more than 5,000 parents showed two-thirds were worried about paying for food, energy, and fuel over the next year as the crisis deepens.
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