In response to the good news for marine and bird life, this was some very happy whales this morning, recorded singing and dancing - in stark contrast to anti-science, anti-wildlife eco-fascists, who are furious that it imperils their neo-communist Net Zero project:
Greenpiss, which used to protect whales back in the day, is now spitting mad that these magnificent creatures are going to be given a reprieve from the almost certain death sentence imposed by acoustic surveying and increased shipping activity during construction of new installations.
Greenpeace UK's policy director, Doug Parr, said: "This monumental failure is the biggest disaster for clean energy in almost a decade.
"Thanks to cost pressures and inept government policy, this auction round has completely flopped - denying bill payers access to cheap, clean energy and putting the UK's legally binding target of decarbonising power by 2035 in greater jeopardy."
The eco-zealot lie is that the failure to secure new offshore wind projects will drive up the cost of electricity to consumers. God help the UK when Labour get in. They’re even worse than the fake Conservatives. Hard to believe, I know.
Labour's Ed Miliband branded the outcome of the auction an "energy security disaster" that would push up household bills.
The shadow energy security secretary said: "The Conservatives have now trashed the industry that was meant to be the crown jewels of the British energy system, blocking the cheap, clean, homegrown power we need.
In reality, offshore wind has become too expensive for operators to compete in auctions where the price per MWh is set at a competitive level by government, precisely to ensure that consumers do not pay artificially high prices for electricity generated by wind. Unless the government offers even more generous subsidies to the offshore wind industry (whereby the costs will ultimately be passed onto consumers), firms are not interested, because they can’t make enough profit, because of the recent increase in costs. As Oldbrew says at Tallbloke’s Talkshop:
Much hand-wringing by the climate obsession lobby, but there it is – zero interest in bidding for government offshore wind business, as expected. The government seems to have two choices for more part-time offshore wind – give up or pay up. If it pays up, the already dubious claims of cheapness are toast.
Green peas give me wind.
Perhaps the net-zero zealots could risk some of their own money to develop these windfarms. No? It's funny how the private sector is damned if it does and damned if it doesn't.
Clearly, there will be plenty of takers for offshore generation if and when it becomes price competitive with fossil energy. Until then we can all enjoy the spectacle of various green luminaries spitting flame.