Originally published on 1Sun4All.
We’ve written about Britain’s leading green energy company Ecotricity several times (for example, here and here). In early March, the company premiered a short online film as part of a new anti-fracking campaign. “Don’t squeeze the last gas out of Britain” was shown at a launch event with Green Party MP Caroline Lucas in Brighton. The campaign comes as Ecotricity founder Dale Vince has accused Eric Pickles of double standards by prioritising local voices in wind farm planning decisions while bypassing localism when it comes to fracking for shale gas. The full Ecotricity news release follows:
Ecotricity Launches Frack Free Campaign with New Film
The short animated film follows Ecotricity’s previous Dump the Big Six films, the first of which has so far been viewed nearly 3 million times on YouTube.
Don’t Squeeze the Last Gas Out Of Britain #Frackfree
With fracking companies circling the British Isles, it’s now more important than ever to make a stand.
Ecotricity guarantees its gas is frack-free which, along with its 100% green electricity and ethical pricing, is a true alternative to The Big Six energy companies.
The campaign is designed to lend support to local communities opposed to shale gas fracking and to highlight the fact that many British households are inadvertently supporting shale gas through their energy bills.
Ecotricity has already been in contact with 90 local anti-fracking groups in a bid to see how their efforts can be better supported.
Screenshot from the video
Dale Vince, Ecotricity founder:
The Government has already admitted that fracking won’t make gas prices cheaper and will produce more carbon emissions than conventional gas.
Ecotricity became the first energy company in Britain to reject shale gas, vowing never to invest in or supply customers with shale gas from fracking. But almost 40% of British households are already supporting the shale gas industry with their energy bills by using British Gas as their supplier. They are the biggest single gas supplier in Britain and the biggest known investor in shale gas amongst energy suppliers – with parent company, Centrica, investing an initial £40 million in a shale gas licence, with another £120 million in the pipeline.
However, people can conscientiously object to fracking using the power of their energy bills – households can boycott companies involved in shale gas fracking.
Fracking opposition groups have less than three weeks left (March 28) to respond to the Department for Energy & Climate Change consultation on the environmental impacts of unconventional gas extraction, after which Government can start issuing shale gas licences across two thirds of Britain
Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP:
Fracking is dirty, dangerous, and completely incompatible with our responsibility to take action to avoid dangerous climate change. As well as showing people that there are clean, green alternatives to shale gas and other fossil fuels, Ecotricity are engaging with local campaigners, and helping raise awareness of the perils of this new dash for gas. I know that many people in Brighton and Hove have welcomed the opportunity to use frack-free gas to heat their homes, and will enjoy hearing more about Ecotricity’s work.
The green energy company boss is advocating three measures that will empower local people opposed to fracking:
- Remove the Planning doubled standard – bring planning decisions on fracking into line with windfarms, by putting the power in the hands of local people in Local Authorities rather than the “Minerals Planning Authority”.
- Households to boycott energy suppliers investing in shale gas fracking, by switching their energy supplier. For example, British Gas owner Centrica, is spending £160m on shale gas in Britain and supplies 40% of households with gas.
- Fracking opposition groups have less than three weeks left (March 28) to respond to the Department for Energy & Climate Change consultation on the environmental impacts of unconventional gas extraction, after which Government can start issuing shale gas licences across two thirds of Britain.
Dale Vince:
The Government appears hell-bent on imposing shale gas fracking on Britain, and we think the risks to local communities and the local environment are simply not worth taking.
Eric Pickles has become an outspoken advocate of localism, insisting that local voices are heard on planning decisions regarding wind power, yet local voices are being completely bypassed when it comes to shale gas fracking .. this is a clear double standard.
Mr Pickles said “no should mean no” when it comes to wind projects, is he afraid to give the same local people a say on fracking, I think he is.
We know there are already 90 local groups who are worried about the potential environmental impacts of fracking, but that is just the tip of the iceberg.
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