鈥淭HE time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining,鈥� US president John F. Kennedy once said. It is an adage that Europe must now wrestle with.
With spring blossoming even as war continues to darken the continent, it is hard to spend too much time thinking about next winter. Yet the geopolitical uncertainty created by Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine means volatile energy prices are guaranteed this year. UK energy bill projections for October have yo-yoed with oil and gas prices in recent weeks, from a high of 拢3000 a year on average to a still-very-high low of 拢2500.
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Governments must act now. The European Union already has 鈥� its recent energy strategy mandates that gas stores be replenished by winter and calls for a diversification of gas supplies. This bolsters existing plans for renewables, energy efficiency and hydrogen. By contrast, the UK鈥檚 long-trailed energy plan was delayed again this week, as winter draws ever closer.
When new energy security strategies for Europe arrive, it is essential that they align with climate change goals. False solutions abound, such as kick-starting a UK fracking industry, even though that has already been tried without success.
Thankfully, the answers are already clear. Wind and solar power should be turbocharged, and ideological barriers such as vetoes for onshore turbines in England must be lifted. More electricity links are required between countries, like the UK-Denmark one due to be finished next year. Energy efficiency needs serious government support, and electrification of cars and heating must be accelerated. And, yes, some mix of nuclear power, more energy storage or carbon-capture power stations will be required to support renewables when the sun isn鈥檛 shining.
Individuals can鈥檛 solve the climate or energy crises on their own, but as we detail, there are things homeowners can do to help. People on lower incomes need support to cope with high energy prices. But for those able to pay, there has never been a better time to 鈥渞epair鈥� that roof, with proper insulation and solar panels. Winter is sooner than you think. Let鈥檚 seize the opportunity to make sure we weather it.
