This may have already been mentioned, but when threads go over 70 unread messages I usually conclude that most of the thread has descended to vulgar name calling. I could, of course, be wrong. :-)
Anyway, the energy market is in turmoil at the moment because the Saudis have decided not to turn the taps down and there is a glut.
This is causing major funding/cost justification problems for:
(1) Solar
(2) Wind
(3) Shale and fracking
(4) Last and not least Nuclear
I would just like to humbly point out that costs for new power generation based in the UK and not depending on oil and derivatives should not be compared to the current price of oil but to the worst case if the Saudis turn all the taps off and go on holiday.
One assumes that the main reason for the Saudi encouraged glut is to force competitors out of business and strangle investment in any new production of any kind whatsoever.
Give it a few years and they can then revise their output to meet the new market conditions and hike the price again because a lot of the competition has gone bust and/or been mothballed.
Wait until there is a new rush of capital investment to open up mothballed resources and start new exploration, then rinse and repeat.
Moral: we need nuclear to provide base load and back up the variable delivery of the renewables. Sod the current price of oil, just get building!
Sigh
Short termism will triumph every time.
The only alternative is to dig up Wales and store enormous amounts of gas to gives us 20 years of reserves. Still, most of Wales is unused at the moment.
Cheers
Dave R
P.S. didn't mention oil because I am assuming the refining to get the nasties out makes it a bit costly - can't see us burning bunker fuel any time soon. Again. I could be wrong. There is still plenty of spare room in Wales for oil storage as well. :-)