Activists call off biofuel protest
A controversial Bath campaign group has called off plans for a protest at the city headquarters of an energy firm.
The Bath Activist Network says it has been convinced by information provided by pioneering company Blue-NG that its policies on launching new biofuel power stations are ethical.
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Southall plant image
BAN - which has recently staged protests over issues from foie gras to the treatment of racehorses - had originally accused the Railway Place firm of putting up a "green smokescreen" over its plans for power plants in London.
It had scheduled a protest at the firm's offices this Saturday, and had even talked of staging a debate with someone from the firm, which is a partnership between energy firm 20C and National Grid and headed by entrepreneur Andrew Mercer.
But a spokesman said the event had now been called off.
"The evidence which they have provided us with points towards a firm which is making every effort to be an ethical company. Blue-NG are very definitely trying."
He said BAN was still keen to stage a public debate on the pros and cons of the use of crops for fuel.
Such schemes can be controversial if they rely on crops from abroad, particularly palm oil from tropical rainforest zones.
But Blue-NG - which has the go-ahead for one plant in London and is waiting to see if it gets planning permission on an appeal to London Mayor Boris Johnson for a second - has pledged not to use palm oil, and to rely on rapeseed oil from this country.
A spokesman for the firm said: "Blue-NG is grateful to BAN for listening to our arguments. We look forward to having a proper debate with them in the near future.
"BAN are right to bring to people's attention that there are issues surrounding the use of crops for fuel, particularly if they just prolong our unsustainable love affair with the car. But we believe that our use of UK-sourced rapeseed, recycled vegetable oil, and biogas from landfill or household waste, to generate electricity and heat, is a real step towards breaking free from our dependence on fossil fuels."
The firm says the UK has had a surplus of rapeseed for years, often as much as 300,000 tonnes per year, with prices 40 per cent lower than they were two years ago.
The spokesman added: "Choosing to buy UK rapeseed oil is a huge commercial hit for us, because palm oil is much cheaper, but we're prepared to take that hit because it's the right thing to do."
5 Comments
by John, Bath
Wednesday, September 16 2009, 10:32AM
“Well done BAN for listening to the arguments and well done Blue NG for being a truly responsible business that actually lives up to its hype.
I have a natural inclination to support BAN, particularly its anti-fascist stance. But I wish the people who write in the Bath Bomb took a bit more care to check the facts before attacking good people and saying completely uintrue things about them.
This is not the first time they have failed to engage their brain before hitting the keyboard, and that devalues their work.”
by The Gnome, Central Bath
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 3:16PM
“Well done BAN for raising the issues and equally well done to Blue NG for trying to be ethical and not taking the easy way out. It just goes to prove that these kind of issues can be worked out and in a sensible way.”
by MarkS, Bath
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 9:56AM
“What is it about BAN? Why do they want to ban everything? They may wish to live in the stone age but the issue of power generation in the UK is a very serious one. Blue NG is one of the most responsible power generators in the country with a sustainable policy on locally sourced biofuels that's endorsed by Friends of the Earth. Jon may not think a reliable supply of electricity is important but try telling that to someone on a kidney dialysis machine. Jon from BAN admits that some of his arguments against Blue NG were blown out of the water. Why not investigate first rather than opt for a knee-jerk banning reaction to anything that seems to offend this tiny group of zealots that make up BAN? It's time the local community got behind Blue NG and supported the company's ethical and eco-friendly plans to keep the country supplied with green power. We should be proud of having such a company in our city with such excellent green credentials.”
by Richard Lyddon, Bath
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 7:48AM
“Jon is right. We know the 'jury is still out' as far as BAN is concerned and look forward to engaging with them soon. At least they have the honesty to admit they need to acquire more knowledge. Some of our other opponents are so misinformed it beggars belief. Perhaps the Chron would like to stage the debate under a mutually agreed neutral chair?
Richard Lyddon - Blue-NG”
by Jon, Bath
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 7:24AM
“To be fair, Bath Activist Network took the line that they would only start a campiagn after being catagorically able to prove the un ethical nature of Blue NG, and that we would wait to have a public debate before starting any campaign.
Our line is that Blue NG have managed to trash some of the claims that we levelled against them, but others remain unanswered. We hope these issues can be addressed at a debate in the near future. I think the journalist who did the interview with BAN summed it up best when he asked 'so, the jury is still out'. It very much is still out - we are just not in the buisness of running headlong into a campaign without being fully happy that the facts we rely on are accurate.”