UK rules out asking public to reduce energy consumption
October 8, 2022, 9:00 am

UK rules out asking public to reduce energy consumption

UK London-Winter season/Pixabay

Britain’s climate minister on Friday (Oct 7) ruled out a campaign urging the public to use less energy, despite a warning on Thursday (Oct 6) from the National Grid that in the worst-case scenario there could be blackouts, the Anadolu Agency reported.

It said that local media reported that Prime Minister Liz Truss blocked a £15 million ($16.6 million) public information campaign approved by Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg to encourage people to use less energy.

“We are not sending that out as a message,” Climate Minister Stuart told the BBC when asked whether the government will encourage people to use less energy.

He told Sky News: “We’re not a nanny state government."

He added: “The last thing you want to do is tell someone, you know, switch things off for the national need when it makes no difference to the national security position. In other countries it’s more about reducing overall energy use. For us, it’s not so much about that, it’s about reducing the demand at time of peak."

Speaking to radio station LBC, Stuart said: “The danger is if you had a sort of general use-less-energy message is that the wrong lessons will be taken on board by people.”

UK rules out asking public to reduce energy consumption -Photo. Pixabay

The UK could face three-hour power outages this winter in the worst-case scenario, the National Grid warned yesterday.

In an update on Britain’s energy readiness for winter, the National Grid’s Electricity System Operator said the chances of serious gas shortages were “unlikely” and that demand should be met.

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It also encouraged the country to save energy as a way to help prevent blackouts.

The UK generates 40% of its power through gas, which has been impacted by the Russian war on Ukraine triggering a global surge in prices.

It should be noted that the British government has already announced a multi-billion energy bailout to help households and businesses with energy costs.

Source: aa

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”