Activists from Greenpeace UK have embarked on a guerrilla postering campaign across Nottingham, exposing how they say expensive gas power is dictating electricity prices and pushing up energy bills.
Posters reading, ‘Let’s Stop The Great Gas Rip-Off’, and, ‘Gas Giants Have Thrown Us Under The Bus’, have been popping up at bus stops and on windows and walls across the city centre this week, following the launch of the new campaign from Greenpeace.
Gas generated just 30% of the UK’s electricity last year, yet gas-fired power stations set the price of power almost all the time. That’s because, under the UK’s energy pricing system, the most expensive source of power – which is almost always gas – sets the price for all electricity.
A spokesperson said:
‘This broken system also enables gas plants to profiteer from unexpected spikes in demand, such as when, last winter, two gas plants were paid almost £18mn for generating just three hours worth of power alone, exploiting their ability to set high prices when supply is tight.’The guerrilla advertising campaign follows a major protest at England’s largest gas-fired power station, which saw eight climbers from Greenpeace UK scale two 75m-high chimney stacks and unfurl banners reading: ‘The Great Gas Rip-Off: Now On!’.’
Local Greenpeace Nottingham Activist and Coordinator, Jeff Rice, said: “We’ve listened to people in Nottingham and have heard their struggles with raising energy prices.”
“We know times are hard and we’re here to say – gas companies have to pay their fair share too.”<
“We’re asking people all across Nottingham – from Mapperley to the Meadows – to help us share our message and say that enough is enough.”
“Reach out to your MP and tell them to get on board with the campaign. The more voices that are raised, the stronger our message, and our chance at a fairer and greener city.”
Greenpeace UK’s climate campaigner, Lily-Rose Ellis, said: “It’s time the people of Nottingham knew the truth – greedy gas companies are ripping us all off.
“Our electricity system is unfairly rigged in favour of the gas industry, which keeps prices and their profits high and has sent our energy bills through the roof.
“Even though we’re producing more renewable energy every year in the UK, we still allow volatile and expensive gas, not cheaper wind and solar, to set the price we pay for power.”
“It’s time we call out the gas giants for ripping us off, and demand the government take more control of our energy, so that expensive gas stops pushing up our bills.”
Through this campaign, Greenpeace aims to raise awareness that gas sets electricity prices in the UK and is the main driver behind high energy bills.
The campaign group published a report earlier this month, highlighting how households and businesses could save £5.1 billion a year on their energy bills, if the government removed gas-fired power plants from the wholesale electricity to stop gas from setting prices.
