To wonder why we are not making Oxford’s new solar panels in the UK and they are being made in Brandenburg Germany

He was a truly dreadful prime minister and actively damaged the UK now I think about it. Little wonder he tries to stay out of the public eye.

Yes neither helped.

David Cameron’s government stopped the subsidies for solar at the worst possible time. It damaged a thriving industry beyond repair and caused job losses as firms went under. It was all ideological…

1. Tories
2. Brexit.

More renewables is a good thing. I wish that there was more emphasis on demand reduction though, such as insulation schemes.

especially when their lifetime is what 40 years
the lifetime of wind turbines used to be stated as 25 years so that is probably the case for the older ones.

GB Energy overseen by Ed Milliband is going to save the day apparently, though I heard several members of staff interviewed by Evan DAvies and they sounded as if they were full of hot air - and how wonderful it all would be when we were all electric - not one sounded remotely like an engineer or knowledgeabe of the technicalities, a bit like the fact we were all going to drive electric cars - but no one considered difficulties with charging points, lack of range or higher price. Fortunately the CEO of GB Energy is a former chief of Siemens so maybe there is hope.

I agree @MushMonster that filling up our land with wind turbines or solar panels is not the only solution to energy stability or self-sufficiency; especially when their lifetime is what 40 years and it’s very difficult to recycle the turbines and stress on the land means that replacement wind turbines cannot be sited in the same spot.

With wave technology surely another habitat is being compromised and many other invested industries will be affected. Waves are very constant though. Underground cabling to get the electricity from offshore to the land has a lower capacity than overhead lines. How many are needed to supply the demand? I haven’t a clue?! Environmental issues are complex.

I have seen other reports about wavepower being able to produce 40-50% energy needed.
An objective current evaluation into the potential of wach green energy would help to identify which one to push forward first.
But we cannot fill the whole country and sea with wind turbines.

Turbine blades are not made of steel.
I don't understand your comment about "not saving our steel industry". The UK steel industry produces 6M tonnes of steel a year, some of which will be used to produce the masts of wind turbines (this is the only bit of a turbine that uses a substantial amount of steel).

The company doesn't 'have' to be Danish - it's just that the Danish are pioneers in the field as they were the first to build large offshore windfarms.

The UK is the 8th largest manufacturing country in the world, and is a leading manufacturer in aerospace (you've heard of BAe and Rolls-Royce right?), pharmaceuticals, and high tech electronics. But I guess that wouldn't suit your thinly-veiled anti-British narrative right?

Really? Who is your MP? Investment in clean energy is one of the government's flagship policies, with £1.5B investment already announced.

And your 'someone' was talking rubbish, as you say Vestas is a major producer of turbine blades in Newport, and Siemens Gamesa is building a huge factory in Hull.

Yes, these companies are foreign-owned - do you not welcome foreign companies investing in the UK?

Ok well then I take back everything I've said.

That's funny because there have been three adverts in our village Facebook page for local companies recruiting within a 5 mile radius just this week. 2 of them in the agricultural sector. So not true that nobody is recruiting. I can't think of any reason my rural area would be exceptional.

This is Britain in a nutshell. Politicians of all stripes are too busy schmoozing banking, they don't see investment in home grown business as being important at all. They have - all of them - drank the Kool Aid when it comes to state investment bad, private investment good. They never back British! Ever! They're all a complete bunch of neoliberal shithouses.

Because the Tories did not believe in investing for green energy

This Oxford PV company located manufacturing to Germany under the Tories.... the Cons wouldn't provide seed funding, so they went to a country that would, German Govt gave substantial subsidy... i ve written about this on MN before.

However, GB Energy is heading up by ex Siemens boss Jurgen Maier, so lets see what he can do?

On hiring, our friend runs a SME, cannot get skilled engineers, so has to recruit from abroad, even reliable drivers are hard to come by.

A Broccoli farmer yesterday was asked why he gets pickers from eastern europe, over 100 of them per season, he said the UK worker lasts 1/2 day and then quits, despite wages of 250 300 per DAY !!!

The UK has a skills and work ethic problem.

I've noticed it's often the businesses that are adjacent to other businesses (eg hospitality). For example businesses involved in doing the interiors of restaurants; large orders are cancelled as a restaurant (which often have a strict bottom line) after covid now have to come up with thousands of pounds in extra Employers National Insurance rather than do a revamp. It upsets the ecosystem on which businesses rely and the only solution in some cases is expensive litigation. Rachel Reeves should not be forcing those businesses under if they were viable before.

It's the part time jobs for kids starting out that I worry about particularly. Like the bar jobs at uni. Thank you though.

Anyway I digress and don't want to derail this thread!

It’s interesting though that our governments are
so keen for other countries to produce infrastructure, manufacture goods and run our utilities; government minister on the radio yesterday talking about car manufacturing and suggesting an overseas company/country could invest in U.K. car production to save it. Basically doing their job.

Germany’s economy is in trouble though. It’s not all roses in the EU zone. Heard from many sources and just mentioned on times radio. Maybe the solar panels will come from elsewhere soon.

Does Germany manufacturing still largely depend on coal (after Angela merkel’s reaction to Fukushima/tsunami disaster)?

They are due to phase out coal by 2030.
Surely it’s a bit ridiculous them manufacturing solar panels powered by coal and gas?

wave power is not as cost effective as wind or solar so it’s been shelved. I suppose wind and solar have had investment for some time and logistically production is more economically sustainable: not my opinion but that’s what I’ve been told.

@Nordione1 I wouldn't say I'm filled with cheer, rather pragmatic.

If these changes are sending businesses under then it would suggest they were already on shaky ground.

I'd imagine we all want a stronger economy and better prospects and I doubt that there'll ever be full agreement on how that can be achieved.

But I can say that my view is not that unusual amongst the accountants I work with.

Wishing you and your business every success. What sort of jobs are your children looking for and where? I'm involved with UK companies in different sectors and locations, most of which are recruiting and planning for more growth in 2025.

Siemens have a blades factory in Hull, which is going to supply UK blades for some of the UK windfarms. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c206956nggwo

And the answer to my question?
Why did this product specifically cause you to post, considering how much shite is imported into the UK from China, India, Vietnam and so on? What was it about this particular product? Importanting from Germany is much better than potential other options.

Which “government” did they go to?

@Frowningprovidence

See also P&O who sacked mostly UK workers, being too afeared of the French social system to take them on.

But yes, many years ago when I worked for an international company, with HQ in the UK and offices in most European countries, if any cuts were to be made the UK and the US would be looked at first as they had the lower employment protection standards.

You could argue that those standards have increased in the UK but they've also continued to get stronger in other countries.

This is correct - a close friend was working in the sector at the time. The Tory government of the day cut off support for a rapidly growing sector at exactly the wrong time. The tories backward ideology has, over the years, damaged UK manufacturing beyond repair.

Real businesses are already going under. No one is employing (which fills me with dread for my children), people I know are letting people go or cutting hours, and not one accountant I know is filled with the cheer you seem to have. I don't know. Let's hope your optimism is well-placed.