From NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT

By Paul Homewood

Not only did we come perilously close top blackouts this week, but our reserves of gas are also dangerously low:

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Plunging temperatures and high demand for gas fired power stations have reduced UK winter gas storage to concerningly low levels.

The UK’s gas storage is under pressure this winter as the UK battles both extreme cold and high gas prices. The ongoing colder-than-usual conditions in the UK combined with the end of Russian gas pipeline supplies through Ukraine on 31 December 2024 has meant that gas inventory levels across the UK are down. As of the 9th of January 2025, UK storage sites are 26% lower than last year’s inventory at the same time, leaving them around half full. This means the UK has less than a week of gas demand in store. 
Gas storage was already lower than usual heading into December as a result of the early onset of winter. Combined with stubbornly high gas prices, this has meant that it has been more difficult to top up storage over Christmas. 
The situation is echoed across Europe. By 7 January 2025, despite many countries mandating minimum storage levels ahead of winter, European storage was at 69% capacity, down from 84% at the same time the previous year. The UK’s total gas storage capacity is around 10 per cent or less than in France, Germany, or the Netherlands. 
As energy demand spikes due to the freezing weather, the UK has seen a particular strain on its gas storage. Despite being full ahead of winter, current gas inventory at Rough, the country’s largest gas storage site, which is operated by Centrica, is 20% lower than at the same time last year. Rough has played a crucial role so far this winter by supplying almost 420 million cubic meters (mcm) of gas since early November, enough to heat three million homes every day. 

https://www.centrica.com/media-centre/news/2025/perfect-storm-reduces-uk-winter-gas-storage-to-concerningly-low-levels

Natural gas still supplies over a third of the UK’s energy, seven times as much as wind and solar:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/digest-of-uk-energy-statistics-dukes-2024

But in winter months, gas consumption can double or even triple from summer time, as power demand increases and heating is switched on.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gas-section-4-energy-trends#full-publication-update-history

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Average gas consumption over the year averages around 175 mcm/day, but the forecast for today is 363 mcm:

https://data.nationalgas.com/gas-system-status

Little wonder then that gas stocks get depleted. As of yesterday, we had 18752 of natural gas and 10365 GWh of liquified gas in store, enough for seven day’s consumption. This however is misleading, as it implies there will be no gas supplied.

https://data.nationalgas.com/gas-system-status

What is perhaps a more meaningful indicator is that we get about 200 mcm/day from the North Sea, both own production and import from Norway. This can reasonably be regarded as a secure supply.

With demand running at 363 mcm/day, that means we need to import 163 mcm/day of LNG, a big increase on the annual average of 50 mcm/day. Our gas storage of about 2600 mcm therefore represents sixteen days of LNG imports.

If we have not got enough gas in storage, we have to pay through the nose for imports in winter, when prices peak.

But of much greater concern is what will happen when North Sea gas production drops away. Demand for natural gas will still remain high in winter for many years to come – we still need it to heat our homes and generate electricity in weeks like this one. Banning further North Sea development, as Miliband wants, will simply make us ever more reliant on imported LNG, something that will not only cost money but also endanger our energy security.

By Derrick Hollie

The current messaging on AI has an undercurrent of fear and uncertainty, however if we focus on the improved human experience, we can reshape the narrative both in the media and in the minds of the general public. AI has the potential to significantly improve our lives in many industries including medicine, public safety, transportation, retail, education, sports and entertainment. AI will play a major role in allowing us to collect, process and analyze large amounts of data faster than we ever have before.

Many experts agree that energy and the continued development of AI are critical to America’s national security. In order to compete with our allies and adversaries, we must advocate and call upon Congress and policymakers to act immediately in developing legislation in support of American technology and innovation throughout the AI sector. This should also include reducing regulations that have prohibited new on and off-shore energy production.

Tailored, targeted messaging will need to be developed for both the public and elected officials on the benefits and drawbacks that come with emerging AI technology. The messaging will need to zero in on putting an emphasis on how the lives of Americans will be vastly improved if AI is used responsibly. We have the potential to make our lives easier and more convenient by pioneering scientific breakthroughs in the fields of medicine, air traffic safety, metropolitan traffic flow and leading the way in adopting safe, autonomous vehicle policy.

We must also recognize the vast amount of energy to produce the terawatts (TW) needed to digest, process and analyze data that AI requires. This includes data centers like Meta, who recently disclosed their plans to open another hyperscale data center in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The amount of energy required for this particular center would be enough to power over 770,000 homes – more households than the city of Philadelphia.

The immense load of power needed for Meta and other data centers coming online like Google, Amazon and other American tech giants will require an all-of-the-above energy approach, including renewables, nuclear and fossil fuels. We must continue to advocate for sensible energy policy with lawmakers that allow us to develop necessary energy needed while still protecting the environment.

With the new administration and agenda, lawmakers will need to set aside differences associated with AI and emerging technology to make America’s energy independence a priority with the ultimate goal of having energy security. This will be critical in allowing America to lead the way in AI innovation without being interrupted by a global crisis such as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia or any other political turmoil. With the amount of energy needed for the data centers driving the growth of AI, we cannot afford to be beholden to any other country for our energy sources or the whims of OPEC. In 2019 the US became the number one exporter of oil & natural gas in the world – surpassing Saudi Arabia and Russia in those sectors. In much the same way, we need to ensure we outperform our adversaries in exploiting the use of and broadening the development of AI technology in America.

We can look forward to AI making it less necessary for young Americans to have to attend college and consequently falling victim to the debt associated with student loans. Many will now be able to take advantage of the jobs and opportunities associated with the growth of AI. This would include careers in energy, manufacturing, public safety and industrial trades – all essential as we build out these massive data centers.

We must eliminate fear and take advantage of this opportunity to usher in positive discussion of how AI will increase job creation, support innovation and improve lives across broad communities.

Derrick Hollie is founder of the Energy Poverty Prevention Project. The organization was founded to expand awareness of energy poverty and is committed to changing energy regulations that fail to provide American citizens with access to affordable and reliable energy needed to maintain personal health and economic security.

This article was originally published by RealClearEnergy and made available via RealClearWire.