Germany
In 2020, Russia supplied over 50% of Germany’s natural gas, roughly a third of all oil, and almost half of all of its coal imports. It has been weaning itself off this source of energy.
The first thing it did was reactivate closed oil and coal power plants, “painful but necessary”. It is an effective way of alleviating some pressure in the short term.
This is like the Ofsted interpretation of legislation allowing multihomes, and 1 RM many homes.
Also being reconsidered is lengthening the lifetime of the country’s only three remaining nuclear plants.
This is like the move to new ‘careless’ standards and renaming unregulated as supported accommodation.
These policies will not last long term, but will soak up a lot of investment in the present. It could be mortgaging the future.
Looking ahead, a central part of Germany’s long term plan is to achieve energy sovereignty by investing in and scaling up the generation of renewable energy. The government is installing more solar and wind energy farms and has recently released an energy efficiency support package of $180bn to Germany’s climate and transformation fund.
This is like DfE funding LA homes.
France
Fewer than half of the country’s nuclear reactors are up and running because of maintenance issues.
This is like not having enough homes as is often said by ADCS, LGA, CCN, DfE, Ofsted. The costs of RCC are an additional factor.
France has decided the best way to mitigate wider economic damage is to cap retail energy prices. This insulates France from the energy price shock afflicting others.
Another measure to stabilise the situation is to renationalise EDF, France’s main electricity supplier.
Nationalisation of care was an an option not yet considered regarding RCC. But surely was considered by the Care Review?
The government has also reduced taxes on electricity and approved a €20bn package of measures to help struggling households cope with rising energy and food prices.
Taxes could be reduced for RCC workers as for foster carers. This would address the recruitment shortfall.
USA
The US has the worst energy crisis since the 1970s. Gasoline is $5 a gallon for the first time ever. Gas is at a natural gas hit its highest mark in 14 years. Electricity outages are likely.
The climate and energy deal includes tax credits for buying environmentally friendly vehicles, incentives to accelerate the rollout of wind and solar farms.
RCC not for profit delivery could be encouraged in such a tax credit way.
Japan
Japan already has a blueprint for how to deal with this kind of crisis.
We need a plan for RCC. There isnt one in the Care Review.
The focus is on lowering their use of power-hungry appliances.
So a reduction in RCC couldcome through early intervention and developing integrated specialist RCC
Pakistan
Pakistan has announced that it is open to long-term contracts of up to 30 years with energy suppliers.
