Ed Miliband’s Net Zero push has seen costs balloon and staff numbers surge by up to 382% across Britain’s top four energy quangos. The Telegraphhas the story:
Ofgem, the Climate Change Committee, the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) and Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) have all exploded in size over the past decade as Britain races to cut climate emissions, a study from the Taxpayers Alliance (TA) found.
Among the biggest beneficiaries is the little-known LCCC, which administers the UK’s multi-billion-pound annual Net Zero subsidies to generators.
It has seen its headcount soar by 382% from 49 employees to 236 staff while costs have also tripled, TA said on Tuesday.
Those costs are set to more than double by 2029 as more subsidised wind, solar and other projects commissioned by Mr Miliband come into operation.
Similarly, regulator Ofgem saw expenditure rise by 237% from £77 million to £260 million while its headcount more than doubled from 907 staff to 2,276, making it one of the largest energy regulators in Europe.
Much of the growth in all four bodies is linked to the increasing focus on achieving Net Zero targets, the growing complexity of the UK’s energy systems and especially decarbonising electricity.
The data covers 2015 to 2025, meaning Mr Miliband was in charge of energy policy for only a small amount of that period. However, the Labour Energy Secretary has dramatically stepped up the country’s Net Zero push since coming to power.
The Climate Change Committee’s headcount rose 89% from 30 to 57.
A Government spokesman said such quangos were good value for money. “Net Zero is the economic opportunity of the century… We are absolutely focused on ensuring every pound spent of taxpayer money delivers for the public”.
The reason costs are ballooning is because the focus has been on the cost of Offshore wind electricity, say 12 c/kWh, after subsidies.
But then there are the A to Z cost (windmill to land fill) almost all folks ignore, because those are about 11 c/kWh.
The European elites have screwed themselves by going hog-wild for wind, solar, batteries, etc.
They closed their near-zero-CO2 nuclear plants.
Because of grossly too many rules and regulations emanating from Brussels, and a lack of experience, all recent nuclear plants have huge turnkey costs/installed MW, and take 10 plus years to build.
They encouraging the displacement of native populations with 64.2 million unvetted, uneducated, untrained dregs from mostly Islamic Third World countries by end 2025 (not counting their children and grandchildren born in Europe).
How will Europe ever get rid of these people, before its rapidly growing population is greater than the shrinking population of natives?
And more recently:
Blaming Evil Russia, the invader of Ukraine, which wants to sell low-cost fossil fuels and other resources much needed by Europe, but Europe imposed sanctions so Russia cannot profit from them; the sanctions back-fired on Europe
After NATO was established, European elites saved themselves $trillions by spending only 0.5 to 1.5% of GDP on their own defense, while the US spent about 4 to 5% to keep the peace in the world.
That grossly inequitable situation came to a screeching halt in 2025, when evil Trump required Europe to spend up to 5% of GDP for their own defense, because the US, with a balance-of-payments net outflow, aka giant sucking sound, of more than $1.11 trillion at end 2025, was “busy elsewhere”.
Trump imposed tariffs on European imports to reduce the US trade deficit, will reduce US troops and their costs in Europe, requires Europe pay for its own defense, no longer wants to pay for Ukraine, but will provide US weaponry, if Europe pays for them.
EUROPE AIMS TO WEAKEN THE US WITH EXPENSIVE OFFSHORE WINDMILLS THAT PRODUCE EXPENSIVE, LOW-QUALITY ELECTRICITY https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/europe-attempts-to-entangle-us-with-expensive-offshore-windmills
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Net zero by 2050 Euro elites tried to weaken the US, with help of the unpatriotic, leftist Biden clique, into going down the black hole of 30,000 MW by 2030 of expensive, highly subsidized, weather-dependent, grid-disturbing offshore windmill systems, which would need expensive, highly subsidized, short-lived, battery systems for grid support.
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If little wind and little or no solar, aka DUNKELFLAUTE, there is near-zero output of wind and solar, and a large fleet of OTHER plants, domestic or foreign, must provide the missing electricity up to demand, 24/7/365
These other plants must be fueled, staffed, kept in good working order to instantly provide what is missing.
The more wind and solar tied to the expanded/reinforced/more complex grid, the more OTHER plants. THAT DOES NOT COME FOR FREE.
Offshore wind full cost of electricity FCOE = 30 c/kWh + 11 c/kWh = 41 c/kWh, no subsidies
Offshore wind full cost of electricity FCOE = 15 c/kWh + 11 c/kWh = 26 c/kWh, 50% subsidies
Hidden Costs: Filling-in capacity, balancing capacity, counteracting capacity, grid extension/reinforcement, etc., about 11 c/kWh; power-plant to landfill basis.
This compares with 7 c/kWh + 3 c/kWh = 10 c/kWh from existing gas, coal, nuclear, large reservoir hydro plants. Some values increase due to inflation and as more W/S systems are added to the grid.
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Such expensive W/S electricity would have made the US even less competitive in world markets.
Any US tariffs on the European supply of wind systems would greatly increase their turnkey capital costs/MW and their electricity costs/ kWh.
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Almost the entire supply of the wind projects would be:
1) designed and made in Europe,
2) then transported across the Atlantic Ocean by European specialized ships,
3) then unloaded at new, taxpayer-financed, $500-million storage/pre-assembly/staging/barge-loading areas,
4) then barged to European specialized erection ships for erection of the windmill systems.
5) The financing would be mostly by European pension funds, that pay benefits to European retirees.
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Hundreds of people in each seashore state would have jobs during the erection phase
The other erection jobs would be by specialized European people, mostly on cranes and ships
Hundreds of people in each seashore state would have long-term O&M jobs, using mostly European spare parts, during the 20-y electricity production phase.
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Conglomerates owned by Euro elites would finance, build, erect, own and operate almost all of the 30,000 MW of offshore windmills, providing work for many thousands of European workers for decades, and multi-$billion profits each year.
. That Euro offshore wind ruse did not work out, because Trump was elected.
Trump-hating, Euro elites are furious. Projects are being cancelled. The European windmill industry is in shambles, with multi-$billion annual losses, lay-offs and tens of $billions of stranded costs.
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Trump spared the US from the W/S evils inflicted by the leftist, woke Democrat cabal, that used an autopen for Biden signatures, and bypassed on-the-beach/in-the-basement Biden, an increasingly dysfunctional Marionette.
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Trump declared a National Energy Emergency. He put W/S/B systems at the bottom of the list, and suspended their licenses to put their rushed, glossy environmental impact statements, EIS, under proper scrutiny.
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Euro elites used the IPCC-invented, “CO2-is-evil” hoax, based on its own “science”.
These elites used:
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1) the foghorn of government-subsidized Corporate Media to propagate scare-mongering slogans and brainwash the people,
2) censorship to suppress free thinking on town hall forums,
3) election interference, as in Moldova and Georgia,
4) ostracizing /marginalizing major political parties to produce desired outcomes, as in Germany.
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Wall Street elites saw an opportunity for tax shelters for its elite clients.
Woke politicians/bureaucrats were “cut-in” on $juicy deals to pass subsidies, favorable rules and regulations, and impose government mandates.
Euro elites wanted the US to deliver electricity to users at very high c/kWh, to preserve Europe’s extremely advantageous trade balance with the US. https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/international-trade-is-a-dog-eat-dog-business
“How will Europe ever get rid of these people, before its rapidly growing population is greater than the shrinking population of natives?” I expect there are demographic reports that examine the trends. Going out about 20 years requires some assumptions that won’t be far wrong. After that — who knows. Unlike the Trump administration using existing laws to either remove, or encourage self-removal, I wonder if European nations have a way of getting rid of the migrants. I’d like to see a few posts on these issues. Readers – help out here.
“How will Europe ever get rid of these people, before its rapidly growing population is greater than the shrinking population of natives”
why are you quoting this racist crap?
You could ask how will the USA get rid of all those people – jewish and otherwise who greatly helped the USA to expand their productivity invent nuclear power + weapons and put men on the moon??
Maybe it doesn’t occur to you but without immigration Europe will burn thru its retirement funding within a decade.
Already Italy,Spain and Germany realised it.
cartoss
May 27, 2026 2:13 am
Non-jobs, created out of nothing to speed up the extinction of Britain. I bet that not one of these people even heard about the exposure of the fraudulent RCP 8.5, or would understand what that means.
As far as education, the BBC, Guardian, Independent, Times etc etc are concerned, RCP8.5 remains the scientific (modelled) gold standard.
There’s a climate anxiety crisis, don’t you know?
strativarius
May 27, 2026 3:40 am
Green jobs (for the boys).
strativarius
May 27, 2026 3:52 am
Energy Quango Costs Balloon Amid Miliband Net Zero Push
Trebles all round, chaps…
Energy Price Cap to Rise by 13% in July for Typical Household A rise from £1,641 a year to £1,862. Ed Miliband has released a long statement
Naturally, he’s: doubling down on our clean power mission to deliver energy security.
Or in plain English, he’s doubling down on deindustrialising the birthplace of the industrial revolution. In Miliband’s grape sized brain no punishment for the English/British is too great.
Total, complete and utter misery. Subsidies are the way to keep going and going:
Ofgem should tell it straight: electricity prices are set to stay high for years On “thermal constraint” or “balancing” costs, meaning the costs of paying windfarms in Scotland to turn off on windy days to ensure transmission wires don’t catch fire, and paying other generation sources (usually gas-fired stations or inter-connectors to the continent) to turn up, the numbers are truly dramatic. “Unfortunately, balancing costs are increasing and are predicted to go up from around £2bn a year now to as much as £8bn by 2030,” said Neso. – Guardian
What did we spend turning off wind last year?
The total cost for all of 2025 was £1,467,023,332. – Wasted Wind
It’s only other peoples’ money – and the cause is…
And here I thought Newsom was the California version of the British failure.
strativarius
May 27, 2026 4:55 am
An inconvenient interjection
Tony Blair tells Starmer and rivals: abandon net zero and move closer to Trump
Just as everything is turning to the proverbial, Bliar has something to add.
…warning that the party’s “almost infinite capacity for self-delusion” means it is likely to lose the next election. In a scathing 5,700-word attack on the prime minister and his would-be successors published on Tuesday night, Blair argued for the government to crack down on welfare spending, abandon restrictions on oil and gas and smooth relations with Donald Trump. – Guardian
Not going to happen, Tony. Starmer has already played the Joker – the King’s visit.
Tom Halla
May 27, 2026 5:09 am
A rather inefficient jobs program?
starzmom
May 27, 2026 5:15 am
They are “absolutely focused on ensuring that every pound spent of taxpayer money delivers for the public.” Delivers what? Reliable affordable energy or higher prices?
The Government spokesman is talking out of an orifice other than his/her/its mouth.
Sean Galbally
May 27, 2026 5:59 am
Net Zero achieves nothing to help the planet. MILIBAND and his cohorts ARE NOT SCIENTISTS and just do not understand the facts. They are also criminal because they have their own total unscientific agenda. The people suffer totally unnecessarily and it is frightening because that is the intention.
mleskovarsocalrrcom
May 27, 2026 5:59 am
Pigs to the trough. Government is designed to bloat itself and needs the people to keep it in check.
Rod Evans
May 27, 2026 7:06 am
We must hope the bacon sandwich that defeated Miliband all those years ago stands for election in Miliband’s constituency come the next election,
In fact, I am tempted to change my name by deed poll to Bacon Sandwich and stand against him. Better yet, I will sponsor a member of the Mondter Raving Looney Party to do just that.
TFK_bams09 and all of its clones don’t just violate LoT (160 in & 396 out LoT1 & 333 “back” from cold to warm wo work LoT 2) but GAAP.
The same 63 W/m^2 LWIR appears twice, once from the real solar balance: 160 – 80 – 17 = 1st 63 & the calc’d /“measured” /imaginary BB 396 – 333 = 2nd 63.
Only one of these is needed to balance OLR at ToA so that means the other is free floating, unaccounted for, looking for a home and apparently dropped down someone’s boot top.
Only one of these balance loops belongs on the graphic.
I suggest the keeping the real one.
The number one flaw with that chart, aside from the fact it is a flat earth model, is that it is “designated” as an energy imbalance, but the calculations are not in Jules and the transport latencies are totally ignored. There are more flaws in the graphic than Al Gore made in his Inconvenient Truth lie fest.
There is corruption of science all around and increasing.
This, my friend, is not a criticism of you, but of the basic nonsense you are trying to correct (and should not have to).
Sparta Nova 4
May 27, 2026 9:14 am
When you “properly” classify those administrators and employees, it is quite clear that “every pound spent of taxpayer money delivers for the public.”
David Wojick
May 27, 2026 10:55 am
Cost is an economic opportunity because somebody gets the money.
