At least that was the message from a new report published today by Oil & Gas UK and written by Pöyry Energy Consulting.

The report’s authors reckon the government’s commitment to renewables is coming at the detriment to affordability, security and decarbonisation. They say the target of providing 15 per cent of energy from renewables by 2020 should be pushed back and gas should be used to help bring down carbon levels in the meantime.

This may not be an easy argument for the industry to win. The Russian-Ukrainian row of 2009 has left a lasting impression to those in western Europe that gas is simply not a secure way of providing our energy needs.