Energy firm E.ON yesterday became a most unlikely participant in the campaign to drill sense into government energy policy.
Ministers have so far rejected efforts to persuade them to wait until developers can store the emissions from coal-fired power plants before giving permission for construction of these plants.
Coal is the dirtiest fuel there is and many of us thought we had moved on from the coal era, even if business secretary John Hutton would have us move into the nuclear zone instead.
Mr Hutton wants both in fact. He thinks generating energy from coal and nuclear is a good way of combating climate change.
E.ON has called for the government to delay its decision on its controversial Kingsnorth coal-fired power station until the company knows where it stands on future requirements to use carbon capture and storage technology.
The building of coal-fired plants has been halted in Canada, New Zealand and California until this technology is up and running.
The RSPB yesterday warned Mr Hutton that the industry was losing confidence in his flagging energy policies and we won’t have been the first to say so.
Coal should be left on the back burner until we can safely store the huge amount of emissions released from its use. This is the reassurance Mr Hutton must give, both to industry and to those who fear the effects of climate change.
The RSPB's statement is here