When your opinions change, it’s easy to convince yourself that you’ve held the new view all along. For example, there’s been plenty of historical revisionism in the aftermath of the financial crash of 2008, where commentators have convinced themselves they’d seen it coming.
More prosaically, when it comes to low carbon energy you find an uncanny alignment between the products people sell and their views on the best means of lowering carbon. People who work for heat pump companies believe that the electrification of heat is a necessity. Those who sell solar know that PV is essential for curing the UK’s energy woes.
We’ve all got the potential to engage in ethical gymnastics when our paycheques depend on it. Some people are forced to perform higher tariff contortions than others (imagine what it’s like for Lord Browne!). But everybody’s susceptible to one degree or another. In a sector where so many of us believe we’re doing the right thing, you occasionally have to ask yourself which came first, the job or the opinion.
So it was a nice to come across evidence that some of my views (at least) date back to a time when I had no vested interest. In particular, this blog post from 2007 about display meters along with several others about district heat, both areas I now work in.
It doesn’t mean the opinions were right, just that they’re genuine.
And he sticks the landing. Beautifully done.
carbon limited 
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