Government Commitment and Strategy

 

 

Government Policy Broadview Energy

 

On Wednesday 15th of July 2009 the UK government current position was outlined in a white paper called the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan which has three elements; Renewable Energy Strategy, Low Carbon Industry Strategy and the Low Carbon Transport Plan. The paper sets out the government's plans to meet its target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 34 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020.

 

The main focus of the announcement was on the renewable energy sector which is expected to increase its production of electricity from 6 per cent to 31 per cent over the next eleven years to 2020. The government wants to encourage all forms of low-carbon energy, marine, biomass, onshore & offshore wind, nuclear power and clean coal (CCS) power stations that capture and store their emissions.

 

The Renewable Energy Strategy recommits the Government to a massive increase in renewables generation going up from 5% today to 30% by 2020. Based on the figures in last year's draft strategy this implies 22% of all electricity will come from offshore and onshore wind and another 2% from marine technologies.

 

The UK government via the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC)) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is committed to delivering sufficient financial investment, and ensuring the attractiveness of the UK as a place to invest.

 

The Government has listened to the concerns of industry around the current planning process for energy projects. The consultation has been interpreted as ensuring planning policies support the development and installation of low carbon technologies. The focus here is around the IPC and the statutory legislation related to planning matters.

 

The Government is working with the Energy Saving Trust, energy companies, Local Authorities, the Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) and others to test the uptake in the interest of the ‘whole house' approach. The Government will put up to £4m to support these initiatives.

 

Ed Miliband and Lord Mandelson have made it clear that they view the Government's investment in ‘green energy' as a part of the wider drive to provide new jobs in the ‘new green economy'. To achieve new employment a certain level of re-training and deployment of specialist skills will be required to ensure the work force can adapt to the skills required by the renewable energy sector. The Office for Renewable Energy Deployment is working with industry on a strategy for skills in wind, wave and tidal energy and is also establishing the National Skills Academy for Power. Full plans will be published towards the end of 2009.

 

Looking ahead the Government will develop a strategic roadmap to 2050 by spring 2010, working closely with industry and wider stakeholders. In autumn, the Committee on Climate Change will provide additional analysis of the pathway through 2030 to 2050 The Government will work with the Committee, taking its analysis and recommendations into account when developing the roadmap to 2050.

 

Department of Energy and Climate Change http://www.decc.gov.uk/

 

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills http://www.bis.gov.uk/