Partner Article

Chancellor must demonstrate commitment to low carbon economy

Leading renewable energy company UrbanWind warned today (Tues) that cuts to renewable subsidies and cutting DECC’s departmental budget will threaten the UK’s carbon reduction targets and ultimately result in higher bills for consumers and businesses.

George Osborne is due to lay out the first Budget from a Conservative majority Government tomorrow (Wed), with many analysts predicting that he will announce the abandoning targets set under the coalition to increase the level of support for renewable energy technology.

A study by thinktank the Green Alliance has also cautioned that the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) could see its staffing budget reduced by up to 90% over the next three years, as part of swinging Government cutbacks. This has prompted growing fears that an under-funded department would be unable to retain the expertise needed to continue the transition to a cleaner energy supply and seriously jeopardise the Government’s ability to tackle climate change.

Paul McCullagh, CEO of UrbanWind, said: “It is disappointing that the Government look set to continue to undermine support for renewable energy, which has already suffered a major blow with the withdrawal of the Renewables Obligation Subsidy for onshore wind.

“Renewable energy must continue to provide a key contribution to our total energy mix, if we are to meet our binding carbon reduction targets and ensure that energy bills remain down.

“The nuclear alternative is simply too costly and too far in the future to be relied upon to provide us with energy security over the next decade, while fracking looks unlikely to go ahead in the UK in the near future, after the planning committee in Lancashire listened to public opinion and rejected two applications.”

Mr McCullagh again brought Energy Secretary Amber Rudd to task over her failure to put into practice her claim that driving down emissions and securing a global carbon reduction deal at the UN conference in Paris was “the most important thing she will do” as Energy Secretary.

“To make withdrawing support for onshore wind one of her first major pieces of legislation as Energy Secretary seems like a total backwards step.

“To reach our carbon reduction targets, we have to continue to invest in and develop renewable energy technology. Distributed wind and solar projects in particular must play a crucial role, given their diverse benefits, including low cost combined with ease and speed of installation.

“The Government needs to increase support for these technologies, and provide clear leadership that will inspire renewed confidence in the sector and help to secure the vital investment that it requires to thrive, and help tackle the increasing energy crisis and the growing threat to the UK meeting its commitment to reduce emissions.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mark Smith .