News analysis Energy strategy
Greening Britain?
A new energy strategy to help
transform Britain into a low-carbon
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and renewables-based economy has
been released by the government.
Carina Bailey looks at the plans
n
Feed-in tariffs enabling tackle climate change and reduce
electricity consumers to sell the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions
power back to the Grid are set to by more than 750m tonnes between
become law in April 2010, according now and 2030. It also claims that
to the UK government’s wide- it will help secure the UK’s energy
ranging new energy White Paper. supply and create up to 500,000
The grandly titled UK Low Carbon jobs in the renewable energy sector.
Transition Plan: National Strategy Currently the government’s key
for Climate and Energy sets out how incentive for producing energy
ministers believe that Britain will be from renewables is the Renewables
able to meet its Climate Change Act Obligation (RO), which requires
commitment in this year’s Budget energy companies to source a
to cut emissions by 34 per cent on specified amount of energy through
1990 levels by 2020. renewable sources. The RO will
The White Paper aims to lay the be expanded and extended from
foundations for the government to its current end date of 2027 to
meet its ambitious target to create 2037 for large-scale, centralised
a low-carbon, sustainable Britain by renewable electricity generation. The
2050. These targets and the strategy government believes this should
have been prepared in advance of ensure that 30 per cent of the UK’s
the global inter-government climate electricity is generated renewably provide an incentive for individuals, Renewable Heat Incentive, is
change talks in Copenhagen, by 2020. communities and businesses to expected to be introduced in 2011
Denmark, in December this year. The strategy would also see the install small-scale renewables and after a consultation is held later
Alongside the White Paper, introduction of feed-in tariffs – or has pledged £45m of additional this year on how this would best be
the Department for Energy and “clean energy for cash-back”, as grants through the Low Carbon supported. This would encourage
Climate Change (DECC) has also ministers call it – for households, Buildings Programme (LCBP) to individuals, community groups and
released its Renewable Energy businesses and communities cover the interim period before the businesses to install renewable heat
Strategy, which maps out how the which generate clean energy feed-in tariffs come into force. technologies at all scales.
government intends to ensure that using renewable sources, to be The strategy states that the A further funding pot of £4bn
15 per cent of energy used in all introduced in April 2010. Those government is yet to explore how will be sourced from the European
sectors, from homes to industry who generate renewable energy will this can be structured to allow Investment Bank to help finance
to transport, will derive from be encouraged to sell it back to the everyone to access these benefits, renewable and other energy
renewables by 2020. grid. not just those with capital to invest. projects. This will enable power
The energy strategy aims to help The government hopes this will A similar scheme, the new companies to secure the loans
14 CIBSE Journal August 2009
www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEaug09 pp14-15 newsanalysis.indd 14 23/7/09 14:49:18
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