Huhne slams green power critics27 October 2011
Chris Huhne says renewable energy will deliver a new industrial revolution - creating much-needed jobs and growth.
The Energy Secretary was speaking at the Renewable UK annual conference. He said the UK must develop green energy technologies or risk losing profits and expertise to other countries - like China.
Huhne's speech seems to publicly contradict Chancellor George Osborne's anti-green agenda. Referring to Ofgem's figures, Huhne said the rising and volatile cost of gas is to blame for soaring energy bills.
Mixed messages
Huhne hit back at "climate sceptics" championing shale gas over green power. He questioned the sense of relying on an unproven technique.
His coalition government, on the other hand, is expected to cut funding to the feed-in-tariff. This scheme helps ordinary people, businesses, councils and schools to produce their own clean energy.
Rocketing bills
Friends of the Earth's Executive Director, Andy Atkins, welcomed the speech. However, he warned current government policy was failing the public, businesses and the environment.
Families and businesses will continue to face rocketing fuel bills if we stay hooked on increasingly expensive fossil fuels - and thousands of UK jobs are at stake.
Andy Atkins, Executive Director, Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth wants massive investment in renewables to give consumers a better deal. Its new campaign, Final Demand, calls for a public inquiry into the power of the Big 6 energy companies.
Final Demand
Please take action and help us create affordable energy for all.
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