Archived press release

Energy Bill must be amended to boost micro-energy generation

2 June 2008

Ministers must amend the Energy Bill to encourage homes, businesses and communities to install renewable energy systems such as solar panels, Friends of the Earth said today.

The call follows today's publication of a Government-commissioned report showing that micro-generation could make a significant contribution to tackling climate change, ensuring reliable energy supplies and reducing fuel bills.

Friends of the Earth's green homes campaigner Dave Timms said:

"This report highlights the Government's failure to develop the huge potential for tackling climate change and cutting fuel bills through micro-generation - and calls for financial incentives to make this happen.

"Huge quantities of UK electricity could be generated through renewable energy systems such as solar panels and wind turbines. The Energy Bill must be amended to guarantee a premium payment to homes, businesses and communities for generating green energy. Ministers must stop dithering and take urgent steps to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels."

Today's report only covers micro-generation. Friends of the Earth is also urging the Government to do more to boost large-scale renewable generation projects too. Ministers must also stop lobbying the EU to weaken its Renewables Directive. The UK is trying to weaken proposed EU laws on sourcing 20 per cent of EU power from renewable sources by 2020 - for example by proposing that other technologies be counted towards the target. Friends of the Earth says that the EU must stand firm and introduce a strong Directive by the end of the year.

Notes

UK homes are responsible for 27 per cent of the nation's carbon dioxide emissions. Research by the Energy Saving Trust concludes that up to 40 per cent of the UK's electricity could be generated by small-scale renewable energy systems.

Feed-in tariff schemes operate in seventeen European countries. The scheme has been especially successful in Germany, which now has 200 times more solar power and more than 10 times more wind power than the UK and employs 250,000 people in renewable energy - compared with just 7,000 in the UK.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust