A green future?
Thursday, 26 Jun 2008 16:31
Wind power is at the heart of the renewables strategy
The UK's future is set to be clean, green and carbon free - that's if the government's rhetoric on climate change is to be believed.
With fears over the effect of global warming on the environment, health and world economy and concerns about future oil supply, politicians are turning to ways to help the environment as well as securing energy.
Renewable energy is being heralded as a crucial way to achieving this.
Not only could it help the UK to have a continuous, secure supply but it would also help the UK to lower its carbon emissions.
Gordon Brown has expressed his faith in the possibilities of renewable energy, outlining how the government plans to use them over the next 12 years, with the goal of 15 per cent of the UK's electricity coming from renewable sources by 2020.
Wind power is at the heart of the strategy, with the prime minister saying he wants the North Sea to become to wind power what the Gulf of Arabia is to oil. Onshore wind farms are also planned, along with solar panels, energy from waste and biomass and microgeneration technologies.
It is estimated that expanding renewables as set out under the target could result in carbon savings of around 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2020.
"Building a low carbon future is nothing less than the basis of our future prosperity," Mr Brown told a low carbon summit in London.
"It's an immense challenge and all of us have a major part to play."
So renewables are the way forward for the government, but what do campaigners think about them?
The WWF has welcomed the renewed emphasis on this form of energy sources, describing them as a "huge untapped potential for clean energy in this country".
Colin Butfield, head of Campaigns of WWF-UK, said that if the government implements its renewables strategy then "it would spark a much-needed green energy revolution".
Friends of the Earth is also encouraged by the strategy but warned that government policy still needs to shift up a gear if the UK is to tackle the dual challenges of spiralling fuel prices and climate change.
While the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) believes the expansion of renewables will give a welcome boost to the UK renewable industry, it is concerned about the cost on businesses and families.
"Business has long supported pragmatic and cost-effective solutions to meeting our carbon targets, but the EU renewables target is neither of these things," commented CBI director general John Cridland.
"As today's document explains, the target is likely to cost the UK an additional £6 billion a year, much of which will fall on businesses and households."
What definite shape the renewables strategy will take will be unveiled in spring next year, following a consultation on the issue until September 26th 2008.