Trade and industry secretary Alistair Darling has released the long-awaited energy White Paper setting out government energy strategy for the coming decades.
In a statement to the House of Commons Darling said: “We face two big challenges – climate change and maintaining stable and affordable energy supply in an increasingly unstable world. The energy White Paper sets out a long term framework for action to address these challenges at home and abroad.”
The paper includes a number of measures intended to support renewable generation, with Darling citing the need for investment in new low carbon sources: “We will work to ensure there is a market price for carbon in to the long term by strengthening the EU emissions trading scheme. We will triple the amount of electricity we get from renewables by 2015. We want to lead in the development of carbon capture and storage.”
On the subject of nuclear power, Darling said the government had reached a preliminary view that it would be in the public interest to allow energy companies to invest in nuclear power. The government will consult further, in a process which will run until October this year, before making a final decision. This decision must, however, be made this year, because of the length of time taken to build new nuclear stations.
Also included in the document are measures designed to improve grid connection for renewables projects –
Paper promises nuclear decision by end of 2007
