The Renewable Energy Association, which represents the UK’s major renewable energy producers and users, has welcomed the breadth of the government’s renewables strategy document. Importantly the document goes beyond the usual focus on centralised electricity and recognises the enormous potential of renewables in heat, transport, buildings and local generation – a development described by REA Executive Director Philip Wolfe as “significant and urgently needed”.
He said,
“Government have produced an energy strategy, not just an electricity strategy. This shows a new maturity in approach; getting away from the ‘soundbite policy-making’ of the past and looking carefully at the role of renewables in buildings, heat, and transport. Of course bulk renewable power generation will be the largest part of the answer but there is much more that renewables can, and must, contribute.”
However Philip Wolfe warned,
“The industry has a very short space of time with which to meet challenging targets. There are still gaps and anomalies that need to be addressed with fresh polices.”
“The key missing factor is a greater sense of urgency,” says Mr Wolfe. “We have only twelve years left and government still wants to use two of those talking about it. It has a gold-plated opportunity in this year’s Energy Bill to start work on obvious measures such as tariffs for smaller renewables, the regulator’s remit and priority grid access. It should also be aiming to complete its action plan this year, not in 2010. REA is proud to be part of the Energy2020 consortium, which is publishing its proposals for a sustainable energy action plan next week.”
Key aspects of the document welcomed by the REA are;
• The first step towards holistic policy making (recognising that energy efficiency, buildings performance, renewable heat, power and transport need to be dealt with together)
• The proposal for a simple Tariff to reward investors in smaller-scale renewables
• A strengthened approach to tackling the problems of grid access, a major issue which has led to the hold up of over 10GW of renewables
• Ideas on community engagement and planning. Planning remains a major barrier.
The REA is calling for;
• Further measures to deal with the existing building stock – by 2020 only 1 million homes will be built to zero carbon standards yet 26 million homes will remain.
• Full recognition for the role of biogas (renewable gas) to tackle organic wastes. This can also be used to displace natural gas on the gas grid. Recent studies show EU biogas could displace all EU Russian gas imports by 2020.
• More support for marine renewables. The Government still seems to under estimate the huge potential of tidal and wave technology in the UK, where the UK currently has a world leading position.
• Realignment of the regulator Ofgem's remit to carbon reduction objectives. This will ensure care is taken to ensure rules and regulations help, rather than hinder, renewables.
• Measures to stimulate renewables investment by the important commercial sector. Bizarrely commercial sector investment in onsite renewables is stymied by both the Carbon Reduction Commitment and Corporate Social Responsibility reporting. [5]
Philip Wolfe concluded;
“We look forward to working with the many ministries involved to make this broader approach effective, to moving beyond more talk to firm action, and to joining up the policies that have hitherto been stuck in departmental silos.”
Renewable Energy Association
The Renewable Energy Association is the UK’s largest renewables industry association with over 520 members, including all the major UK energy companies and many independent renewables producers. The Association is active across the full range of renewable energy technologies and applications.
Review all our latest Renewable Energy news and companies