LABOUR HAS ABYSMAL RECORD ON RENEWABLES (Fiona Hall MEP)

Fiona Hall MEP <info@fionahall.org.uk>

LABOUR HAS ABYSMAL RECORD ON RENEWABLES

September 21, 2009 12:00 AM

Narec North East Lib Dem MEP, Fiona Hall, used last night's policy motion on tidal solutions at the Lib Dem Autumn Conference in Bournemouth to highlight Labour's abysmal record on renewable energy.

Commenting on the UK's target of providing 15% of energy consumption from renewable energy sources by 2020, Fiona said:

"Comparing the UK's target to the EU average shows how complete Labour's failure has been as far as the renewables industry is concerned.

"Had the Government invested earlier in the nation's renewable energy potential as other European governments did then thousands of extra green jobs would already be in place"

Fiona also highlighted the role of the new Narec testing centre on Teesside in developing tidal energy.

NOTES:

Fiona's speech on the policy motion "Tidal Solutions" to the Lib Dem Autumn Conference in Bournemouth on 20 September is provided below.

"Comparing the UK's target to the EU average shows how complete Labour's failure has been as far as the renewables industry is concerned.

The 15% renewable energy target is not in fact the Government's own target. And it is unambitious not because of some touching ministerial bashfulness but because of Labour's incompetence.

In January 2008, the European Commission set out binding national targets for each of the EU's 27 Member States. Taken together, these national targets will deliver the overall EU target agreed by European leaders of 20% of energy from renewables by 2020.

The breakdown of the EU target into national targets was essentially done to a formula which reflected both GDP and the percentage of renewables already achieved by 2005.

And where was the UK - Europe's windiest country - in 2005? Propping up the league table with those well-known European giants, Malta and Luxembourg.

In 2005, we came 25th out of 27, with just 1.5% of our energy coming from renewable sources. And that's why the Commission formula produced a UK target of only 15%.

I negotiated the renewable energy directive for the Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament and I can tell you that even at 15%, Labour ministers spent a lot of time trying to negotiate flexibility and wriggle room into the text. Making excuses, when they should have been out there fighting to create green jobs.

This motion on the tidal potential of the Severn Estuary highlights just how high the UK's renewables potential actually is.

And the South West is not the only area which stands to benefit from tidal power.

Narec, the New and Renewable Energy Centre in the North East, has just opened a tidal testing facility on Teesside which will undertake testing of one-tenth scale prototypes of tidal devices.

Had the Government invested earlier in the nation's renewable energy potential as other European governments did then thousands of extra green jobs would already be in place.

We absolutely need Liberal Democrat ambition on renewable energy.