Cheap electricity comes ahead of renewable energy
Published on : 17/06/2009
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Demand for electricity'>cheap electricity and calls to tackle fuel poverty could be hindering the uptake of renewable energy generation, it has been claimed.
According to government figures, the UK generates just 1.3 per cent of its electricity from renewable resources, meaning it is just three places from the bottom of league table of European clean energy use.
Only Malta, Luxembourg generate less renewable energy than the UK.
Greg Clark, the shadow energy and climate secretary, told the Guardian: "This failure reflects the government's decade-long absence of an energy policy."
"It is characteristic of Labour's approach to government - to sign up to targets, but have no plan to achieve them," he added.
According to the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the UK's renewable energy output has climbed by 0.5 per cent since 2005.
Last month the European energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs called on EU countries to create an ambitious carbon trading agreement – which could cut the cost of renewable energy.
