Gas and wind row erupts

Analysts KPMG asserted the UK could meet its 2020 carbon reduction targets more cost-effectively by building nuclear and gas-fired power stations instead of the planned expansion of wind energy, reported Businessgreen on Monday 7 November. The Thinking About the Affordable report said this way forward could cut the bill for reducing greenhouse gases from £108bn to £74bn. In response Renewable UK said the analysis was incorrect, and highlighted that increasing fuel bills were the result of rising gas prices and not the affect of increased renewables deployment. Communications director Charles Anglin revealed the cost of generating electricity from wind is less than £10 per year per household, the equivalent to less than 1% of bills.
Following the debate the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) published a letter by energy and climate change secretary Chris Huhne on Wednesday 9 November, where he argued the UK must not trade renewables for shale gas. He said wind turbines were "here to stay", and that shale gas has yet to "light a single room" in the UK. He acknowledged that gas would play an important part of the future energy mix of the country, but noted it was important not to hitch ourselves to the shale gas bandwagon as issues still remain over its viability. He said that Government policy was "technology neutral" and aimed to "encourage competitive tension between all forms of generation, so that we get the best deal for the consumer".
Businessgreen     RenewableUK     DECC