§ 14. Mr. Formanasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give a higher priority in his Department's policy to promoting energy savings changes in the production of electricity.
§ Dr. John A. CunninghamThe electricity industry already maximises the efficiency with which it uses fuel in the generation of electricity. The House will be aware of the work of the Combined Heat and Power Group set up by this Department which includes representation from the electricity industry. A report by a working party of the group was published as Energy Paper No. 20 in March this year. Following discussion of this document, the Government will consider the work of the group and the possibilities for improving the efficiency of use of primary energy if it is found practicable for reject heat from electricity generation to be used in combined heat and power schemes.
§ Mr. FormanAs the process of energy conversion and distribution is the largest single consumer of primary fuel, consuming about 30 per cent. of the total, is it not time that the Government paid more urgent attention to combined heat and power and, indeed, to industrial progeneration?
§ Dr. CunninghamWe are paying urgent attention to that matter, as the hon. Gentleman knows. Many pilot schemes are already under way and detailed work is being done on them, in addition to the fuller report which I have 22 mentioned, which we expect to have in the early part of next year.