HC Deb 20 June 1988 vol 135 cc405-6W
Mr. Speller

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to publish the report on the development of renewable energy sources referred to in the debate on energy renewable sources, on 30 October, Official Report,columns 564–623.

Mr. Michael Spicer

I am today publishing Energy Paper No. 55 "Renewable Energy in the UK: The Way Forward". The report is on sale by Her Majesty's Stationery Office and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

The report outlines our view on a development strategy for renewable energy to the year 2000. By that time we hope that technologies will have been successfully developed to the point of commercial application and responsibility for exploitation taken over by industry. The report gives our view on the development path for each technology together with our estimation of the costs to be shared between Government and industry. We hope that the report will provide the basis for discussion with industry and the necessary increasing levels of collaboration.

Our aim is to stimulate the development of renewable energy sources to the fullest practicable extent where they have prospects of being economically attractive and environmentally acceptable. This aim will be pursued by two main means:

  • A collaborative research, development and demonstration programme with industry leading to commercial application for the more promising technologies;
  • The establishment of an institutional framework which will ensure that renewables can compete in the market on equal terms with other energy sources.