HC Deb 10 December 2003 vol 415 cc490-1W
Mr. Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the comparative costs of(a) each renewable form of electricity generation and (b) energy efficiency measures in reducing carbon dioxide emissions; and if she will make a statement. [140942]

Mr. Timms

The Department has published estimates of the cost of electricity generation from a variety of forms of renewables and the comparative cost of energy efficiency measures in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. These are contained in a report published in February 2002 available at: www.dti.gov.uk/energy/ greenhousegas/index.shtml.

The Performance and Innovation Unit at the Cabinet Office also published similar estimates in its 2001 Energy Review. These are available at: www. number-10.gov.uk/su/energy/1.html.

The energy White Paper published in February 2003 committed the Government to putting the UK on a path to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 60 per cent. by 2050. Improvements in energy efficiency and increasing the share of renewables in generation will both be important in achieving this objective. The White Paper sets an objective to double the recent rate of improvement in energy efficiency and an aspiration to achieve a 20 per cent. share for renewables in 2020, double the level of the Renewables Obligation set for 2010.

Mr. Stephen O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the cost to public funds of wind turbine construction in the UK to 2010. [140955]

Ms Hewitt

To date, the Government have committed £117 million to support early offshore windfarm development. No estimate has been made of the level of funding that may be needed to support future development in this area, but we expect industry to respond to the market for wind turbines created by the Renewables Obligation.

No direct support is provided for onshore windfarm development except for some small household or community installations under the Clear Skies scheme.

Mr. Stephen O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the number of new wind turbines which will be built in the UK by 2010. [140956]

Ms Hewitt

The Government have set a target that 10 per cent. of electricity in the UK should come from renewable sources by 2010. However, no targets have been set for individual technologies, such as wind power. Decisions on which technologies to bring forward are left to the industry, consistent with the Government's policy of an open and competitive energy market. We expect the industry to respond to the market for renewables (including wind) created by the Renewables Obligation.

However, it is acknowledged that electricity generated from wind turbines— both onshore and offshore—will make the largest contribution to the overall target. While we do not publish technology forecasts, it is estimated that to supply 7 to 8 per cent. of our electricity generation by wind turbines by 2010, which is what is likely to be required to achieve our 10 per cent. target, would require in the range of 3,000 to 5,000 turbines, assuming a mix of onshore and offshore devices. There are currently just over a thousand turbines within the UK.