Renewable Energy (Hansard, 4 May 2004)

§ Mr. Neil Turner
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the effect of recent trends in investment in renewable energy upon the residents of Wigan. [169365]

§ Mr. Timms
Recent trends in renewable energy investment have been very encouraging. More new capacity has been constructed in the last few years than in the previous decade, and a significant amount is currently in the pipeline. This covers a wide range of technologies including onshore and offshore wind, solar and biomass.
However, as far as I am aware this has not translated into new or proposed capacity in the Wigan area.

§ Mr. Hendrick
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the recent trends in investment in renewable energy and the effect of those trends upon residents of Preston. [169686]

§ Mr. Timms
Recent trends in renewable energy investment have been very encouraging. More new capacity has been constructed in the last few years than in the previous decade, and a significant amount is currently in the pipeline. This covers a wide range of technologies including onshore and offshore wind, solar and biomass.
However, as far as I am aware this has not translated into new or proposed capacity in the Preston area.

§ Bob Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received on renewable energy targets and their achievement; and if she will make a statement. [169753]

§ Mr. Timms
The Government's renewable energy target is that renewable energy sources will supply 10 per cent. of our electricity by 2010. The target is challenging as we are starting from a low base; provisional figures suggest that in 2003, 2 per cent. of electricity was generated from sources eligible for the Renewables Obligation. However, the target is achievable. As the SEPN annual report published earlier this week indicates, we have made an encouraging start.
We have received many representations from stakeholders regarding the targets, and we have listened to them. An example of this is our plan to increase the level of the Renewables Obligation (RO) in the period after 2010, so that it reaches 15.4 per cent. by 2015–16. By increasing the Obligation in these years, this will greatly assist investor confidence and in particular help with the financing of new projects needed to deliver output by 2010.