§ Mr. Macfarlaneasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what in his Depart- 430W ment's estimate of the contribution which geothermal power will provide for United Kingdom power generation by (a) 1990, (b) 1995, (c) 2000;
(2) what is his Department's estimate of the contribution which wind power will provide for United Kingdom power generation by (a) 1990, (b) 1995, (c) 2000;
(3) what is his Department's estimate of the contribution which wave power will provide for United Kingdom power generation by (a) 1990, (b) 1995, and (c) 2000;
(4) what is his Department's estimate of the contribution which tidal power will provide for United Kingdom power generation by (a) 1990, (b) 1995, and (c) 2000;
(5) what is his Department's estimate of the contribution which solar energy will provide for United Kingdom power generation by (a) 1990, (b) 1995, and (c) 2000.
§ Mr. EadieMost renewable sources are at an early stage of development, and substantial further work is needed to establish their feasibility and reduce costs. As given in the Working Document on Energy Policy, maximum technically feasible contributions to enregy supplies from individual sources in the year 2000, if each were successfully developed, could be:
Solar domestic space heating 1 mtce domestic water heating 4 mtce fuel from plant materials 3 mtce Waves up to 15 mtce Winds up to 8 mtce Tidal up to 4 mtce Geothermal up to 4 mtce (mtce—million tons of coal equivalent) The actual contribution that could in practice be expected from these sources by 2000 is probably nearer to 10mtce in total, and very possibly less than that. Of these sources only waves, winds and tidal would make their contribution by way of power generation. No estimates are available for earlier years.