§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the Government's current policy on combined heat and power schemes.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Government fully recognise the environmental and fuel efficiency benefits of CHP and continue to promote and support the technology under the best practice programme of the Energy Efficiency Office.
349WThe Government are committed to removing legal and institutional barriers which impede the further implementation of CHP. Under the provisions of the Electricity Act licensed CHP operators will have new powers to break streets to lay heat mains. The Act also enables the Director General of Electricity Supply to collect information to monitor the use and application of CHP. The output fom CHP schemes based on non-fossil fuels such as waste or landfill gas will count towards the non-fossil fuel obligation.
Investment in CHP is a commercial matter for the operators concerned.