§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to assist developing countries in the development of renewable energy sources; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Chris PattenOver the last decade the Overseas Development Administration has promoted the use of renewable energy sources in developing countries through funding research and development for a wide range of technologies, including efficient wood-fuelled cooking stoves, efficient charcoal manufacture, biogas production, windpumps, microhydro turbines, solar crop drying and the use of waste materials for process heating.
Aid funds have also been used to implement projects aimed at utilising geothermal energy, wind-powered electricity generation, and solar-powered water pumping. They have also been used to help finance the manufacture of efficient wood-fuelled stoves, as well as for building and rehabilitating substantial hydropower installations.
We continue to seek ways of helping to carry forward developments in renewable energy which carry real promise of being effective.