HC Deb 15 May 1989 vol 153 c109W
39. Mr. Bright

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the prospects for the burning of methane gas in power generation.

Mr. Michael Spicer

Decisions on fossil fuel choice are matters for the industry. Virtually all the major independent generation projects known to my Department, totalling over 6 GW of capacity, are proposing to use natural gas. Moreover, the CEGB has recently applied for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's consent to construct four gas-fired power stations.

I am also encouraged by the prospects for smaller landfill gas generation projects. These have the potential to make a significant contribution by the end of the century.