Renewable Energy (Hansard, 25 October 1990)

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will set out each of the steps taken since May 1979 to publicise the availability of finance for renewable energy from the European Community and the efforts made to encourage British companies to take advantage of such opportunities, to which reference is made in paragraph C.58, page 291, of annex C of the White Paper on the Environment (Cm 1200).

§ Mr. Moynihan
The Department of Energy has publicised the availability of financial support from the European Community for the research development and demonstration of renewable energy technologies since their programmes began in 1983–84. In 1989, the latest year for which figures are available, 54 United Kingdom companies and universities successfully participated in these programmes with our active encouragement. For the 1991 call for proposals the Department has so far distributed over 30,000 leaflets, mounted nine seminars throughout the United Kingdom, and responded to more than 300 requests for detailed information.

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will set out the methods by which Her Majesty's Government intend to reinforce their existing programme for demonstrating renewable technologies; how much additional moneys will be made available per annum to achieve this reinforcement; and what criteria will be adopted by his Department to judge which renewable energy technologies will receive support under the initiative at paragraph C.48, page 290 of annex C of the White Paper on the Environment (Cm. 1200).

§ Mr. Moynihan
In the light of the White Paper on the Environment my Department's renewable energy strategy, as published in Energy Paper 55, is to be reviewed and updated during 1991. Methods, resources and criteria for support will be addressed in that comprehensive review.

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the establishment of the new ministerial committee on energy efficiency foreshadowed in paragraph 5–32, page 70 of the White Paper on the Environment (Cm. 1200).

§ Mr. Wakeham
The ministerial committee on energy efficiency aims to raise the profile of energy efficiency by working with Government Departments, local authorities and organisations representing energy users in all sectors of the economy to stimulate improvements.
The first meeting of the committee was held on 17 October. I asked my colleagues to: develop initiatives to raise awareness of the potential for energy saving and to draw attention to the energy efficiency measures that can be taken and the Government services to promote them; to intensify the campaign to improve energy efficiency on the Government estate; and to report on how they and their Departments will take forward the initiatives announced in the White Paper on the Environment.
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The first annual report of the campaign to promote energy efficiency on the Government estate was also published on 17 October. Copies of the report are in the Library of the House.

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will set out the specific services he expects the Energy Efficiency Office will develop in 1991 to provide energy users with expert advice, specific to circumstances, on the purchase, design and improvement of energy using equipment and buildings, as foreshadowed in paragraph C11, page 285 of annex C of the White Paper on the Environment (Cm. 1200).

§ Mr. Baldry
Implementation of energy efficiency investments often involves the selection and purchase of complex equipment and alterations to the structures of buildings and to the heating, lighting and ventilation equipment, or modification of industrial processes. These purchases, alterations or modifications require engineering and costing expertise often lacking in smaller companies.
My officials have begun work on a scheme to assist with this project management of energy efficiency investments.