§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps his Department takes to encourage research and development in joint heat and power initiatives; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanThe Government fully recognise the energy and environmental benefits of combined heat and power (CHP) and seek to ensure that the technology faces no unnecessary legislative or institutional barriers to its implementation. The Energy Efficiency Office promotes the wider use of the technology in all suitable applications and is working towards the target set by the Government in 1990 of doubling the present installed CHP capacity to 4000 MW by the year 2000. The best practice programme contains an element by which up to 49 per cent. support may be given to pre-competitive research under which CHP is supported.