§ The Earl of Liverpoolasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have conducted research into the potential of all domestic, commercial, ecclesiastical and industrial roof areas for the collection of solar power and rainwater; and, if so, what are their findings. [HL127]
§ Lord Clinton-DavisThe Department of Trade and Industry's new and renewable energy programme has been looking at the potential for electricity generation from photovoltaic (PV) panels installed on buildings for several years. The latest published overall assessment of renewable technologies was the 1994 Energy Technology Support Unit (ETSU) report R-82,An Assessment of Renewable Energy for the UK. Studies indicate that if PV were installed on all suitable wall and roof surfaces in the UK, this would result in the equivalent generating capacity of between 70 and 110 Gigawatts (GW), depending on the technology used. This might produce between 200 and 360 Terrawatts (TWh) of electricity per year—total current electricity demand in the UK is around 300 TWh. However, any exploitation of this resource would have to take account of the cost, interaction with the utility networks, match of availability to demand, shading, storage, planning laws and building regulations.
The most important of these is cost, because although the price of PV modules has been falling, the cost of PV-generated electricity is still 5–10 times more expensive than that from conventional sources. Industry estimates that PV as an energy source will not be able to compete on price in UK building integrated applications for at least another 10 years.
The Department of the Environment commissioned research from the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA) on water conservation: implications of using recycled greywater and stored rainwater in the UK. The final report was published in March 1997. The research concluded that at current water charges, systems for using rainwater either internally for flushing toilets or externally were not generally economic, with the exception of hotels which appeared to yield the best pay-back period. The research also revealed some potential deleterious effects, for example reduced replenishment of local acquifers and rivers.
88WA
§ The Earl of Liverpoolasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have conducted research into the renewable energy potential for the United Kingdom of: (a) river based hydropower; (b) inshore tidal power; (c) offshore wave, tidal and wind power; (d) solar power for both commercial and domestic purposes for the United Kingdom; and, if so, what are their findings. [HL126]
§ Lord Clinton-DavisOverall assessments summarising work across all technologies were last published in 1994 as Energy Technology Support Unit (ETSU) report R-82,An Assessment of Renewable Energy for the UK and Energy Paper 62, entitled New and Renewable Energy Technology: Future Prospects for the UK. Subsequently, numerous individual research projects have been undertaken and have reported. Summary lists of recent publications have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
This Government propose to undertake a new and strong drive to develop renewable energy sources. DTI Ministers are engaged in reviewing policy, including considerations of what would be necessary and practicable to achieve 10 per cent. of UK electricity needs from renewables by the year 2010 and how renewables can make an effective contribution to meeting requirements for future greenhouse gas reduction commitments. The outcome of that review will be announced later this year. It is expected that a new overall assessment of the technologies will be published later this year.