Mr. Gareth R. ThomasTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the electricity used by his Department is generated from renewable sources; and if he will make a statement. [111034]
§ Mr. MorleyMy Department supports the Government's aim of obtaining 10 per cent. of the UK's electricity from renewable sources by 2010 and remains committed to playing its part in this.
The Department's Greening Operations Strategy, which was updated and re-published last June, has a key objective to encourage the supply of "green electricity" (electricity produced from renewable sources) where this provides value for money. We are therefore investigating the cost effectiveness and practicality of obtaining electricity from renewable sources.
We are also committed to schemes that combine heating with other energy efficiency benefits. At our Central Veterinary Laboratory we have a system whereby a waste heat boiler is linked to the main incinerator to provide a large proportion of the heating and hot water for the site. A Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant will also be on stream by the middle of this year to provide energy for new buildings on the Laboratory site. My Department is also connected to the Whitehall CHP system.