HC Deb 09 November 2000 vol 356 cc328-9W
Mr. Green

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost is of the projects approved under the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation for(a) waste incineration, (b) offshore wind, (c) onshore wind, (d) solar power and (e) barriers; and if he will make a statement. [137395]

Mrs. Liddell

No payment is made under the Non Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO) until approved projects are commissioned.

Total project costs and costs to the Fossil Fuel Levy in the year to August 2000 for commissioned projects in these technologies were:

£million
Total costs Costs to Levy
(a) Waste Incineration 22.3 10.1
(b) Offshore Wind Nil Nil
(c) Onshore Wind 13.5 7.0
(d) Solar Power Nil Nil
(e) Tidal Barriers Nil Nil

No projects relating to solar power or tidal barriers have been approved under NFFO. One project relating to offshore wind has been approved under NFFO, but no expenditure under NFFO has yet arisen.

There will be no further NFFO rounds as the Government plan to impose a new renewables obligation on all electricity suppliers, but existing contracts will be protected.

Mr. Green

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what position Her Majesty's Government have adopted on the definition of renewable energy being negotiated for the European Union Draft Renewable Energy Directive; and if he will make a statement. [137393]

Mrs. Liddell

The Draft Directive on the promotion of electricity from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market proposes an indicative UK target of 10 per cent. of electricity consumption to be generated from renewable energy sources by 2010. This indicative target is in line with the UK's policy as described in "The Renewables Obligation Preliminary Consultation" document, published on 5 October 2000. In negotiations the Government's position is to ensure that the Directive's definition of renewable energy is wide enough for the UK to achieve the Directive's indicative target within the UK's policy framework for renewables and the detailed mechanisms for the obligation on which we are currently consulting.