§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made towards her Department's target of the UK obtaining 5 per cent. of its electricity from renewable sources by 2003; what her assessment is of whether the target will be met within the stipulated time; what percentage of electricity has been produced from renewable sources in each year since the target was introduced; and which renewable sources have contributed in each year. [143125]
§ Mr. Timms[holding answer 10 December 2003]: Government Ministers acknowledged in the debates leading up to the introduction of the Renewables Obligation on 1 April 2002 that earlier hopes to obtain 5 per cent. of our electricity from renewable sources by 2003 would not be met. Such hopes had always depended on a high proportion of proposals awarded contracts under the old Non Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO) arrangements resulting in commissioned projects, and it had become apparent that this was not happening with the necessary speed.
The percentage of UK electricity coming from all renewable sources and the contributing categories of renewables in the years since 1999 are as follows:
565W
percentage 1999 2000 2001 2002 All renewables 2.76 2.75 2.62 2.96 of which: Wind, wave and solar 0.23 0.25 0.25 0.32 Hydro 1.45 1.35 1.05 1.24 Biofuels 0.93 1.01 1.19 1.27 Wastes 0.15 0.14 0.13 0.13 The table includes all renewable energy sources, including those not eligible for the Renewables Obligation, such as large-scale hydro, since the 5 per cent. target pre-dated the Renewables Obligation.
The Government's target for renewable energy is for 10 per cent. of our electricity sales to come from renewable sources eligible for the Renewables Obligation by 2010.
§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of renewable energy in the United Kingdom is supplied by the hydro-electric industry. [143195]
§ Mr. TimmsIn 2002, 42 per cent. of the renewable electricity generated in the UK was from hydro-electric schemes.