§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the contribution of renewable energy to the energy policy. [156467]
§ Mr. TimmsThe Government have set the target of obtaining 10 per cent, of our electricity from renewable sources by 2010, with the aspiration of doubling this by 2020. Towards achieving such expansion, I announced in December the Government's intention to extend the rising profile of Renewables Obligation by further annual stages beyond 2010–11 to reach 15.4 percent, by 2015–16.
Renewable energy will make an important contribution to the Government's wider climate change programme. It is estimated that increased renewable energy generation will deliver additional carbon savings of some 2.5 million tonnes of carbon per year by 2010, and of a further 3–5 million tonnes of carbon per year above that by 2020.
Renewable energy also adds to the diversity of sources from which the UK derives electricity, which is important for maintaining reliable supplies.