Rudd admits new RE policies needed

Energy secretary Amber Rudd has admitted new policies will have to be put in place during this Parliament if the UK is to meet its renewables and climate targets.

Addressing today’s Energy and Climate Change oral questions in the House of Commons, Rudd said she would be working “across government” to deliver new policies for meeting the UK’s 2020 renewables target and fourth carbon budget.

Rudd said: “Our EU renewable targets are difficult to make but we have exceeded the interim target and we know that we need to make more progress to do so which is why I’m working with other departments to ensure that action is taken across heat and transport.”

She added: “In terms of the fourth carbon budget it was recognised in 2011 that there was a problem but it is about making sure we now put in place the policies necessary to meet it. But be in no doubt, we remain committed to achieving that.”

Rudd said she “doesn’t accept” recent policy changes have impacted investor confidence and jobs and reiterated the government’s focus on “always on keeping bills down for all constituents”.

Rudd’s comments made in Parliament drew criticism from the wind industry.

European Wind Energy Association spokesman Oliver Joy said scaling back support for onshore wind did not make economic sense, particularly when the UK is planning to pursue more costly and polluting technologies.

“The UK is some way from meeting its 2020 targets and needs to increase its share of renewables deployment over the next five years to make up the ground.

“This means fostering investment in wind energy – both onshore and offshore – and avoiding harsh retroactive or abrupt changes to support schemes for a technology that served 11% of the UK’s electricity demand in 2015.”

Joy added: “The government can show its commitment to wind power by clarifying as soon as possible the position of onshore wind in the Contracts for Difference regime and the CfD arrangements for offshore wind in 2016.”

Meanwhile, energy minister Andrea Leadsom confirmed government would look again at solar feed-in tariff levels if EU rules necessitate an increase VAT on solar panels to 20% from 5%.

Image: Amber Rudd (DECC)