UK Government support can be more effective in promoting a broader range of renewables, says a group of leading industry proponents in a letter to Energy Minister Stephen Timms today.

Diversity is important to enhance energy security and meet the country's longer-term renewable targets. The Government has already recognised "we need more than just wind power", and the industry has recently proposed several ways of achieving it.

Industry says its proposed support mechanisms also represent more efficient use of taxpayers' and consumers' money. "Our suggestions all feature revenue support to supplement the existing capital grants," says Philip Wolfe of the Renewable Power Association. "This means that projects only get Government funds when and if they produce power; and the most efficient systems get the most money."

The Government has an aspiration that 20 per cent of the nation's electricity will come from renewables by 2020, up from under 5 per cent today. Their projections show that much of the short term growth will come from wind, but that a range of newer renewables will be needed in the next decade, including biomass, wave, hydro, solar and tidal energy.