Tim Probert, Power Engineering International
12 May 2010 - In a surprise move, the Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne has today been appointed the UK’s new secretary of state for Energy & Climate Change instead of Greg Clark, the Conservative spokesman.
The appointment follows a formal coalition between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats - the first such coalition since the Second World War - in the aftermath of the May 6 General Election, which resulted in no single party commanding an overall majority in the House of Commons.
The new British government has yet to announce the policies that Huhne’s department will now enact, but in their election manifesto the Liberal Democrats pledged to:
• Reject a new generation of nuclear power stations “based on the evidence nuclear is a far more expensive way of reducing carbon emissions than promoting energy conservation and renewable energy”.
• Block new unabated coal fired power stations.
• Set target to generate 40 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2020, raising to 100 per cent by 2050.
• Invest £400m ($590m) in upgrading shipyards to support offshore wind and marine energy industry.
Of most interest is the Liberal’s stance on nuclear power. The Conservatives are in favour of new build nuclear, but with a Liberal Democrat MP as energy secretary it remains to be seen if the UK’s current plans to build up to ten new reactors will be enacted.
Ben Caldecott, Head of UK & EU Policy at Climate Change Capital, said: “We welcome the appointment of Chris Huhne as the new Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. He has an outstanding track record in this field and we look forward to working with him on developing the policy frameworks needed to deliver low carbon investment at the scale and speed necessary.
“The environmental challenge before our new Government is unprecedented. Our country has entered a crucial phase, where rapid action on climate change is critical if Britain is to capture the benefits of new low carbon jobs and industries, whilst also reducing the risks of dangerous climate change. On every front, from improving household energy efficiency to building offshore wind farms, our new Government will need to match its bold words with firm and fast action.
“The cross party consensus on climate change and environmental action, so positively demonstrated during the election campaign and throughout coalition negotiations, must be channelled quickly into the delivery of an ambitious and clearly set-out legislative programme. Given the common ground between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats on energy and climate change, this should be straightforward.
“Key decisions, such as the creation of a Green Investment Bank and energy market reform, must be set out in the Queen’s speech. This should be followed by further details in the anticipated emergency budget and the rapid introduction of a green energy bill within the first 100 days of the new administration.”
Juliet Davenport, CEO of Good Energy, the UK’s only dedicated 100 per cent renewable electricity supplier, said: “Both parties have supported Good Energy’s policies to encourage more energy entrepreneurs as well as campaigns for the fairer treatment of microgenerators and for the fact that it’s simply not right to expect renewable electricity customers to pay for carbon capture and storage.
“We want to see energy policy move on from the dithering and lack of ambition that characterised the previous Government’s approach and see a firm commitment from both partners to rewarding individuals’ and businesses’ efforts to prioritise and deal with climate change before it is too late.”