MEP welcomes Lib Dem plans to cut electricity waste

1.14.01pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 26th Sep 2006

County MEP Liz Lynne has welcomed the decision by the Liberal Democrats to back a radical plan to tackle global warming by cutting the colossal waste caused by the centralised generation of electrical power.

Delegates meeting in Brighton again rejected nuclear power and called for a big 'green switch' to decentralized power generation leading to huge reductions in CO2 emissions.

Liz Lynne said: "I am delighted that the LibDems have resisted the siren voices of the nuclear lobby and instead come up with a credible plan to tackle climate change by pressing the 'green switch'.

"It is time we ended the shocking wastage in the way we currently generate electricity. It is so inefficient that two-thirds of the original energy in fuel, like a lump of coal, is wasted through losses in production and transmission before it arrives at the plug in your home.

"Greenpeace research estimates that the local switch would save every household £150 per year off their bills.

"We must also cut our appetite for power. There is a 1.5 % a year increase in electricity demand, and a fifth of all electricity generated is wasted in our homes by things like inefficient light bulbs, stand-by power systems and poor insulation.

"With intelligent adoption of wind, wave and solar power where appropriate, micro power generation and a whole package of measures using cutting edge technology, we in the UK can set an example to the world by creating a low carbon economy.

"If David Cameron is serious in turning the Conservatives green, I hope his party rejects nuclear power and backs the green switch at his conference next month, instead of just painting his new logo green.

Currently more than 60% of electricity is lost in transit between large power stations and the customer. Approximately 20% more power is then lost through inefficiency inside homes, shops and factories.

The LibDem package of measures will reduce wastage and pollution by encouraging more local environmentally sustainable power generation, as well as increasing energy efficiency within homes.

ENDS

Editor's Notes

Motion as follows.

F29 Making the climate change switch: a micro solution to a macro problem

Ten conference representatives

Mover: Chris Huhne MP (Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Summation: David Howarth MP (Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Energy)

Conference notes that climate change is the greatest threat facing the planet.

Conference notes the failure of Labour's climate change strategy, which is not now likely to meet its target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20% by 2010, with UK carbon dioxide emissions now actually rising.

Conference further notes the Government's Energy Review, published in July, expresses its concern at the Government's failure to go further and faster on energy efficiency, renewables, decentralised energy generation and other cleaner, sustainable energy technologies, including clean coal and carbon capture and storage, and is alarmed at proposals to encourage a new generation of nuclear power stations and ministers' failure to rule out all forms of past hidden subsidies for nuclear.

Conference contrasts the Labour Government's failures to deliver on its renewable and energy efficiency targets since the last Energy Review in 2003, with the excellent progress made through the efforts of Scottish Liberal Democrats in government, where they are ahead of their own targets, despite setting more ambitious goals than Westminster.

Conference reaffirms the conclusions reached in the 2005 policy motion, Tackling Carbon Emissions: A Strategy for Clean and Sustainable Energy, particularly that:

i) International agreement is more likely to be achieved if developed countries such as the UK set an example by creating a successful low-carbon economy.

ii) The UK must put itself on course to reduce overall UK CO2 emissions by a minimum of 60% by 2050, with the development of annual targets up to this date which will be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.

iii) 20% of UK electricity should be generated from a range of renewable sources by 2020 through, for example, strengthening the Renewables Obligation and developing a similar obligation to promote renewable heat.

iv) The UK must adopt a sustainable energy strategy based on rejection of new-build nuclear power stations, energy demand reduction, greater energy efficiency, the use of economic instruments, combined heat and power, microgeneration and community-based forms of generation and a mix of renewable energy sources that includes biomass, wind, wave, tidal, and solar.

Conference acknowledges that the best environmental and economic answer to reducing carbon emissions from the electricity generation sector is to make a real commitment to decentralise energy supply, alongside this radical shift to energy conservation and renewable technologies.

Conference notes the findings of the Energy Saving Trust, which concluded that by 2050 microgeneration could potentially provide up to 30-40% of the UK's total electricity needs and help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 15% per year.

Conference believes that OFGEM should introduce measures which facilitate the development of micro-generation, including:

a) Removal of current limits on the development of private wires and raising the limits on the export of power.

b) Making it a requirement for all electricity suppliers to purchase surplus electricity from domestic power generators at rates that encourage take-off of domestic generation, with a default option of negative metering if suppliers will not fund two-way smart metering.

c) Reform of standard supply contracts to encourage investment in microgeneration, dynamic demand equipment and the distribution network.

Conference resolves, in addition, that:

1. All new buildings should be required to incorporate decentralised energy technologies, with microgeneration and/or district combined heat and power.

2. Research is undertaken to identify and implement the most effective fiscal measures to encourage microgeneration at local government level.

3. Changes to the planning system should include the introduction of an obligation to find sufficient land for low-carbon and/or low-waste technologies and a presumption in favour of microgeneration and renewables.

4. Policy Planning Statement 22 should also be reformed so that it no longer merely calls for 'positively worded' energy efficiency policies but demands much higher standards.

Conference also acknowledges that greater research and investment into carbon capture and storage techniques is required to tackle emissions from existing centralised fossil fuel power plant that might continue to form part of the UK's power generating portfolio in the longer term.

Applicability: Federal, except 1, 3 and 4 which are England only.