Wednesday 6 October 2010

Government must give clarity on energy

The comments were made by some of the major speakers at Energy Solutions in Olympia which takes place today and tomorrow. During a discussion featuring delegates from the The New Economics Foundation, The Energy Saving Trust and The Energy Institute, the overwhelming sentiment was that if 2020 and 2050 carbon emission targets are to be achieved, then infrastructure is desperately needed.

Rob Lewis, Strategy Manager Renewables at the Energy Saving Trust said: "Setting targets is easy, the difficulty is in the detail. For these actions to take place, businesses need to have the confidence in these policies to know that they are not going to change and that they will be supported in trying to achieve them."

The panel largely agreed that clear concrete steps are needed to deliver the overarching objectives in 2020 and 2050. Businesses remain dedicated to reducing their carbon output, but they need to know where they stand against targets which are constantly being amended and updated.

"The problem is that some businesses are not yet convinced that they will get a return on the green skills investment they need to make, because they have not got the policy certainty they need," said Caroline Doble, director of carbon services at consultancy Utilyx.

Dr Victoria Johnson, Acting Head of Climate Change and Energy at the New Economics Foundation, concluded: "It is clear that if the current coalition government wishes to be the 'greenest government ever' it should capitalise on the willingness of business. A Green Investment Bank could play a key role in directing revenue, and provide an environment of opportunity towards this transformation."

ELN will be reporting from Energy Solutions

Written by

Bruna Pinhoni

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