DTI consultation on Energy White Paper, including on nuclear
Press Release at
http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=286525&NewsAr…
The Energy White Paper was launched on 23 May 2007. You can get a full
copy at
http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/mediaDetail.asp?MediaDetailsID=203153&…
Here is the DTI’s short summary of what the White Paper includes:
• A requirement for new meters to come with a real-time display from
2008 and a short term offer of free displays from energy suppliers for
households to 2010. In addition, the Government is encouraging the
introduction of smart meters, also with displays, in the household
sector and for small firms and expects everyone to have a smart meter
within 10 years, whilst requiring smart meters for all but the smallest
of businesses in the next five years.
• A consultation setting out how the energy efficiency of consumer
electronics will need to improve is published.
• A consultation to double energy suppliers’ current obligation to
deliver energy efficiency measures to customers through a new ‘Carbon
Emission Reduction Target’.
• A cap and trade ‘Carbon Reduction Commitment’ for large commercial
organisations such as banks, supermarkets and large local authorities.
• A ‘Distributed Generation’ Report is published including
simplification of energy market and licensing arrangements for localised
energy by the end of 2008 and clearer export tariffs from all six major
energy suppliers for microgenerators to sell excess electricity.
• Legislation to band the Renewables Obligation to benefit offshore
wind, wave, tidal and other emerging technologies. The cap on the amount
of co-firing generation qualifying for support will be removed.
• Publication of a Biomass Strategy as well as a response to ‘ Creating
Value from Renewable Materials’ – a 2 year progress report on the
Strategy for Non – Food Crops and Uses.
• Detail on the competition announced in the Budget to build the world’s
first end-to-end Carbon Capture and Storage plant, which will deliver at
least 300MW capacity, 90% CO2 saving, and be up and running between 2011
and 2014.
• Legislation to allow the storage of natural gas under the seabed and
unloading of Liquefied Natural Gas at sea.
• A three month deadline within which DTI will make consent decisions on
large scale energy projects, pending more radical reforms set out in the
Planning White Paper.
• A new energy market information and analysis service from this
autumn.
• A Low Carbon Transport Innovation Strategy is published backed by
funding of £20m for public procurement of low carbon vehicles, an up to
£30m R&D ‘Innovation Platform’ and £5m additional funding for the Energy
Technologies Institute.
In addition, published alongside the White Paper, are:
• A new consultation on the Government’s preliminary view that it is in
the public interest to give private sector energy companies the option
of investing in new nuclear power stations. A 20 week public
consultation running until 10 October starts today.
• A related consultation setting out the proposed ‘Justification’ and
‘Strategic Siting Assessment’ processes for new nuclear power. A
‘pre-licensing’ process has separately been started by the Health and
Safety Executive. Work on all three of these facilitative actions will
be on a contingent basis alongside the main nuclear consultation. We
will review whether to continue with this work in the light of the main
consultation responses.
The Planning White Paper, published on Monday 21 May, has separately set
out proposals for a new consent regime for nationally significant energy
infrastructure. This will help reduce costs, delays and uncertainties
incurred by the private sector while also providing an appropriate
opportunity for the public to challenge development.
3. Nuclear consultation.
• The Government wants as many people as possible to take part in the
consultation and has designed the process to ensure we are listening to
the wider public as well as interested parties.
• We have set up an online consultation at
http://www.direct.gov.uk/nuclearpower2007 and the website has been
designed to make it easy for people to take part. A copy of the
consultation document can be downloaded from the right hand side of this
page
• We will also be hosting a series of deliberative events across the UK.
They will enable us to understand the views of the public after they
have heard the key facts and arguments in the consultation.
• Discussion at the events will address the same key questions in the
consultation document. The public taking part in the deliberative events
will be recruited to be demographically representative of the UK
population. Recruitment will be through direct invitation of randomly
selected homes on selected electoral registers.
• In addition, over the next few months we want to meet with
representatives from NGOs, industry, local authorities and many other
organisations. These meetings will enable us to explore in more detail
the views of interested parties.
• Summaries of the events will be published on the DTI website when
available during the consultation.
4. In addition to the Energy White Paper, consultations and other
reports mentioned above, a number of analytical and consultants reports
are also published today. Copies can be found at
http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/mediaDetail.asp?MediaDetailsID=203153&…