EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation
has urged the government to open
the debate on the 2020 Renewables
Target or risk unnecessarily
undermining the competitiveness of
industry and unnecessarily increasing
the costs of energy on consumers.

The call was made in response to
the Committee on Climate Change
review of renewable energy. According
to the report, even by 2030 most
renewable energy technologies are
likely to remain considerably more
expensive than alternative forms of
low-carbon generation such as nuclear
and even carbon capture and storage.

EEF believes there should be a more
balanced approach which would lead
the market to provide a greater mix
of energy sources. This would
include greater use of nuclear power,
carbon capture and storage and
more emphasis on energy efficiency.

EEF director of policy, Steve
Radley, says: “Renewables must play
a growing role in our energy mix and
we need the right policies to ensure
that this happens. But we need to ask
if the 2020 renewable energy target is
leading us down the wrong path. The
previous government signed up to the
target without careful consideration
of the alternatives. This report gives
the perfect opportunity for the
current one to reconsider its merits.”