The Government has been accused of subsidising “dirty diesel” at the expense of the new wave of “clean tech” energy projects as the MPs’ Energy and Climate Change Committee issued its last report before disbanding. The current revolution in energy generation – which has seen levels of wind and solar power generation surge across the world – was “a huge economic opportunity for the UK”, the MPs said. Battery technology and other forms of electricity storage have also been developing rapidly, solving the problem of renewables’ intermittent supplies. But, launching the report, the chair of the ECC Committee, Angus MacNeil, said the Government “must get a move on” and encourage the energy market to embrace “smart technological solutions” like storage. Diesel generators are often used to produce electricity during periods of high demand because they are easy to switch on and off, with firms receiving millions of pounds just to remain on standby under the Government’s Capacity Market system. But Mr MacNeil said energy storage was a “vital keystone” in creating a clean electricity system as it would be as easy to use.
Independent 15th Oct 2016 read more »