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Green Energy - The People's Choice

Posted: 12/07/2005

The Government must grasp the ‘once in a generation opportunity’ to support the growth of the domestic renewable energy sector, says the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) on the release of its latest policy document: “Renewable energy – more than wind?” A new opinion poll, commissioned by CLA, indicates that an incredible 78% of people would prefer to use renewable energy, rather than fossil fuels, to fuel their cars and to power their homes. An overwhelming majority (84%) would also prefer that the UK produced its own renewable energy rather than buying it in from abroad.

As the G8 climate change plans for the future sink in, the CLA argues that managing the reduction in greenhouse gases without endangering the economy is actually a wonderful opportunity to create jobs and investment for the UK – particularly in rural areas. CLA Head of Rural Economy, Oliver Harwood will be exhibiting the renewable energy policy at the annual conference of PRASEG, the Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group on Tuesday 12 July.

CLA President Mark Hudson said, “All of us are confronted by a stark challenge – on current trends, the UK will miss its national greenhouse gas targets, unless energy efficiency improves and there is a significant and sustained development in renewable energy sources.

“We call on the Government to give practical help to a much broader-based renewable energy sector: wind power is not enough. At this turning point for UK agriculture there is an enormous opportunity, both for the economy and the environment, to boost our embryonic ‘grown fuels’ sector and to reduce our reliance on wind power to meet Kyoto targets.

“We’re not making a special case: renewable energy provided by agriculture must, and does, stack up in economic and environmental terms. But if we want a future where people and businesses can opt to use biofuel produced from crops in their vehicles or to buy heat and electricity produced from biomass crops, then Government needs to make some changes to planning, taxation and grant aid and to the obligations it sets itself on the sources of energy.”

The CLA policy document “Renewable energy – more than wind?” examines the opportunities presented by various UK sources of renewable energy including biomass, ground source heat, hydro, solar and wind. It offers practical recommendations for creating a thriving and broad based renewable energy sector within the UK.

For a copy of 'Renewable Energy - More Than Wind?' ring 020 7460 7936 or 07970 550 261 or visit www.cla.org.uk/RenewableEnergy.php

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