The government has published its plans to cut carbon emissions and move the economy towards a low carbon footing.

The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan plots out how the UK will meet the cut in emissions set out in the budget of 34% on 1990 levels by 2020.

Ed Miliband, secretary for the Department of Energy and Climate change (DECC), said that the plans were a route-map towards taking the C02 out of everyday living.

Miliband said: 鈥淩enewables, nuclear and clean fossil fuels are the trinity of low carbon and the future of energy in Britain. Under our plans we will get 40% of our electricity from low carbon energy by 2020 and more in the years afterwards.鈥�

The plans state that by 2020:

  • More than 1.2 million people will be in green jobs
  • Seven million homes will enjoy pay-as-you-save home energy makeovers
  • Over 1.5 million households will be supported to produce their own clean energy
  • Around 40% of electricity will be from low carbon sources, from renewables, nuclear and clean coal
  • We will be importing half the amount of gas that we otherwise would
  • The average new car will emit 40% less carbon than now

The plan also sees the introduction of the Office for Renewable Energy Deployment. This new office has been launched to speed up the growth of renewables, and the speed at which planning decisions are made.

DECC will also take responsibility from Ofgem for establishing a new grid access regime within 12 months. The department will also launch a consultation on a feed-in tariff for individuals and communities who generate their own renewable power.

The secretary also promised up to 拢120m from low carbon investment funding to advance offshore wind; up to 拢60m in wave and tidal energy and 拢6m invested into geothermal.

Maria McCaffery, chief executive of the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA), welcomed the news. She said the government had 鈥渞ightly ignored the siren calls to abandon wind as the driving force for reaching its targets.鈥�

RIBA president Sunand Prasad also describing the plans as a 鈥渟ignificant step forward in planning for the transition to a true low carbon economy.鈥�

Paul Reeve, head of environment at the Electrical Contractors鈥� Association (ECA), also praised the measures outlined in the white paper. Reeve said he would like to see more incentives introduced to encourage householders and businesses to go green, including a potential scrappage scheme for white goods.

鈥淲e would like to see the introduction of a range of green incentives,鈥� said Reeve, 鈥渋ncluding an Energy Scrappage scheme, similar to the Government鈥檚 Vehicle Scrappage scheme, whereby anyone buying a 鈥榯op energy performance鈥� replacement unit or white goods appliance would receive a 鈥榮crappage鈥� allowance equivalent to the prevailing rate of VAT.鈥�

Miliband said that the plans showed Britain was 鈥渄etermined to play its part in the low carbon revolution鈥�, particularly with the Copenhagen Climate summit approaching. The DECC secretary also said that a 鈥済lobal and ambitious deal was needed in Copenhagen.鈥�

Source

黑洞社区 Sustainable Design