ICE urges Government to start encouraging people to invest in clean technologies 
(13/06/2008)
The Institution of Civil Engineers have recently urged the House of Lords to vote for the cross party amendment to the Energy Bill, known as ‘New Clause 4: “Renewable Energy Tariff”. The Clause aims to encourage households and businesses to produce their own renewable energy by putting in place legislation for a set of tariffs to cover small-scale renewable initiatives.
270 MPs, including over 100 Labour MPs, have signed an Early Day Motion asking for the Energy Bill to be amended to include a feed-in tariff. The Clause also resulted in the biggest rebellion of Gordon Brown’s premiership to date when voted on in the House of Commons, with 38 Labour MPs voting for the Clause and against the government.
ICE’s Director General Tom Foulkes said: “With the UK currently sitting almost at the bottom of the European league table for renewables, it is time for the government to start encouraging people to invest in clean technologies. We are therefore urging the Lords to pass the RET Clause.
“Government policy to date has focused only on large-scale power production through the Renewables Obligation. A feed-in tariff such as this has proven to be highly effective across Europe at stimulating wide investment, enterprise and innovation in local, decentralised energy. ICE is pleased to join with the many other professional, industry and environmental bodies in support of this Clause.”
The RET Clause would commit the government to the establishment of a reward scheme for metered renewable energy within one year. It is due to be debated in the House of Lords.
Related categories: Legislation and regulation
