Each year we run a stall at a number of community events to raise public awareness. This year we are looking at Renewable Energy, If you have an event cooming up and think that you would like our stall please let us know.

We asked each of the local political parties to answer 5 questions to show their support for renewable energy, you can see there answer’s below

North Wilts FOE - Stall Renewable Energy Questions May 06

Lib Dem replies received prior to May 06

Labour replies received early July

Green Party replies received early July

Conservative – still waiting!

Policy on Electricity Generation:

1. In terms of future national policy for the generation of electricity, how important is decentralised generation (in or close to homes and businesses) relative to centralised generation in large power stations ?

Labour: The Minister did not address this question.

Conservative: No response as yet.

Lib Dem: Decentralised energy is of fundamental importance to the Liberal Democrats. It is for this reason that we through our full weight behind the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill. It is not sustainable to continue with a highly inefficient national grid when decentralised power can provide a cleaner, more secure generating network.

Decentralising energy allows local communities to participate in the process of deciding what energy mix they want. The Liberal democrats back micro-generation for the same reasons, it is essential that these technologies receive the support they need to succeed as they are key to cutting the UK’s carbon emissions and helping the poorest out of fuel poverty.

Green: Very important indeed. The Green Party supports decentralisation, and also energy efficiency.

2. Should all new homes, new commercial buildings and new industrial premises be required to generate a proportion of their own electricity by carbon-free/carbon-neutral means ?  If so, what proportion ?

Labour: The Minister did not address this question.

Conservative: No response as yet.

Lib Dem:. We need to do more to encourage the installation of micro-generation systems in new buildings. The Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill is a welcome step forward because it makes further provisions for increasing the take up of micro-generation. The Liberal Democrats are eager to see the Government set rigorous targets to encourage the growth of micropower. A target centred approach which allows local authorities to pursue their own policies is the best way forward.

Green: We fully support this move, but have not yet set a proportion, as far as I know.

3. Should nuclear electricity generation be permitted with new nuclear power stations built, or should the nuclear electricity generating industry be closed down ?

Labour: ... the government recognises that nuclear generation is a low carbon form of electricity generation that currently provides about 19% of electricity in the UK. Some existing power stations are coming to the end of their economic lives and will be closed in coming years. We also recognise that there are issues that would be raised by building new nuclear power stations, including the creation of long-term liabilities such as nuclear waste. We are looking at all these questions in the energy review. 

Conservative: No response as yet.

Lib Dem:. The Liberal Democrats are strongly opposed to any new Nuclear Programme. Reliance on nuclear is not consistent with working towards a decentralised, efficient power generation system. The cost of decommissioning Nuclear power is estimated to be £70billion and cost over runs of between 30 – 100 per cent are commonplace. The public subsidy required to establish a new generation of nuclear power stations would be better spent on developing and establishing renewable technology in the UK.

Green: Close down. Conservation Micro CHP and renewable energy can cover the “energy gap”.

4. Other than in National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, should there be a presumption in favour in planning law for the building and operation of onshore wind turbines ?

Labour: The Minister did not address this question.

Conservative: No response as yet.

Lib Dem: The Liberal Democrats favour spatial planning in local areas which would allow local authorities to establish their own schemes for meeting local co2 reduction targets. Wind power may not be appropriate in every single location but recent experience shows that when communities stand to benefit socially and financially from the small wind projects then debates concerning the location of renewable projects are much more constructive. The Gigha wind farm in Scotland is Scotland’s first community owned scheme that feeds power back into the grid on a commercial basis. Community ownership turns a windfarm form being merely a burden, to a collective opportunity for local areas.

Green: Yes. Though we would wish to develop offshore as a priority.

5. Do you think it is a sensible course for public money, by means of grants and subsidy, to be allocated to the development of decentralised electricity generation, or would such public money be better spent on other CO₂ reduction strategies such as nuclear generation and carbon capture and storage ?

Labour: The Minister did not address this question.

Conservative: No response as yet.

Lib Dem: The Liberal Democrats do not believe that building a new generation of Nuclear Power stations is necessary in reducing our carbon emissions. Nuclear power is a mature industry which requires a huge public subsidy to survive and this is unacceptable. We should recognise that, although nuclear produces less carbon than fossil fuelled power stations, it still has a significant carbon footprint. Young technologies such as carbon capture, renewables, and micro-generation could all benefit from public investment to make them successful and sustainable technologies.

Green: We favour decentralised and renewables; we reject nuclear generation, and distrust carbon capture as it may be seen as a way of squeezing the last drops of oil out of spent oil fields.