Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jo Swinson and Charles Hendry

Thursday 11th November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire) (LD)]

The Government’s current target is for 15% of energy to be produced from renewable sources by 2020. If the measures we are taking to encourage renewables prove successful, will the Government consider being more ambitious and revise that target upwards?

[Charles Hendry]

We have asked the Committee on Climate Change to look at whether that level of ambition should be raised. We are also examining whether we can do more through international co-operation: have some areas of renewable energy been locked out because they cannot be used for other countries’ domestic markets, so can we go further by looking at a “whole islands” approach around the British isles to maximise the resources that are available?