Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Simon Wright and Lord Barker of Battle
Simon Wright (Norwich South) (LD)
20. What the Government’s preferred options are for structural reform of the EU emissions trading system.
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Gregory Barker)
The UK supports urgent reform of the EU ETS including through cancellation of an ambitious volume of surplus allowances. We are also examining other options to deliver our climate goals.
Simon Wright
I thank the Minister for that response and I strongly welcome the role the UK played in securing a positive vote in favour of backloading in the European Parliament last week. May I urge Ministers to ensure that the UK continues to show strong leadership in strengthening the ETS and tackling the enormous over-supply of allowances?
Gregory Barker
I can assure my hon. Friend that that is exactly what we are doing, and we will continue to press for a higher level of ambition in Europe on a 2020 target as well.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Simon Wright and Lord Barker of Battle
Simon Wright (Norwich South) (LD)
15. What steps he is taking to support combined heat and power biomass gasification plants.
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Gregory Barker)
We see a big role in the future for combined heat and power gasification plants. The coalition has introduced the renewable heat incentive to support exactly that type of technology and will shortly publish details of future subsidies for renewable electricity under the renewables obligation. Furthermore, DECC’s UK renewable energy road map clearly sets out the actions we are already taking to remove non-financial barriers to deployment.
Simon Wright
The university of East Anglia campus in my constituency is able to receive considerable heat and power from its unique biomass gasification plant, which is the first of its kind in the UK. When sustainable syngas cannot be produced due to the maintenance cleaning cycle, the boiler switches to natural gas. However, dual fuel plants are ineligible to receive renewable heat incentive payments. Will the Minister consider whether the RHI guidance could be made more flexible further to encourage investment in innovative low-carbon technologies?
Gregory Barker
My hon. Friend raises a good point and we are keen to be as flexible, pragmatic and ambitious as possible. I can confirm that the Government will explore the inclusion of dual fuel biogas and fossil fuel installations within the RHI and I thank him for his idea.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Simon Wright and Lord Barker of Battle(13 years, 8 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Simon Wright (Norwich South) (LD)
15. When he plans to respond to the Committee on Climate Change’s fourth carbon budget report.
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Gregory Barker)
The Climate Change Act 2008 requires the Government to set the fourth carbon budget level in law no later than 30 June 2011. I anticipate that a statutory instrument will be laid before the House after the Easer recess.
Gregory Barker
My hon. Friend is right: there is a whole range of measures, but transport is also key. The recent spending review announced that the Government have provided up to £400 million for measures to promote the uptake of ultra-low carbon vehicle technologies, including support for consumer incentives, the development of recharging infrastructure and a programme of research and development work, which we continue to add to.
Simon Wright
The Committee on Climate Change recommended a tightening of the second and third carbon budgets in the light of the impact of the recession. Does the Minister agree that we must deliver on that recommendation and use the Committee’s report as a means of strengthening the UK’s global leadership in encouraging our international partners to tighten their emissions targets?