23rd
July
2009
Atmos Consulting welcomes the publication of the UK Renewable Energy Strategy 2009
Following a period of consultation, the Department for Energy and Climate Change recently published the UK Renewable Energy Strategy 2009.
Philip Lewis, Principal Planner at Atmos consulting commented:
"The commitment of the Government to achieving a seven fold increase in the use of renewable energy in a little over ten years is most welcome. This means that more than 30% of electricity generated will come from renewable sources by 2020, compared with 5.5% at present. This presents both the renewable energy industry and national and local governments with clear challenges to be overcome if our climate change goals are to be met.
The proposed measures to improve planning for renewable energy in England are essential if the proposed step change in renewable energy use is to be achieved by 2020. The new national policy statement and the combined PPS on Climate Change are keenly awaited.
The proposed funding for regions and local authorities to prepare for and speed up planning decisions on renewable and low carbon energy and positively the recognition of the need to develop skills and build capacity within local planning authorities will hopefully lead to resources to provide more specialist training for local authority planners, and consequently better decision making. The setting up of the Office of Renewable Energy Deployment is also welcome and an important step forward."
View the UK Renewable Energy Strategy 2009.
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