Thursday 24th January 2008
Statement

Joint response to the UK renewable energy target announcement, 23 January 2008, by:
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)
The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM)

We welcome the 15% EU-set target for the proportion of UK energy to come from renewable sources by 2020.  We must move purposefully towards a truly sustainable global energy future - with the developed world leading the way – and the rapid deployment of renewables for transport, power and buildings is a crucial part of this.

Despite its abundant natural renewable energy resources, both on land and around its coastline, the UK lags far behind other EU nations in expanding its renewable energy usage.  This new target must stimulate the “big push” for renewables Prime Minister Blair promised in July 2006, and achieving it rests absolutely on an accelerated, ambitious and coordinated package of measures being implemented urgently across the UK energy field.

First and foremost, the Government must make its top priority to reduce overall energy demand through conservation and efficiency measures – 15% of a small number is much easier to achieve than 15% of a large (and still growing) number!  Demand will never be reduced to zero, though, so the other major focus for Government is to boost supplies of all forms of renewable energy, including from biomass and waste. Specifically, we propose the following policy measures.

Investment in decentralised and large-scale renewable energy systems. Government should ensure a fair value for distributed and renewable energy, and provide regulatory and fiscal incentives for consumers, installers and network operators by:

• Realising the energy potential of biomass. Government should enable the maximum use of biomass for energy consistent with secure food provision. It should eliminate obstacles to the energy use of biomass from waste streams and encourage all forms of energy from waste (EfW) as part of a co-ordinated response to the renewables target, climate change mitigation and Landfill Directive.  Research  shows that EfW could supply something like 17% of total UK electricity consumption by 2020.  Its contribution to overall energy supply would be further enhanced if implemented as Combined Heat and Power (CHP).  This can be three times more efficient than solely generating electricity and is even more effective when linked into district heating networks.
• Providing engineering-led advice and financial incentives for householders, businesses, communities and Local Authorities to install optimum-scale renewable energy systems within their areas.
• Streamlining the consenting process. Government must ensure that changes to planning and consenting procedures actually deliver accelerated, dependable and fair consenting for sustainable energy projects of whatever scale.
• Continuing to encourage the rapid deployment of off-shore wind farms and reaching a decision as quickly as possible on options for a tidal barrage or system of tidal lagoons in the Severn estuary.

Reduced consumption through energy saving. Government should implement a package of measures that deliver an absolute reduction in energy consumption in industry, transport and the home, including;
• Ramping up building standards for all new build (residential and commercial).
• Providing engineering-led advice and financial incentives for owners and users of existing buildings to install energy-efficiency measures.
• Incentivising car owners to buy new or second-hand models with substantially better fuel efficiency, and make fuel consumption gauges compulsory.
• Providing better, lower carbon, lower energy, competitive alternatives to air travel.
• Speeding through the introduction of genuinely “smart” meters to better inform energy consumers and suppliers and help them to identify potential savings.

Strategic approach to energy transmission. Government should facilitate the transport of renewable electricity, heat, gas and fuel through existing national and local networks, and address the current energy inefficiencies in these networks.
Investment in energy skills and research, development and demonstration (R,D&D).  Government must do more to support the engineering development of future renewable energy options. Priority areas include;
• Encouraging young people into engineering courses and careers - by promoting the vital role of engineering in developing and delivering the technological solutions to the global energy issues we all face.
• District heat distribution systems – making efficient usage of the large quantities of heat energy generated in thermal power stations.
• Wave and tidal energy systems.
• Low cost, high efficiency solar photovoltaic systems.
• Second (and third) generation biofuels.
• Electrical energy storage systems.

For more information contact:

Pat Jennings
Communications Manager
CIWM
Tel: 01604 620426
Mob: 07881 878568
E-mail: pat.jennings@ciwm.co.uk