The UK has been set stringent targets for reducing carbon emissions and if these are to be met, green power has to be fully utilised.
Energy
And the new Energy and Climate secretary Ed Davey says Britain is on course to meeting the targets by 2020, ahead of a summit in London with 23 nations. The meeting will be focused on using green power as an alternative to fuel, such as solar panels, wind turbines and heat pumps.

Davey hopes the summit can show off what Britain is doing to promote energy efficiency and low-carbon development, despite calls from Tory Ministers for the Government to reduce wind turbine plans over cost fears.

Green power has taken centre stage in the last few years as homeowners and businesses alike look to reduce energy bills and generate carbon-free electricity and heat.

Small-scale systems such as PV panels and geothermal heat pumps help to:

  • Reduce annual energy bills by utilising a natural energy
  • Cut carbon emissions with environmentally friendly technology

A £35m fund will be available to help demonstrate low-carbon technologies such as heat pumps and advanced lighting and says “this is a practical way that we can make sure we get to a low-carbon economy”.

The Government have received plenty of flack recently, especially with concerns that David Cameron’s plans of being the greenest Government ever are hollow.

But Davey told BBC Radio 4: “This government is doing more on energy efficiency than any government in history. Indeed we are leading the world.”

He also believes that by 2020 the UK will have 30% of its electricity generated through green power.

He said: “We started off from a very low base. When we came to government, we were right at the bottom of the league,” he said. “But we really have now begun to turn that round and we are moving fast.

“If you look at the progress we are making and look at our plans, I think we will hit that target.”

But these green power targets could come at a price for the Government, with Chancellor George Osborne suggesting that it’ll be an expense of extra burdens on business and reduced competitiveness.

And more than 100 Conservative MPs have called for the Prime Minister to pull the plug on green power offshore wind development as tension mounts over the cost of funding.

Former DECC leader Chris Huhne, says these MPS are trying to sabotage the future Green Deal plans – which will help homeowners reduce their energy bills with insulation.