Shale gas investments 'could be worth £4bn a year to UK economy' | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Shale gas investments 'could be worth £4bn a year to UK economy' | Environment | guardian.co.uk:

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Griff Rhys Jones's letter in response to Jeremy Leggett on renewable energy | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Griff Rhys Jones's letter in response to Jeremy Leggett on renewable energy | Environment | guardian.co.uk:

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Green deal: MPs blast government for failure to quantify success | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Green deal: MPs blast government for failure to quantify success | Environment | guardian.co.uk:

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Mid term review Jan 2013 Coalition and Energy/Climate Change

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20969435

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Original coalition agreement pledges:

• Push for increase in EU emissions reduction target to 30% by 2020
• Generate more energy from renewable sources
• Invest in carbon capture and storage
• Found green investment bank
• Encourage marine energy, and energy from waste through anaerobic digestion
• Block third runway at Heathrow, and expansion of Gatwick and Stansted
• Improve home energy efficiency

What coalition says it's achieved:

• £3bn allocated to new green investment bank
• Energy derived from renewables increasing
• £1bn investment in carbon capture and storage

Where it accepts it has missed targets:

• The pledge to cut EU emissions by 30% by 2020 has been dropped in favour of getting the EU "back on track" to cutting energy consumption by 20% by 2020
• A planned rise in the renewable energy target has been abandoned
• A commitment to replace air passenger duty with a per-flight tax was axed amid fears about "legality and feasibility"
• "Green financial products" were to have enabled individuals to invest in green infrastructure, but seem to have been severely limited in scope

Labour's verdict on coalition so far:

• Solar power industry hit by changes to feed-in tariffs
• Investment in renewables has halved

Coalition's mid-term 'to do' list:

• Treble support to low-carbon energy up to 2020
• Invest in gas-fired power and carbon capture and storage projects
• Encourage the exploitation of shale gas
• Clarify rules on tax relief available for North Sea oil and gas decommissioning
• Support investment in renewable energy
• Encourage private-sector investment in nuclear power stations
• Introduce smart meters
• Encourage energy efficiency via the "Green Deal"
• Continue to support the Green Investment Bank.
• Promote electric cars

BBC environment correspondent Matt McGrath says: The coalition has tried to square the circle between their need to keep the lights on and their legal commitment to reduce carbon emissions. Thanks to their Energy Bill, people will need to pay more to fund clean power. But they've also signalled a greater reliance on natural gas and have lifted a temporary ban on fracking for shale gas. For critics, this move has undermined claims to be the "greenest government ever".

"Frack off"

Frack Off | Extreme Energy Action Network

Nov 2012 - new/old split in coalition over windfarms

'Job done' on wind farms, says John Hayes - Telegraph:

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Green Deal 'in tatters' as no-one registers - Telegraph

Green Deal 'in tatters' as no-one registers - Telegraph:

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Very good summary - Windfarms: the bitter fight dividing the UK | Environment | The Guardian

Windfarms: the bitter fight dividing the UK | Environment | The Guardian:

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2012: Giving power to the people can solve the wind farm stand-off | Damian Carrington | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Giving power to the people can solve the wind farm stand-off | Damian Carrington | Environment | guardian.co.uk:

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Who will pay the price for renewable energy and technology?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20475324

Nov 2012: Energy Bill video

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20538037

Summary:
Renewable energies to be relied upon (wind and nuclear) - to be paid for by consumersthrough bills. Good for energy industry.

Energy minister Ed Davey has unveiled the government's much-trailed Energy Bill, setting out the roadmap for the UK's switch to "a low-carbon economy".

Energy firms can increase the "green" levy from £3bn to £7.6bn a year by 2020, potentially increasing annual household bills by £100.

However, big, energy-intensive companies could be exempt from the extra costs of the switch to renewable energy, as John Moylan reports.

Nov 2012: Energy Bill and Labour opposition

29 November 2012 Last updated at 14:17Help

A lack of clarity over the decarbonisation of the energy market will "push bills up", Labour has said.

Shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint told BBC News that she welcomed the Energy Bill, but the cost of energy for customers interests had not been adequately addressed.

Energy minister Ed Davey unveiled the government's much-trailed Energy Bill, setting out the roadmap for the UK's switch to "a low-carbon economy".

Energy firms can increase the "green" levy from £3bn to £7.6bn a year by 2020, potentially increasing household bills by £100.

Nov 2012 Coalition energy bill published: Q&A

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20458326

Video and report
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20539981

Coalition green policy

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/nov/14/windfarms-coalition-environment-byelection

Green energy - consumers to pay?

Energy bills to rise to pay for green power http://gu.com/p/3c37e

Conservative activists back their own rival over wind power!

Tory MP running Corby campaign 'backed rival in anti-windfarm plot' http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/nov/13/tory-mp-corby-anti-windfarm-film

Question Time Nov '11 on Coalition Environment record

Newsnight on Coalition's Environment record

Friends of the Earth on Coalition's Environment record

Coalition dispute over windfarms

Coalition's windfarm dispute shakes renewable power investors http://gu.com/p/3bg8t