Energy secretary Ed Davey this week hit back at suggestions that the government had moved away from an evidence-based approach to renewable energy subsidies.
Speaking at the Global Offshore Wind Conference, he insisted that the government’s renewables target was “not an optional extra”. He said when taking decisions on the level of subsidy, “we will follow the evidence”.
Davey was responding to comments made by the big six energy companies in evidence to the Select Committee on Energy and Climate Change last week. They complained that new subsidy levels for the Renewables Obligation had been delayed, and they believed an evidence-led approach had been undermined by the Treasury.
A Decc spokesman told Utility Week the new banding levels for the Renewables Obligation “would likely be published in the month ahead”.
This article first appeared in Utility Week’s print edition of 22 June 2012.
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