Speaking at Renewable UK’s annual conference on Wednesday, Ed Davey warned the industry that “the political voices against an expansion in renewables have become ever shriller”.
He added that those MPs opposing renewable technologies are destroying jobs, stopping growth, and preventing communities from receiving the benefits associated to hosting renewable technologies.
The energy secretary stated that while “it is right that some are turned down” because they are not appropriately sited, some political voices are “driven by less honourable motives”.
He said these included “populism”, “vested interests” and an “anti-science” agenda of some politicians.
Davey added: “If we are to win the politics of renewables – and I believe we must – we have to face down those voices.”
The energy secretary told delegates that a “coalition for renewables” had to be created across the major political parties ahead of the general election in May in order for this to happen and for the deployment of renewable technologies to continue.
He added: “The five years of the next parliament must see a continued rapid expansion of renewable power – more onshore wind, more offshore wind, more solar.”
Davey also called for the next parliament to “see less-mature renewable power technologies actually being deployed – especially tidal”.
This, he said, would ensure the UK met its legal emissions reduction target, have a secure energy supply, whilst achieving these goals “in the most cost-effective way possible”.