MP calls on the UK government to support green energy

Following the collapse of Pelamis, a renewable company in his constituency, local MP Mark Lazarowicz has used the opportunity of a speech made earlier today in Westminster to demand that the UK Government takes steps to really support the development of renewable power. 

Mark Lazarowicz called for the Government to show consistency and vision to support renewable energy technologies such as offshore wind or marine power, both of which are currently lacking in its approach to the renewables industry.

You can find his main speech in full here.

After the debate Mark commented:

“I am concerned at a lack of consistency and vision from the Government in its approach to green energy: it has the potential to create skilled jobs for the future, not least here in Edinburgh.

“Support for less established technologies like offshore wind and marine energy in the early stages is vital but they are forced to compete for limited funding.

“The Government must show the vision to make their potential a reality otherwise these industries will go elsewhere and jobs with them.”

Pelamis Marine Power based in Edinburgh recently went into administration as funding to develop its technology at commercial scale failed to materialise.

Mark was speaking in a debate on the Government’s Contracts for Difference – the new form of public funding for renewable technologies which is replacing the Renewables Obligation or ROC.

The MP explained that the funding is limited and divided between established technologies like onshore wind and solar and less established ones such as offshore wind and marine power with more of that budget likely to go to offshore wind.

Under Contracts for Difference companies are guaranteed a price – known as the strike price for the energy they generate. If the market price falls below that the Government will top up the difference and if it is higher then the energy companies must pay the difference to the Government.