Shift from coal requires stronger support for renewables, says TUC

18 November 2015

Responding to a speech today (Wednesday) by the Environment Secretary Amber Rudd on the future of energy production, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“Phasing out unabated coal is the right thing to do, but government cuts to support for renewables will blow the UK’s chance of having a clean energy future with balanced supply. High tech jobs in green energy are under threat, and consumers will lose out on plummeting prices for wind and solar.

“The UK must be at the head of the global race for clean energy so that we can protect our environment, create high tech jobs, and sell green technology to the world. But if we dash for gas we will be running in the wrong direction. New gas should not be commissioned without a firm commitment to carbon capture for energy and heavy industry. And there must be a balance of supply with nuclear, gas and coal that allows renewable energy enough room for rapid growth.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The TUC argues for a balance in energy supply that includes investment in carbon capture technology to allow clean gas and coal to be part of the future green energy supply the UK needs for power generation and heavy industry. Last month the TUC published Strategies for a low-carbon industrial future in Yorkshire and the Humber, which outlines the strategy for making Yorkshire and the Humber the leading low carbon industrial zone in the EU. At the heart of the strategy is the White Rose Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project planned for construction on land adjacent to the existing Drax Power Station. Further information can be found at https://www.tuc.org.uk/industrial-issues/energy/workplace-issues/green-workplaces/strategies-low-carbon-industrial-future

- The TUC has outlined eleven ways in which the government has recently cut support for the green economy:

1. Scrapping the Zero Carbon Homes building standards
2. Changes to Vehicle Excise Duty
3. Privatising the Green Investment Bank
4. Applying the Climate Change Levy to renewable energy
5. Cut renewable energy subsidies for onshore wind
6. Cutting subsidies for larger solar power schemes
7. Cutting subsidies for small-scale renewable
8. Proposals to remove pre-accreditation for feed-in tariff schemes 
9. Delaying the autumn 2015 round of Contracts for Difference for large scale renewable energy projects.
10. Scrapping the Green Deal for home energy efficiency investments
11.  Abandoning a previous commitment to increase the share of environmental taxes in the total tax take

More details on these cuts to support for renewable can be found at here: https://www.tuc.org.uk/industrial-issues/manufacturing/energy/social-issues/damaging-low-carbon-investment-tuc-response

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

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