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Energy secretary Chris Huhne has outlined a series of measures aimed at improving energy efficiency, boosting renewables and to allow new nuclear projects to commence.
Huhne was setting out the government's policy to secure the UK's energy supplies while "keeping the lights on" in the face of warnings of a potential power crisis.
In the first annual energy statement to Parliament, Huhne set out 32 actions being taken to accelerate the transformation of the energy system and wider economy.
The department will also publish a series of 2050 "pathways" outlining the ways in which the UK can meet its commitment to reducing emissions by 80 per cent within the next 40 years.
The new online "2050 calculator"will go live, giving individualsopportunity to explore for themselves the challenges in building a 2050 energy system.
Huhne told MPs the government was setting out a "a clear strategy for creating the 21st century energy system that this country urgently needs for an affordable, secure, low-carbon future".
"These are possible pathways," he told MPs.
"We are not claiming to be able to see the future with certainty. But we cannot continue on the current pathway: high-carbon, highly dependent on imports, highly volatile prices."
Measures set out today include efforts to roll out smart meters, increase information for individuals to "take control of energy", provide incentives for heat produced from renewable sources and to bring in emissions performance standards for power plants.
Also announced is a joint DECC/Ofgem open letter on seeking an offshore transmission regime for future offshore wind farms and plans to remove obstacles to private investment in new nuclear.
The government will also be publishing an analysis of the impact of energy and climate change policies on household and business bills up to 2020.
Huhne said the government will continue to "work together with our international partners in efforts to promote action on climate change and energy security around the world".
"We are working hard to put Europe at the front of the race for low carbon technology.
"This will help refresh the appetite for action across the world after the disappointment of Copenhagen."
Shadow energy secretary Ed Miliband said the government was failing to match its rhetoric on creating a green revolution.
Miliband did welcome the continued work on the 2050 pathways, role of local authorities and smart metering.
He said the problem with the statement was that "there are a whole range of issues that are going backwards rather than forwards" compared with the Labour administration.
"The truth about this government is that you promised it would be the greenest government ever.
"Any fair-minded person looking at this statement will conclude that it is a huge disappointment - a huge disappointment to industry, to the country as well.
"You said in our first debate that the one thing the government are going to do is to under-promise and over-deliver. On today's evidence you got it the wrong way round."
The shadow energy minister accused Huhne of having given in to "Tory nimby-ism" and abolished local targets for renewables and regional ones as well.
Huhne insisted the statement had provided a clear route map towardsr eaching the low-carbon economy.
He criticised Miliband for suggesting there was a "bottomless bucket of money that somehow we can dip our hands in and throw at problems" when in fact there was "no money left".
Huhne added: "You talk the talk, but we are actually delivering."
Alan Whitehead (Lab, Southampton Test) referred to statements by ministers that had ruled out the inclusion of microgeneration in green deal offers for homes, which he warned would make it only a small initiative.
He said: "Does he accept this effectively means the green deal will be a small mass."
Sarah Newton (Con, Truro and Falmouth) asked about the government's commitment to renewable heat.
Huhne said all such decisions needed to be taken in line with the spending review but there was a "clear commitment" in the statement to renewable heat.
Duncan Hames (Lib Dem, Chippenham) asked for the limits on the exposure of nuclear operators if there were to be a catastrophe to be raised to the levels experienced by BP in its clean up.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd
The Institution of Engineering and Technology
28th Jul 2010 at 7:56 am