United Kingdom’s First ‘Carbon Budget’ – Cash For Renewables, Energy Efficiency & Green-collar Jobs Article

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United Kingdom’s first ‘Carbon Budget’ – Cash for Renewables, energy efficiency & green-collar jobs

UK Chancellor Alistair Darling unveiled a series of environmental initiatives in the UK’s first ever ‘carbon budget’ this week, with approximately £1 billion pounds allocated to encourage sustainable and efficient energy use and deliver ‘green jobs’.

Author: Sam Newell

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The budget promised carbon emission cuts of 34 per cent by 2020. Darling called it a "landmark step". The new target is well ahead of the 20 per cent promised at EU level and puts UK targets well above those in the united states.

Greenpeace dismissed the energy saving initiatives, expected to save around 380,000 tonnes of CO2 every year, as “woeful”. "The emissions saved per year represent about two weeks' emissions from Radcliffe-on-Soar coal-powered station” added the environment group's spokesperson.

Lord Turner, chairman of the Climate Change Committee and one of the central figures behind the budget, added “The carbon budgets provide the UK with the most ambitious climate change legislation in the world. We need to start reducing our emissions now, and we need tough policies and strong leadership from government.”

Green-collar jobs

The Governments green collar jobs strategy is a key part of this carbon budget. Darling predicted government spending on environmental initiatives in the fight against climate change would create large numbers of "green-collar jobs". He claimed that there “could be over a million jobs in our environmental industries within the next two decades” providing “huge opportunities” for businesses.

“These budgets give industry the certainty needed to develop and use low-carbon technology – cutting emissions, creating new businesses and jobs.”

Funding for skills development and training also gone up, with an additional £260 million pounds focused on "sectors with strong future demand" which will benefit those in environmental industry sectors.

Sam Newell, founder of the green collar jobs portal, RenewableEnergyJobs.com (http://www.renewableenergyjobs.com) noted “Investment on this scale is just what we need to develop a UK workforce capable of supporting a low carbon economy.”

Offshore wind

Offshore wind is one of the big winners from this budget, Darling adding that Britain needed alternative energy investment, talking of a new "North Sea energy hub", designed around offshore wind and including gas storage and carbon capture.

"The credit squeeze is holding back major offshore wind projects. I want to lift the barriers -- through £525 million pounds of new financial support over the next two years for offshore wind, funded through the renewables obligation. The potential is enormous," he added.
"I am confident that this will lead to major projects getting the go-ahead quickly, providing enough electricity to meet the needs of up to 3 million households."

This is still someway short however, of the £2 billion pounds asked for by the wind industry but should be enough to help a number proposed projects that are under threat including the London Array, the world’s biggest.

Paul Golby, chief executive of Eon UK, which has a 30 per cent share in the London Array, added he was “certain” the move “would help transform wind power in the UK”.

Car Scrappage & Green Cars

In an move to boost sales within the struggling automotive industry and encourage us to swap to greener, more efficient vehicles, The Chancellor confirmed that the government will launch a scrappage scheme worth £2,000 per car. The scheme covers the 10 million cars in the UK that are currently older than 10 years. The scheme kicks in next month and should run until March 2010 or until the money runs out, whichever is soonest.

The Chancellor also announced a major reform to vehicle excise duty in 2010 “to encourage manufacturers to produce cleaner cars” new bands will be brought in offering an “incentive to encourage drivers to choose the least polluting car”.

Green buildings

An additional £435 million pounds of extra support will be provided “to deliver energy efficiency measures -- for homes, businesses and public buildings” such as weatherproofing.
The government also announced that from a £500 million pounds package designed to kick-start the building industry it would spend £100 million pounds helping local authorities to build low-carbon homes.

Other Energy Investment

The Chancellor announced plans for a further two carbon capture and storage demonstration plants maintaining an option to build another two in the future, how these projects will be funded is unclear.

Darling also announced that highly efficient combined heat and power plants are to be exempted from the climate change levy from 2013 which he predicts will attract £2.5 billion pounds of private money.

About Author

Sam Newell is the founder of RenewableEnergyJobs.com (http://www.renewableenergyjobs.com) the global renewables job site.

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United Kingdom’s first ‘Carbon Budget’ – Cash for Renewables, energy efficiency & green-collar jobs