To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what alternative provision will be made for the supply of energy needed to meet targets likely to be required under the EU 20 per cent. renewables target for total primary energy in circumstances where a shortfall may be caused by insufficient wind speed to supply usable power by means of wind generation. (175777)

In the summer, the Government will launch a full consultation on what more we should do to increase renewable energy use to meet our share of the EU 2020 renewables target. This will consider a range of issues including the role of wind power and other technologies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what consultations his Department has undertaken on the operation of the renewables obligation. (183918)

There have been nine consultations undertaken on the operation of the renewable obligation in England and Wales since its introduction:

New and Renewable Energy: Prospects for the 21st Century: The Renewables Obligation Preliminary Consultation—October 2000;

New and Renewable Energy: Prospects for the 21st Century: The Renewables Obligation Statutory Consultation—August 2001;

New and Renewable Energy: Prospects for the 21st Century: The Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order 2003 Statutory Consultation—August 2003;

New and Renewable Energy: Prospects for the 21st Century: The Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order 2003 Statutory Consultation on Late Payments—August 2003;

The Renewables Obligation Order 2005 Statutory Consultation—September 2004;

2005-06 Review of the Renewables Obligation Preliminary Consultation—March 2005;

2005-06 Review of the Renewables Obligation Statutory Consultation—October 2005;

Reform of the Renewables Obligation and Statutory Consultation on the Renewables Obligation Order 2007—October 2006;

Renewable Energy: Reform of the Renewables Obligation—May 2007.

They can be found on the BERR website—along with their supporting documents—at:

http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sources/renewables/policy/renewables-obligation/key-stages/page18361 .html