Microgeneration

John Howell (Henley) (Con)
10. What recent estimate he has made of the likely proportion of the UK’s electricity supply to be generated by microgeneration technologies in 2020.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (Mr. David Kidney)
We estimate that approximately 2 per cent. of the UK’s electricity supply will be generated by small-scale technologies in 2020.

John Howell
Among EU countries, the UK lies behind everyone except Luxembourg and Malta in renewable energy use. What lessons does the Minister think he can learn from more successful EU member states?

Mr. Kidney
Clearly not to follow the example of Conservative Members in opposing renewable energy developments, but rather to follow successful Labour policies, such as the one that makes us the lead in the world in offshore wind. The hon. Gentleman’s question was about microgeneration, so perhaps we can return to the subject of feed-in tariffs, which a Labour Government are introducing from this April and which will encourage these developments.

Mr. Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op)
Does my hon. Friend know that Carbon Connect’s progress report on low-carbon technologies, on the commercial barriers and on how we overcome them will be launched somewhere around Westminster this lunch time?

Mr. Kidney
I certainly hope that I am aware of that important event as I am due to speak at it.