December 17, 2003—A new bill to promote “cleaner, greener power” and competitive and reliable energy supplies for now and for the future was introduced in the British House of Lords November 27. The Energy Bill will implement a range of commitments made in the Energy White Paper: Our energy future— creating a low carbon economy (.pdf), published in February 2003.
Energy Minister Stephen Timms said, “The Energy White paper was a milestone in energy policy. It set out a new strategy for the long-term, based upon four goals: environmental protection, energy reliability, competitive markets, and affordable energy for all. This Bill demonstrates that we are serious about meeting the challenging targets of the White Paper, with measures which will help us ensure that 10% of our electricity comes from renewable sources by the year 2010.”
The White Paper stated the goal for renewables to meet 20% of British electricity needs by 2020. The Minister added that the government is working to cut CO2 emissions by 60% by 2050. He also outlined the core themes of the bill: sustainable energy; dealing with the nuclear legacy; and ensuring competitive energy markets and reliable energy supplies.
