Conservatives set out green plans

At the Tory conference yesterday, shadow energy and climate change secretary, Greg Clark, re-iterated the party’s plans to give all homeowners access to an allowance of up to £6500 to undertake energy efficiency improvements. He said the party would also approve immediately new nuclear and coal-fired power stations fitted with carbon capture “to keep Britain's lights on”.

Under the plans set out by Clark, the Conservatives have pledged to give immediate approval to five gigawatt power stations with ‘clean coal’ capacity and to publish planning guidance for new nuclear power.

Clark said the Tories would also support renewable energy by upgrading the National Grid to cope with the peaks and troughs of demand and energy supply from sources such as wind and by ensuring that the Grid be is extended out to sea to bring more marine and wind energy capacity online.

To get over the problems of planning for onshore wind farms, he proposed a scheme that would allow local communities that choose to host wind farms to keep the business rates from any new development for the first six years.

Clark said under a Conservative Government there would be new incentives for getting anaerobic digestion in towns and farms. The Tories would also ensure that every electric car had an overnight charging point and that electricity and gas meters would be replaced with smart meters.

Under the ‘green deal’ for homeowners, energy companies or charities would provide energy efficiency improvements such as insulation, with the costs recouped by householders through their energy bills.

Clark said  another term of Labour would mean "we’d have to get used to sitting in the dark" and added: "A Conservative Government would begin with a bound and with immediate action to keep Britain’s lights on, to cut greenhouse gas emissions and give Britain leadership in a low carbon world."

Businesses and environmental campaigners generally welcomed Clark’s proposals but said more meat was needed on the bones.

"Greg Clark's enthusiasm for a low-carbon economy is obvious,” said Friends of the Earth's executive director Andy Atkins. “He recognises the huge social and economic opportunities of action to cut emissions - but we should be getting far more detailed, coherent and ambitious policy so close to a general election."