The Labour Manifesto on Renewables

The second in our series of reviews of the parties’ manifesto commitments on renewables. Today we’re looking at Labour.

“Britain is a transition economy: from high carbon to low carbon. To avert the catastrophe of unchecked climate change we have begun the shift to a different kind of economic future. Our vision is of a society where economic prosperity and quality of life come not from exploiting the natural world but from its defence.”

- ‘A Future Fair For All’, Labour Party Manifesto 2010

Under Labour, the renewables industry has expanded significantly – wind in particular has expanded from 320MW of installed capacity in 1997 to 4.1GW today. This is partly thanks to Labour’s support for the industry, as well as European targets for renewable energy generation. What commitments do Labour make in their manifesto to ensure our renewable future?

Meeting the Targets

Labour is planning to produce 40% of our electricity from low carbon sources by 2020, which includes renewables as well as nuclear and clean fossil fuels. Included in this plan is Labour’s commitment to producing 15% of our energy (which includes other areas such as heating and transport as well as electricity generation) from renewables. Like the Conservatives, Labour plans to implement a smarter grid system to help produce energy efficiency gains, as well as make it easier to install more renewable energy capacity.

Building Tidal Energy in the Severn

Labour plan to take a decision early in the new parliament around the feasibility of a tidal barrage on the Severn, incorporating an assessment of its likely impact on the environment. This barrage could generate up to 5% of the UK’s electricity, making an enormous contribution to meeting our renewable energy targets. However, concerns around conservation of the area have been expressed.

Investing in Renewables

Labour plan to streamline current renewables funding into a Green Investment Bank, helping make it easier for new renewables projects to get access to the money they need for development.

Making Building Easier

Labour have introduced the Infrastructure Planning Commission, which is intended to make securing planning permission for major developments (including e.g. larger wind farms or tidal barrages) significantly easier.