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Proceeding contribution from Christopher Chope (Conservative) in the House of Commons on Friday, 17 March 2006. It occurred during Debate on bill on Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill 2005-06.


As amended in the Standing Committee, further considered.

My hon. Friend is right. On 13 March, Ceres Power issued the following press release:"““Ceres Power, the AIM-quoted fuel cell group, announces that it has taken a major step in commercialising its technology with the achievement of a critical milestone. The Company has successfully designed, built and tested a 1 kW fuel cell stack (the ‘Ceres Stack’) generating sufficient power for the average home.””" Ceres Power thinks that a 1kW fuel cell stack will generate enough power for the average home, but my hon. Friend the Member for Bexhill and Battle asserted that we need 10kW. An AIM-listed company says that a small, lightweight fuel cell which, I believe, almost fits into the palm of one’s hand, can deliver 1kW. Surely, it is not so out of touch as to underestimate by a factor of 10 the power needs of the average home? If my hon. Friend is right, one would have to buy 10 of those compact fuel cells to supply one household’s fuel needs. I hope that we can get to the bottom of the matter because, as my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering suggested, if we want to educate and encourage people to use microgeneration—my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition has given a strong lead on that—we must ensure that the natives do not get restless. We do not want people to think that they can engage in an industrial process in their back garden that would enable them to sell 95 per cent. of their output. Jam makers are subject to regulations that prevent them from selling surplus jam at Women’s Institute markets. Why, then, should individuals be allowed to generate 49kW of energy and sell it to the national grid while they keep 1kW for themselves?


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
443 c1726 
Session
2005-06
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Combined heat and power Climate change Environment protection Energy Electricity generation Ofgem Planning Scotland Wind power Carbon emissions Fuel cells
Legislation
Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill 2005-06
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk