Skip to main content

Proceeding contribution from Colin Challen (Labour) in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 18 November 2008. It occurred during Debate on bill on Energy Bill.


Energy Bill

I completely agree with everything that my hon. Friend says. We want that certainty, and in the near term we will now see it for people who want to invest their own money in small schemes. That is a brilliant step forward. The 5 MW maximum that will be in the Bill, since there is no other amendment, is a huge advance. However, the certainty that that brings will last only for a certain period, until people want to go that little bit further but do not want to get involved in the complications of the RO, which was designed for big business—the big box solution—and not for the smaller player. In a few years' time, in the fourth term of a Labour Government, we will have to ask ourselves what is the appropriate level for the maximum capacity. By that time, it should not be a problem, because people will have accepted that we have made this start and it will be a matter of a little tick-box that goes up to 50 MW or whatever is then thought appropriate in the light of experience. I welcome the amendments. This debate is one of agreement and cross-party consensus. We can go out with that message, and show that on occasion Parliament works.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
483 c150 
Session
2007-08
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Access Devolved matters Consumers Decommissioning Combined heat and power Carbon dioxide Biofuels Carbon capture and storage Fees and charges Licensing Energy Electricity generation Ofgem Insolvency Heating Electric cables Oil Payments Natural gas Nuclear power Offshore structures Nuclear power stations Meters Microgeneration Rural areas Scotland Renewable energy Wind power Feed-in tariffs Renewables obligation National grid
Legislation
Energy Bill 2007-08
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk