Why not build more wind farms and tidal power stations?
The Government has committed the UK to generating 40 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2020. But it says renewable energy sources – such as wind, solar, wave and tidal – cannot meet the energy gap. Environmental groups disagree. They point to German which has 300 times as much solar power and 10 times as much wind power installed as the UK. Environmental groups and some scientists also say money would be better spent reducing demand for electricity through energy efficiency and harnessing the UK’s tidal and wind power. Who will pay? The Government says the private sector will pay for the cost of building the new power stations and decommissioning them at the end of their working life. However, in practice that means the cost will be passed to consumer in higher electricity bills. It also wants the industry to pay its “fair share” of the costs of handling and storing nuclear waste. It is expected to charge industry “rent” for space in a central fuel dump paid for and mai
