Environmental Audit Committee: 'Keeping the lights on'

Our response makes the following points:

• Renewables and energy efficiency measures are not sufficiently developed to make up for the shortfall in energy generating capacity caused by the phase out of nuclear power stations and older coal plants.
• The introduction of an appropriate economic instrument would encourage the development of cleaner technologies and a move away from carbon based fuels as well as promoting energy efficiency measures.
• Low carbon electricity generation options such as nuclear new build and the employment of carbon capture and storage technologies need to be considered as they help to ensure diversity of supply whilst minimising carbon dioxide emissions.
• The development, deployment and financing of these technologies are global issues, going far beyond the UK.