Correction to Lords Question for Short Debate

House of Lords written statement – made at on 16 November 2011.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Baroness Stowell of Beeston Baroness Stowell of Beeston Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

In the course of Lord Thomas of Gresford's Question for Short Debate on the impact of wind farms on the communities and landscape of mid-Wales and Shropshire on 9 November 2011 (Hansard, col. 321) I stated:

"Noble Lords also asked about other options. The noble Lord, Lord Rowe-Beddoe, asked what other renewables we are considering and mentioned biomass fuel. I take this opportunity to remind noble Lords that in July this year the Government published their renewables road map, which set out the various renewable technologies that would form part of their plan for hitting the target of 20 per cent of renewables by 2010. The noble Baroness mentioned a figure of 30 per cent but the target is actually 20 per cent. Biomass plays an important part in that. Indeed, it is one of the leading contributors".

That response was not in fact correct and I would like to clarify the statement.

Noble Lords also asked about other options. The noble Lord, Lord Rowe-Beddoe, asked what other renewables we are considering and mentioned biomass fuel. I take this opportunity to remind noble Lords that in July this year the Government published their renewables road map, which set out the various renewable technologies that would form part of their plan for hitting the target of 15 per cent of the UK's energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020. The noble Baroness mentioned a figure of 30 per cent but the target is actually 15 per cent. Biomass plays an important part in that. Indeed, it is one of the leading contributors.

House of Lords

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