Red tape surrounding micro-generation to be reduced?
The UK government recently announced that it intends to greatly reduce the red tape which delays and holds up planning applications for micro-renewable energy installations. Under plans to streamline the governing of household appliances, ministers said planning restrictions for small-scale micro-generation would be lifted. Such a move should pave the way for domestic installations being able to proceed without the need for planning permission. The micro-renewables would include such things as solar PV cells, solar panels for water heating and small wind-turbines.
Housing minister Yvette Cooper said:
“It is absurd that you should be able to put a satellite dish up on your house but should have to wrestle with the planning process for small scale micro-generation
which is no more obtrusive and can have a real impact on tackling climate change. We want far more micro-generation to be treated as permitted development and we also should be able to simplify the system for small developments such as extensions.”
Quite, so why doesn’t the government take a much more agressive role in promoting micro-generation. Research by the Energy Saving Trust suggested micro-generation could provide 30 to 40 per cent of Britain’s electricity needs by 2050. Which of course suggests a reduced need for all the new nuclear power stations.
Written by ashleys on July 30th, 2006 with no comments.
Read more articles on General.
