Renewables: England needs Scotland

ENGLAND would struggle to hit renewable energy targets if Scotland votes to leave the United Kingdom, the Energy Secretary said yesterday.

Ed Davey, who took over the post from Chris Huhne, said both countries need each other to tackle climate change.

“I believe renewables are a classic case of how England and Scotland need each other; indeed, how devolution in the UK has worked and is the best future for us all,” he said.

“Meeting our renewables target of 15 per cent of energy by 2020 for the UK is a tough task already. If England has to do it for itself, by itself, it will be probably be even tougher, given Scotland has relatively more renewable sources. Yet the economics of renewables is that Scotland needs English consumers to help pay for the renewables, as the technology develops.”

Speaking at the Scottish Lib Dems’ spring conference in Inverness, Davey said the UK government will embed energy efficiency across policies, stressing the importance of reducing energy demand while increasing the supply.

He set out his ambition to tackle “polluting” housing stock, which he described as the oldest and least efficient in Europe.

But he warned of resistance to the wider ambitions, adding: “Getting the Green Deal going is and will be a major challenge.”