Law set to push use of micro generation
A private members bill to encourage micro generation, energy efficiency and heat from renewable energy has become law. The Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill was promoted by Labour MP for Edinburgh North and Leith Mark Lazarowicz. Among its provisions, it requires the government to set national targets for micro generation and makes it easier for householders to sell excess generation back to their electricity retailer and to receive Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) for the power they generate. It also requires the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to make a yearly report on progress towards meeting the UK's greenhouse gas reduction targets. The Department of Trade and Industry also added a provision allowing the Secretary of State to cap transmission charges to encourage renewables in areas where they are a disincentive to developers. This aims to boost renewables -- particularly wind -- in the Scottish islands, which have a large renewable resource, but where transmission charges are the highest in the UK.