UKís first ëCarbon Budgetí – Investment in offshore wind, energy efficiency & green jobs

UK Chancellor Alistair Darling unveiled a series of ëgreení initiatives in the UKís first ever ëcarbon budgetí on this week, with around 1 billion pounds set aside to encourage alternative and efficient energy use and deliver ëgreen jobsí.

The budget promised carbon emission cuts of 34 per cent by 2020. Darling called the move a landmark step. The increased target is well ahead of the 20 per cent promised at EU level and sets UK targets well above those in the US.

Greenpeace dismissed the energy saving initiatives, expected to save around 380,000 tonnes of CO2 each year, as ìwoefulî. The emissions saved per year represent about two weeks' emissions from Radcliffe-on-Soar coal-powered stationî said the environment group's spokesperson.

Lord Turner, chairman of the Climate Change Committee and one of the central figures behind the budget, commented ìThe carbon budgets provide the UK with the most ambitious climate change legislation in the world. We need to start reducing our emissions now, and we need tough policies and strong leadership from government.î

Offshore wind
Offshore wind is one of the big winners from latest budget, Darling adding that Britain needed cleaner energy investment, talking of a new North Sea energy hub, built around offshore wind and including gas storage and carbon capture.

The credit squeeze is holding back major offshore wind projects. I want to lift the barriers -- through 525 million pounds of new financial support over the next two years for offshore wind, funded through the renewables obligation. The potential is enormous, he said.

I am confident that this will lead to major projects getting the go-ahead quickly, providing enough electricity to meet the needs of up to 3 million households.

This is still someway short however, of the 2 billion pounds asked for by the wind industry but should be enough to benefit a number proposed projects that are under threat including the London Array, the worldís largest.

Paul Golby, chief executive of Eon UK, which holds a 30 per cent stake in the London Array, said he was ìcertainî the move ìwould help transform wind power in the UKî.

Green buildings
An additional 435 million pounds of extra support will be provided ìto deliver energy efficiency measures -- for homes, businesses and public buildingsî such as weatherproofing.

The government also announced that from a 500 million pounds package designed to kick-start the building industry it would spend 100 million pounds helping local authorities to build low-carbon homes.

Car Scrappage & Green Cars
In an attempt to boost sales within the struggling automotive industry and encourage people to switch to greener, more efficient vehicles, Darling confirmed that the government will launch a scrappage scheme worth 2,000 per car. The scheme covers the 10 million cars in the UK currently older than 10 years.

The scheme kicks in next month and is likely to run until next March or until the money runs out, whichever is soonest.

The Chancellor also announced a major reform to vehicle excise duty next year ìto encourage manufacturers to produce cleaner carsî new bands will be introduced offering an ìincentive to encourage drivers to choose the least polluting carî.

Green-collar jobs
The Governments green jobs strategy was a key part of this carbon budget. Darling claimed government spending on environmental initiatives in the fight against climate change would create large numbers of green-collar jobs. He claimed that there ìcould be over a million jobs in our environmental industries within the next two decadesî providing ìhuge opportunitiesî for business.

ìThese budgets give industry the certainty needed to develop and use low-carbon technology – cutting emissions, creating new businesses and jobs.î

Funding for skills development and training also increased, with 260 million pounds focused on sectors with strong future demand which should benefit those in green industry sectors.

Sam Newell, founder of the global green job portal, RenewableEnergyJobs.com (http://www.renewableenergyjobs.com) noted ìInvestment on this scale is exactly what we need to develop a UK workforce capable of supporting a low carbon economy.î

Other Energy Investment
The Chancellor confirmed plans for a further two CCS demonstration plants maintaining an option to build a further two in the future, how these projects will be funded was not confirmed.

Darling also announced that highly efficient CHP plants are to be exempted from the climate change levy from 2013 which he predicts will bring forward 2.5 billion pounds of investment from the private sector.

About the author
Sam Newell is the founder of RenewableEnergyJobs.com (http://www.renewableenergyjobs.com) the global renewable energy jobs portal and site.