The government will miss its renewables electricity target for 2010 and 2015 by wide margins according to a study by consultancy Cambridge Econometrics.

Under the independent assessment, the organisation predicts renewables will account for only 5% of total electricity generation by 2010, well short of its 10% target.

By 2015 the share of renewables in total electricity generation is expected to increase to around 12.5%, short of the 15% target set by the Renewables Obligation.

The study, published on 23 August, also found the UK government will miss its target to cut CO2 emissions by 20% from 1990 levels by 2010, but it predicted that the UK would meet the Kyoto target for a reduction in greenhouse gases of 12.5% below 1990 levels by 2010.

Paul Ekins of the Policy Studies Institute, and co-editor of the report said: “These forecasts provide a reality check on the rhetoric on climate change that is now standard government fare”.

He added: “Our forecasts show that the government is set to miss not only its 20% carbon reduction goal by 2010, but also its declared target of obtaining 10% of UK electricity supply from renewable sources eligible under the Renewables Obligation by 2010 and 15% by 2015.

Source

Building Sustainable Design