Lib Dems urge energy independence
August 21, 2008
The UK could be "energy independent" by 2050 without building any new coal or nuclear power stations, the Liberal Democrats have said.
Party leader Nick Clegg said the kind of "vision" and "political will" that put a man on the moon is needed for energy security to be assured.
He proposes to force energy companies to spend £9bn on home insulation and help for those in fuel poverty.
The UK is moving from being a net fuel exporter to a net importer.
The shift means energy security is currently high on the political agenda.
BBC Political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue said: "The war between Russia and Georgia has reinforced fears that Europe could be held to ransom if it becomes too dependent on gas and coal from the East."
'Complete revolution'
The Lib Dems are opposed to the creation of new nuclear power stations - the policy favoured by the government.
Instead, the party wants the UK to be both energy independent and carbon neutral by 2050.
Such a position would mean major investment in renewable energy sources such as wave, wind, biomass and solar power.
Mr Clegg told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he wanted to see the creation of a renewables delivery authority - similar to the Olympic Delivery Authority - to make a "complete revolution" in energy supply a reality.
"We've only just started, I think, making the first tentative steps to see what's possible," he said.
"The thing that I think has gone wrong in this debate is that the government has spooked everyone into thinking that we need nuclear by saying there's going to be a terrible energy gap - the lights are going to go out in the middle of the next decade.
"There's actually no evidence that's the case at all. They've raised the wrong problem in order to push the wrong solution.
"The real problem is that our energy mix is not green enough and we're over dependent on oil and gas from parts of the world that aren't very reliable."
As well as investing in renewable energy, Mr Clegg said Britain must improve the energy efficiency of its housing stock, with better insulation and more widespread use of meters.
The Lib Dems also believe they can persuade Europe to be energy independent as a whole by 2030.
Our correspondent said this might be hard, with countries such as France heavily dependent on nuclear power and no source of uranium within Europe's borders.
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