Conservative MP Peter Ainsworth has introduced a private members’ bill to parliament aimed at defining and promoting green energy by cutting red tape for small scale renewable energy production.

The MP put forward the Green Energy (Definition and Promotion) Bill in order to better define the term “green energy” and to encourage more people to install energy saving and generating technologies in their homes and businesses through a review of the planning system.

The bill aims to remove alleged barriers within the planning system which could be hampering the uptake of such technology while ensuring that those who do invest in energy saving or microgeneration are not penalised by higher business or council tax rates.

Speaking exclusively to BSDlive.co.uk, Ainsworth said : “The point of the bill is to unblock the obstacles individuals and businesses are facing when it comes to installing green microgeneration technologies in their homes and businesses.

“There is a perverse lack of incentives currently in place which means that if you do upgrade your home, you have to pay more. I would like this bill to see more people install green technologies without the fear of incurring unfair costs.”

The MP also said that he wanted to highlight the potential in the use of biogas, especially within the farming community, where at present the technology is seen as, in his opinion, “not worth the trouble.”

Ainsworth said that he had sent a copy of the bill to Ed Miliband, secretary for the Department of Energy and Climate Change, but was still to have a response.

The bill will go through its second reading on 8 May 2009.

Source

Building Sustainable Design