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27 Oct 2009 : Column 276W—continued
Energy and Climate Change
Biofuels
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the emissions profile of the biofuel B30K. [296189]
Joan Ruddock: The emission profile for B30K that the Department holds was established using the methodology developed by our SAP contractor BRE for calculating the carbon emission factors of fuels and the specific information provided for B30K by the Oil Firing Technical Association.
The methodology, and the carbon emission values so calculated, formed part of the consultation that was recently undertaken by DECC on the proposed changes to the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). We will be reporting on the consultation shortly.
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on (a) the likely geographical sources of the cooking oil to be recycled and (b) the proportion of palm oil that will be used to recycle into the biofuel B30K. [296190]
Joan Ruddock: Reporting under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation indicates that sources of used cooking oil used in the UK are primarily of UK origin but also include sources from Europe. We have no information on the amount of palm oil that is recycled as used cooking oil for the production of biofuels. Virgin palm oil currently accounts for 10 per cent. of biofuel used in the UK, of which, 5 per cent. from Malaysia, 2 per cent. from Indonesia and 3 per cent. unknown.
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what evidence his Department has on the boiler efficiencies of oil-fired systems using the biofuel B30K which underpin the carbon output rating attributed to it in table 12 of the draft SAP 2009. [296193]
Joan Ruddock: While the Department and our SAP contractors have been working with the Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC) as they have developed B30K, we have yet to receive any formal evidence of performance. None the less, on the basis of the field trials and the comparative boiler efficiency tests undertaken, OFTEC claim there are no impacts on boiler efficiency providing the boiler is properly set up for the fuel in question. However, they have yet to formally publish the report that details their findings.
Table 12 of the draft SAP 2009 consultation relates to the carbon intensity of the fuels that may be used in homes.
Carbon Emissions: Standards
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he has made to seek the adoption by other countries of emissions reduction targets similar to those adopted by the UK. [295800]
Joan Ruddock: The United Kingdom has made clear that it wishes to see global emissions reductions consistent with limiting global temperature increases to 2 degrees Celsius. The UK has committed to reducing its emission by 80 per cent. on 1990 levels by 2050. This is consistent with the EU's commitment to reduce its emissions by 20 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2020. The EU is prepared to increase this to a 30 per cent. reduction in the context of a global agreement in Copenhagen, provided the other developed countries commit themselves to comparable emissions reductions and that developing countries contribute adequately according to their responsibilities and respective capabilities. In this context the UK is calling for developed countries to set mid-term emissions reduction targets that, collectively, would reduce developed country emissions by 25-40 per cent. on 1990 levels; and is calling for developing countries to take significant action to reduce their emissions growth by 15-30 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2020. The UK has made these representations in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, other international forums including the Major Economies Forum, G8 and G20, and in bilateral contacts.
Climate Change
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials of his Department will attend the forthcoming Copenhagen climate change summit. [295799]
Joan Ruddock: We have not yet determined who will attend the Copenhagen conference from the Department of Energy and Climate Change, so we cannot say with certainty how many Ministers or officials will be on the delegation. This will depend largely on the state of international negotiations at the time.
We should have a more comprehensive idea of needs to attend the conference in the next few weeks.
Climate Change: Publicity
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what consultation he undertook before authorising an advertising campaign aimed at those who are sceptical about the existence of climate change. [295877]
Joan Ruddock: The Department has designed the advertising campaign observing due diligence at all stages. The campaign has been designed following qualitative research insights which demonstrate awareness of climate change is high, but that genuine understanding and literacy is low. The advertising has been produced following research among consumers to assess the most motivating messages and creative route.
Electricity
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to reduce the amount of electricity which is lost as part of the electricity transmission process; and if he will meet representatives of the electricity generation industry to discuss this. [293824]
Mr. Kidney: An industry process under the Balancing Settlement Code Panel is currently considering the merits of introducing a locational element to the methodology used to calculate the way generators and suppliers pay for transmission losses. This could potentially provide a greater financial incentive for electricity generators and electricity suppliers to limit transmission losses. An assessment report is due in January 2010 and a final decision will be taken by Ofgem.
Energy Supply
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps Ofgem is taking in respect of (a) measures to reduce climate change and (b) ensuring the security of the UK's energy supply; and what further steps it plans to take on each such matter in the next five years. [293871]
Mr. Kidney: These are matters for Ofgem. I have asked the chairman to respond directly to the hon. Member, and place a copy in the Libraries of the House.
Party Conferences
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether any of his Department's non-departmental public bodies sent representatives to attend one or more political party conferences in 2009. [293480]
Joan Ruddock: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority sent two communications managers to the Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative party conferences.
The Chair of the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group attended the Labour and Conservative party conferences. He was unable to attend the Liberal Democrat conference due to existing personal commitments.
No other NDPBs sent representatives to party conferences.
Renewable Energy
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the breakdown is of Government spending on renewable energy estimated in the Pre-Budget Report to be £5.8 billion over the period of the Comprehensive Spending Review. [289873]
Mr. Kidney: The 2008 pre-Budget report stated that Government policies are driving £50 billion of investment in the low-carbon sector over three years to 2011.
This brings together Government spending, fiscal support and private investment driven by Government regulation in energy efficiency, renewable energy technologies and public transport.
While the report did not provide a specific estimate of the level of renewables investment driven by Government policies, we estimated it to be approximately £5.8 billion.
This estimate was based on the additional investment driven by changes to the Renewable Obligation (RO). Approximately a quarter of this additional investment resulted directly from the increase in the level of RO support with the remainder coming from increased private sector investment resulting from the changes.
This represented a highly conservative estimate of the impact of the Government's renewable policies on investment over the CSR period. For example, it did not include:
the impact on investment resulting from the existing RO support already in place before 2008; and
support for renewables investment through the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and 'R and D tax credits' for low carbon R and D.
Renewable Energy: Food
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to paragraph 170 of the impact assessment for the UK Renewable Energy Strategy 2009, by how much he expects (a) food and (b) biomass prices to rise as a consequence of implementation of the strategy. [295779]
Mr. Kidney: As we stated in the impact assessment, Government have not quantified the impacts on food prices and biomass for the rural sector. For the purpose of modelling the impact of the Renewable Energy Strategy, we used different scenarios for future biomass costs-both increasing and decreasing over time-to reflect the range of uncertainty involved (E4Tech (2009) Biomass supply curve for the UK). Future biomass prices are likely to be driven by global supply and demand trends as well as developments in the UK market.
Solar Power: East Midlands
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much funding his Department has allocated to promoting take-up of solar panel usage in (a) West Derbyshire and (b) the East Midlands since it was established; and if he will make a statement. [295873]
Mr. Kidney [holding answer 26 October 2009]: The Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP) which is our £131 million grant programme offering funding for small scale onsite energy technologies to householders, public, community and not-for profit-sectors. Solar PV has benefited significantly under the programme. To date we have committed over £44 million to solar PV installations under the programme.
The amount of funding that has been allocated and paid in West Derbyshire and the East Midlands is shown in the following table:
| Low carbon buildings programme Phase 1: Solar PV | |||
| All a llocated | Currently c ommitted | Paid | |
| Low carbon buildings programme Phase 2: Solar PV | ||
| Allocated | Paid | |
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