2003 & 2006 ENERGY REVIEWS

The 2003 Energy White Paper was the culmination of the most comprehensive review of the UK energy sector for over 60 years. It involved 18 months of consultation with Government departments, leading energy experts, diverse industry representatives, civil society and the public.

One aim of the White Paper was:

"To put ourselves on a path to cut the UK´s CO2 emissions by some 60% by about 2050, with real progress by 2020".

The Government believed that this goal could be achieved by:

"Reducing the amount of energy we consume, together with a substantial increase in renewable energy".

The concept of new nuclear power generation was put firmly on the back burner.

2006 ENERGY REVIEW

Despite the findings of the 2003 energy white paper, the government is to review the future of energy again.

The British government, which is committed to generating 10% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2012, last month launched an energy review which has a specific remit to consider a large increase in nuclear power. (The Guardian website 8/2/06)