“The support we’re setting out today will unlock investment decisions, help ensure that rapid growth in renewable energy continues and shows the key role of renewables for our energy security.”

Edward Davey, Secretary of State

New investment –  

Changes to subsidies for renewable electricity could incentivise between £20 billion and £25 billion of new investment in the economy between 2013 and 2018. The Banding Review for the Renewables Obligation will support jobs and deliver more clean power with a reduction in costs to consumers between, according to government ministers.

Banding's were set in July for renewable technologies under the Renewables Obligation – the Government’s main mechanism for supporting large-scale renewables – 

The government is increasing the deployment of renewable energy to make the UK more energy secure, help protect consumers from fossil fuel price fluctuations, drive investment in new jobs and businesses in the renewable energy sector, as well as to keep us on track to meet our carbon reduction objectives for the coming decades.

As part of EU-wide action to increase the use of renewable energy, the UK has committed to generating 15% of our energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Multi-billion pound boom

Edward Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, said: “Renewable energy will create a multi-billion pound boom for the British economy, driving growth and supporting jobs across the country. Because value for money is vital, we will bring forward more renewable electricity while reducing the impact on consumer bills between 2013 and 2015”

The Banding Review

The Banding Review sets out that:

·      Support for onshore wind from 2013-17 will be reduced by 10% to 0.9ROCs, as consulted on in Autumn 2011. This level is guaranteed until at least 2014 but could change after then if there is a significant change in generation costs. A call for evidence on onshore wind industry costs will be launched this Autumn and report in early 2013. If the findings identify a significant change, the Government will initiate an immediate review of ROC levels with any new support arrangements taking effect from April 2014, with grandfathering and grace periods for projects already committed. The call for evidence will also consider how local communities can have more of a say over, and receive greater economic benefit from, hosting onshore wind farms

·      Rates of support for offshore wind will reduce as the cost of the technology comes down during the decade

·      Support levels for certain marine energy technologies will more than double from 2ROCs to 5ROCs per MWh, subject to a 30MW limit per generating station

·      There will be a new band to support existing coal plant converting to sustainable biomass fuels. This will increase the amount of renewable energy produced at less cost to consumers

·      There will be no immediate reduction in support for large-scale solar, but there will be a further consultation this year on reduced support levels given recent dramatic falls in costs.

By 2017, this package could deliver as much as 79 TWh of renewable electricity per annum in the UK – nearly three-quarters of the way towards the 108TWh of electricity required to meet the 2020 renewable energy target. These proposals are expected to bring forward 11 TWh more renewable energy in 2016/17 than current banding's, and stimulate between £20bn and £25bn of new investment. The proposals also provide industry with the certainty required to make near-term investment decisions.

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