This looks interesting. A week before the government is expected to release their energy review (and give the nod to a round of replacement nuclear power stations), the Tories have come out and said that microgeneration is the way forward. Like everything the Tories say these days, it sounds good but the devil is definitely in the details. How exactly do they propose to promote microgeneration? How quickly would they fall back to the nuclear “last resort”?
One of the questions in all this is the role of local councils. With nuclear, there is a danger that central government could override local objections on the grounds of national energy security. However with microgeneration, many councils are actively supporting these technologies and arguably microgen is best promoted by local government. I find it quite funny though that David Cameron’s much-discussed wind turbine received planning permission today from the Conservative council of Kensington and Chelsea, although they are yet to adopt anything resembling the Merton Rule. Again, the Tories should lead by example on this. It’s all well and good to approve the most famous wind turbine in England on the roof of the leader of your favourite political party, but why not take it a bit further? Why not encourage all households in the borough to adopt similar measures?
EDIT: I’m not the only one who thinks Cameron’s turbine approval might have been an exception, rather than the rule.
