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Row over renewable energy scheme | Row over renewable energy scheme |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A renewable energy scheme is being funded by cuts from other environmental projects, it has been claimed. | |
At the Labour conference, Environment Secretary David Miliband promised £10m to help fund projects like wind power. | At the Labour conference, Environment Secretary David Miliband promised £10m to help fund projects like wind power. |
But he has been accused of cutting other schemes to promote double-glazing and insulation, in order to fund it. | |
A Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokeswoman said the £10m had never been allocated to any specific projects. | |
'Massive blow' | |
A spokesman for the government-funded Energy Savings Trust told the BBC the funding move was a "massive blow" to energy saving projects in the UK. | |
BBC environment correspondent Sarah Mukherjee said industry experts had gone even further in their criticism of the cuts. | |
They say there is little point putting wind farms up in hospitals when they are providing energy that will be wasted in badly-insulated buildings, she said. | They say there is little point putting wind farms up in hospitals when they are providing energy that will be wasted in badly-insulated buildings, she said. |
A review published in July said public planning enquiries for wind farms were taking too long, and did not always give sufficient priority to the nation's interest. | |
Energy efficiency is an integral element of the UK's strong domestic programme to tackle climate change Defra spokeswoman | |
Mr Miliband said projects for renewable energy - like wind power - on local authority land were being held back, because public and private investment were not working together. | |
On Friday a Defra spokeswoman said: "I can confirm that the £10m announced for the Partnership for Renewables was not previously allocated to specific projects or schemes. " | |
She said the money formed part of £20m over two years announced in the 2006 Budget to help councils work with energy companies. | |
"Energy efficiency is an integral element of the UK's strong domestic programme to tackle climate change. | |
"Around 10 million British households have benefited from energy saving measures as part of the first phase of the Energy Efficiency Commitment, which will help to reduce fuel bills," she said. | |
"The next phases of the scheme will lead to even higher carbon savings from the scheme." |