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With the news last week that the government have done a deal with the Chinese to build a new atomic power station reactor at Hinckley in Leicestershire, both the renewable energy industry and Green peace have issued statements, and in the case of Greenpeace, a report: condemning the governments decision.
 In response to the announcement of the Hinkley atomic power station deal, Greenpeace UK Executive Director John Sauven responded saying:
“Hinkley C fails every test – economic, consumer, and environmental. It will lock a generation of consumers into higher energy bills, via a strike price that’s nearly double the current price of electricity, and it will distort energy policy by displacing newer, cleaner, technologies that are dropping dramatically in price.
With companies like Dong Energy now saying the price of offshore wind will drop so much it will be on par with nuclear by the 2020s, there is no rationale for allowing Hinkley C to proceed.
Giving it the green light when there is no credible plan for dealing with the waste is also unacceptable. David Cameron has said himself that until the waste issue is sorted, no new investment is possible. This is yet another government U-turn which is creating uncertainty for investment in both energy efficiency and renewable energy, which, despite recent headlines, remain the best long term solution for the consumer, energy security and tackling climate change.”
In a letter to David Cameron, Operations Director Mark Turner at the UK's leading solar power generator Lightsource Renewable Energy states that the UK's solar industry has the capability to deliver the same energy production as the new atomic power generator at Hinkley Point C within 24 months and at a comparable cost.
In his letter, he describes how solar power will not be the entire solution “but if we supported its deployment then within a couple of years we could have 10% of the UK’s energy mix completely free from the vagaries of the global fossil fuel markets”.
He complains how the PM's indication of a “roll back” of energy efficiency levies will shake investor confidence “in the important role the Government has to play in providing the modest and declining support that this nascent business sector receives until it becomes fully self-sufficient.”
The environemtnal campaign organisation Greenpeace’s report into the deal to build a new atomic reactor can be downloaded here
Source: Greenpeace / Click Green
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