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The next Labour manifesto will include a commitment to decarbonise the UK's electricity supply by 2030, according to the shadow energy minister.
Tom Greatrex also said Labour has a “relentless desire to take forward the offshore wind industry” which it will put into practice if it wins the next election in May 2015.
Greatrex told delegates at Renewable UK’s annual offshore wind conference: “Labour will continue to push for a 2030 target as it’s absolutely crucial to give the renewable energy sector for long term certainty.”
He added “Offshore wind has huge potential and can be an important part of our energy sector in the future.”
Renewable UK’s chief executive, Maria McCaffery, said: “This announcement by the Shadow Energy Minister at our conference is very welcome, as it demonstrates a clear commitment to clean up the way we generate electricity as early as possible.
She added that cross-party consensus to set a 2030 decarbonisation target “would send a strong signal to the wind, wave and tidal energy industries, and crucially to investors, to press ahead with projects as a matter of priority”.
Labour is also attempting to reintroduce the decarbonisation amendment to the Energy Bill – which was narrowly defeated in the House of Commons – in the House of Lords.
As it currently stands, a decarbonisation target cannot be set before 2016, once the fifth carbon budget has been set.
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