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Loughborough Power
Posted on 13/12/2007
P. Klein
Local residents across Loughborough could find it easier to generate their own green energy under major new plans announced by Conservatives. Policy proposals have been unveiled to promote ‘decentralised energy’ and microgeneration, as part of a strategy to fight climate change, make our energy supply more secure and help consumers save money.
The plans would enable small businesses, local schools, hospitals and homes across Loughborough to generate low-carbon energy locally through small-scale and eco-friendly means. The announcement comes at a time when more hikes in gas and electricity bills for local households are in prospect.
The proposals include promoting small-scale solar and photovoltaic systems, small wind turbines, biomass generators, micro-hydro and combined heat and power (CHP). The new policy ideas, welcomed by Loughboroughs Prospective Conservative MP, Nicky Morgan, would seek to:
· Create a new retailing culture in which anyone could walk into a supermarket or showroom and buy a micro-generator in the same way as people now buy white goods and mobile phones.
· Introduce a system of ‘feed-in tariffs’ – this means a price is paid by the energy companies for electricity generated by the low-carbon, local energy source. Consumers would pay no more than at present and, in the long term, they would start making savings on their bills.
· Promote the take-up of ‘smart meters’ which enable the householder or business user to have a much clearer idea of how much electricity they are producing and how much they are consuming.
Nicky said: “I think people in Loughborough will be very interested in these proposals. I have been contacted by quite a number of residents who want to play their part in tackling climate change and we need to change the way we do things to make it easier for people to make that difference. Decentralising power in its literal sense ie. the generation of electricity would be a very positive step.”