Households which install
green energy production technology - to reduce reliance on
gas and electricity - will be rewarded financially, the government has announced.
The introduction of appliances such as wind turbines and solar panels will enable people to claim payments for the low-carbon
electricity they generate.
Energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband today (February 1st) unveiled the feed-in tariff, as well as a new range of incentives which will be effective from April 2011.
His aim is to significantly increase the amount of green energy that is produced in British homes - something he hopes the cash on offer will help to make a reality.
In addition to greatly reduced
home energy bills - which are already a benefit for some households who have adopted a green way of living - residents will also profit from their eco-friendly ways.
Mr Miliband said: "The feed-in tariff will change the way householders and communities think about their future energy needs, making the payback for investment far shorter than in the past. It will also change the outlook for a range of industries, in particular those in the business of producing and installing small scale low carbon technology."
It is thought that generating power from a solar panel could be worth £900 each year, as well as the £140 saving one already creates on home energy bills.
All future installations will be valued depending on the environmental benefits they bring and according to inflation.
The UK currently produces about 5.5 per cent of its energy using renewable sources - but this figure needs to get closer to 30 per cent if the country is to reach its 2020 target.
A recent study by the Royal Academy of Engineering suggested that Britain should concentrate on large-scale green energy projects - such as large wind farms and solar traps - if it is to meet the target.
