Environmental analysis news: Government 'must improve UK's energy mix'

The Renewable Energy Centre has called on the British government to invest more money in environmentally-friendly energy sources and diversify the country's energy mix.

A spokesperson for the website said more needs to be done in terms of implementing new technologies, as the UK is currently in danger of missing its targets set by the EU.

She commented: "The government has gone some way towards these goals but as the second-worst country in Europe for renewable energy development, we are clearly far from achieving what we should be."

While the Renewable Energy Centre is keen to promote the use of wind and wave power, it conceded that nuclear energy would inevitably need to be used in order to cope with demand.

Research published by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) in October estimated that the UK will need to build six new nuclear power plants by 2030 in order to help reach its climate change targets.

Among its key recommendations, the CBI urged the government to provide more support to companies which are part of the nuclear supply chain and to publish National Policy Statements relating to new nuclear plant construction as soon as possible.

Posted by Joseph Hutton