UK to face 15 per cent renewables target

The UK is expected to have to generate 15 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020 under new EU plans, according to BBC reports today.

Officials in Brussels have been debating how to divide up targets for renewable energy generation between member states as they seek to develop policies to meet the EU's overall target of generating 20 per cent of energy from renewable sources.

Some environmental lobbyists had argued there should be a universal target of 20 per cent for all countries, but with some states such as Germany already well on the way to meeting the targets and other countries, including the UK and many eastern European states, lagging behind the Commission appears set to reach a compromise and impose variable targets.

However, the 15 per cent UK target will still prove extremely challenging given just two per cent of the country's energy mix currently comes from renewables. The BBC cited sources claiming that between 30 and 40 per cent of electricity would have to be generated from renewable sources in order for the Uk to meet the overall energy target.

The renewable energy targets are expected to be announced next Wednesday as part of a package of measures designed to reduce the EU's carbon emissions and cement the bloc's position as a world leader in the development of a low carbon economy.

According to recent reports the proposals are also expected to include plans for a major tightening of the European emissions trading scheme (ETS) that would see a significant expansion in the auctioning of carbon credits and cap emissions from companies in the scheme at 21 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020.