UK faces allegations from Greenpeace

Greenpeace has issued a press statement alleging that the UK government is not committed to building a base for renewable energy across Europe and especially, UK. Greenpeace claims that it is privy to papers drawn up during meetings in Brussels that prove the UK government’s lack of commitment towards boosting renewable energy resources. Robin Oakley at Greenpeace elaborated on this issue to the news line Reg. Renewable energy plants in the UK, according to Oakley are facing an impasse in getting links to the National Grid. Greenpeace has managed to get a look at documents that show attempts by UK’s Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) staff to change key words like ‘shall’ to ‘may’ in granting grid access. Greenpeace avers that there are basic problems that are cropping up in the link between renewable energy plants and the UK National Grid. For one, these plants are in far-flung areas, away from populated zones but capable of generating huge power only if connected to the national grid. Existing grid access points, it is believed, may also be denied to renewable energy plants and instead be linked with future nuclear plants.

Greenpeace is campaigning for European Union legislation to issue policies in favour of offshore wind stations accessing the UK National Grid on ‘priority’. Oakley has also urged that EU policies include essential details that will enable wind farm energy to be exploited when the winds are strongly present.

BERR on the other hand has strongly denied Greenpeace allegations by once again reiterating the government’s commitment to developing renewable energy resources. BERR maintained that the government’s only objection lies not in allowing access but ‘priority access’ to the national grid.