Senate Tees Up Bill to Accelerate Clean Energy Development

Utilities would need to ramp up renewable energy purchases, the state could dramatically expand its support of offshore wind, and commercial solar endeavors would be freed from existing restrictions, under legislation the Senate plans to take up next week.

The bill is sure to please the renewable energy industry and will likely raise concerns among other business interests in the electricity sector.

The 32-section legislation would also require the state to create “market-based compliance mechanisms” to achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions for the transportation sector and the construction industry, according to a bill summary.

Energy Bill introduced to UK parliament

Described as a “once in a generation opportunity” to drive low-carbon economic growth by Energy Secretary, Ed Davey, the Energy Bill has been introduced to parliament today after repeated delays.

In a statement to the House of Commons, Davey said: “The Energy Bill will attract investment to bring about a transformation of our electricity market, moving from predominantly a fossil-fuel to a diverse low-carbon generation mix.”