Herbert: A taskforce is not enough - we need action on energy from farm waste
17 February 2009
Responding to Jane Kennedy’s announcement today to introduce a task force to identify the number of anaerobic digesters to be installed by sectors such as the water industry, Shadow Environment Secretary, Nick Herbert said:
“There is huge potential for farming to use its by-products to help produce localised energy, reduce methane emissions, boost farmers' incomes and contribute to energy security, but there is no sense of a driving ambition in Defra to achieve this. A task force is not enough – we need action to kick-start a national roll out.
"In January, the Conservatives outlined proposals to reform regulations so that biogas output can be accepted into the National Grid. We have pledged to introduce feed-in tariffs to encourage more decentralised energy generation so that farmers can become producers as well as consumers of power.”