The U.K.'s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) aims to have 10% of Britain's electric power generated from renewable resources by 2010.
John Battle, minister for science, energy, and industry, said this would require a doubling of current capacity. DTI is drawing up proposals for a fifth Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation Order (NFFO), the latest in a series of regulations requiring electricity generators to build a certain amount of non-fossil fuel plants.
"Today," said Battle, "about 2% of our electricity comes from renewables, mostly from large-scale hydroelectric schemes. NFFO orders already laid or in train will add about 3% by 2000-03. So far, 533 NFFO projects have been awarded contracts, with a total capacity of 2,094 MW. However, we still need to add a further 5% in the next 6-7 years" if the targeted 10% level is to be achieved.
With next year's planned liberalization of the U.K. electricity market, the government is pushing efforts to give some consumers an option to buy a certain percentage of electricity generated from "green" sources.
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