Energy White Paper must ensure effective energy supply

Commenting on the publication of the Government’s Energy White Paper, Executive Chairman of the Home Builders Federation (HBF) Stewart Baseley says: “HBF is committed to working with the Government on its objective that all new homes should reach a zero carbon performance standard from 2016.

“Realising this objective will depend critically on the availability and cost-effectiveness of suitable renewable and low-carbon energy supplies.

“There are many relevant proposals in the White Paper relating to biomass, decentralised generation and the promotion of renewable energy. We will need to look carefully at whether between them these proposals provide a sufficient basis for the industry to plan successfully and with confidence for the future.

“The acid test will be whether today’s proposals support the home building industry by creating a national framework enabling it to deliver a sufficient number of zero-carbon homes by 2016 - so that we can tackle the housing supply crisis as well as being sustainable.”