UK 'too focused on wind power', says CBI

The Government's energy policy is too focused on wind power, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has said.

In Decision Time, a report into the future of sustainable energy, the CBI has called for "more balanced" investment in low-carbon energy, including nuclear and so-called 'clean coal'.

The group warned that by continuing to focus on wind power, the UK would be "putting too many energy eggs in one basket" and that relying on imported gas would require costly investment in gas storage.

The CBI wants to see the completion of regulatory frameworks for nuclear and Carbon Capture and Storage accelerated to allow for early investment.

The report also recommends energy efficiency improvements in the electricity, heating and transport sectors, with cash incentives for consumers choosing more efficient products, and action to alleviate the impact of energy price rises on the manufacturing sector.

John Cridland from the CBI said: "With firms putting the finishing touches to their future investment plans, we need to act now if we are to achieve an energy system that is low-carbon, secure and sustainable."

The report is released ahead of the Government's Energy White Paper, due to be published this week.

However, Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said that investment in renewables, such as wind power, would "create much needed British jobs in one of the few growth sectors in the global economy," BBC News reported.

"Here in the UK we have one of the best renewable energy resources anywhere in the world and a manufacturing sector champing at the bit to capture the lead in marine technologies like offshore wind and tidal power," he said.