Renewable Energy Politics
Dr Whitehead has lobbied for the increased use of sustainable energy sources, particularly microgeneration. He criticised the results of the Energy Review and was the co-author of EDM 2204 which states ‘the case for nuclear has not yet been made’ and urges the government to ‘recognise the enormous potential for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by energy efficiency and conservation, greater use of combined heat and power, and rapid investment in the full range of renewable technologies, including microgeneration.’
As leader of Southampton City Council in 1986, Dr Whitehead proposed that the city council take measures to become a ‘self sustaining city’ with regard to energy generation . One such measure was the conversion of Southampton Civic Centre to being heated by local reservoirs of geothermal energy. The scheme recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. In a recent survey of carbon emissions in major UK cities conducted by British Gas, Southampton was ranked as being one of the lowest carbon emitting cities in Britain .
Dr Whitehead sits as a non-executive director of a non-profit making company called SSEL Ltd, formed to deliver a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) project, which was partially funded by the Government as part of the regeneration of outer Shirley . The CHP system recycles the by-product 'low grade heat' made during the electricity generation process and uses the by-product to heat water which is piped to local homes. This scheme has been criticised by the current Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Environment & Transport, Matthew Dean, for being unviable and the Council's involvement in the project has now ended.
Dr Whitehead’s Private Members Bill Management of Energy in Buildings, was ‘talked out’ by Conservative backbenchers in 2005, but many of the Bill’s most important aspects were incorporated into the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006, sponsored by Mark Lazarowicz MP. The Act received royal assent in 2006 .
Dr Whitehead’s amendments to the bill included:
- requiring better compliance of building regulations for energy efficiency
- the removal of planning permission for microgeneration in homes
- new regulations to ensure a minimum energy standard in new homes including microgeneration
Read more about this topic: Alan Whitehead
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