However, LibDem MP Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, responded by warning the prime minister not to undermine his party’s commitment to the environment.
A full statement on the coalition government policy on energy taxation is due in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement in December.
Following David Cameron’s comments during Prime Minister’s Questions, Niall Stuart, Chief Executive, Scottish Renewables, said: “According to the UK government’s own figures, supporting large scale renewable energy projects adds no more than £30 per year to the average annual household energy bill.
“That’s the equivalent of around 57p per week towards a sector that is generating more electricity in Scotland today than either coal or gas, and which is making a massive dent in the country’s carbon emissions.
“Almost half of people’s energy bills is made up of wholesale energy cost, which has risen dramatically in recent years due to volatility in the gas market, while supporting renewable energy projects across the UK accounts for just 2% of the average annual household bill.
“While Mr Cameron may feel saving the public 57p per week significant, his colleague Ed Davey, the Energy Secretary, has already made it very clear that investing in renewables and energy efficiency is an essential part of keeping energy bills down in the future.”
“We are confident that investing in renewable energy is good value for money given the rapid increase in renewable electricity generation over the last few years, and the significant economic benefits and reductions in carbon emissions that the sector is delivering.”
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The Department of Energy and Climate Change, Estimated impacts of energy and climate change policies on energy prices and bills , published March 2013. See page 78.
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Ed Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, comments, “Whilst by 2020 policy costs will have added £286 a year to people’s bills, the savings resulting from our energy and climate change policies will amount to £452 – bills will be £166 lower than they would have been.” Published in Lib Dem Voice, 18 October 2013.
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