The Government’s 2006 energy review emphasised the importance of considering nuclear power, increasing energy efficiency and using renewable energy sources.
The Government's energy review report, "The Energy Challenge", was released on 11 July 2006. It addressed the two major long-term challenges in UK energy policy:
- reducing carbon dioxide emissions to tackle climate change
- reducing our dependence on imported energy and ensuring a secure supply of clean affordable energy.
Against a background of declining domestic energy supplies, rising fuel prices and ageing power stations, the review set out four policy goals:
- cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by 2050
- ensuring a reliable energy supply
- promoting competitive markets in the UK and beyond
- adequate and affordable heating for every home.
Suggested solutions included:
- new nuclear power stations: creating a mix of energy supplies, with new nuclear sources making a significant contribution
- energy efficiency: helping homeowners to understand and reduce their energy bills, and large organisations to reduce their emissions
- renewables: increasing the proportion of electricity generated from renewables to 20%, a five-fold increase on the level at the time
- British oil: acting to exploit remaining reserves
- carbon trading: strengthening the EU emissions trading scheme to work more effectively.