28 December 2005
The UK risks falling behind energy policy goals and becoming reliant on gas imports unless action is taken, energy minister Malcolm Wicks has warned.
Speaking to the Social Market Foundation, Mr Wicks predicted that up to 80 per cent of the UK's gas could have to be imported by 2020.
He said: "At home our gas output has declined faster than expected, most of our nuclear stations will decommission by 2020, and EU Directives to cut emissions could bring coal generation down to 16 per cent by 2020."
Mr Wicks went on to warn that "As economies like China, India and Brazil expand and their thirst for energy increases we'll be competing with them to secure those supplies across what may at times be unstable borders".
He proposed several points for consideration regarding achieving reliable energy resources, adding: "There will be challenging decisions to be taken at the end of this process but it is better to take them soon - and in good time - than to be judged severely by future generations who might otherwise ask why we did not act when we had the opportunity to do so."
Find the cheapest gas and electricity suppliers and save up to £170 a year at uSwitch.com.