The Green Party believe that one of the main ways to combat climate change is by developing clean renewable energy technologies - technologies that do not create pollution in the course of generating electricity. These can include wind, solar (including solar thermal and concentrating solar), ocean power, geothermal, and small-scale hydro.
The Green Party have 10 key aims regarding energy. They are:
1. Improve efficiency of energy use.
a) Cut energy costs across all sectors through demand reductions and improved efficiency.
b) Cut bills and ensure warm homes for all.
c) Improve the energy performance of all non-domestic buildings.
d) Lower the energy intensity of industrial processes.
2. Increase clean low carbon energy generation from renewable sources.
a) Accelerate the production of electricity from renewable sources.
b) Accelerate the development of heat production from low carbon renewable sources.
c) Develop heat networks using waste heat and seasonally stored heat for building heating and low temperature heat use.
d) Prepare land and sea use planning frameworks for the development of renewable energy.
e) Make carbon capture and storage (CCS) a reality.
f) Phase out polluting and unsustainable power sources.
3. Ensure secure, reliable and resilient energy supply.
a) Ensure demand shifting and load balancing capacity.
b) Develop electricity and heat storage capacity.
c) Develop power interconnectors with European partners.
4. Empower energy democracy.
a) Separate energy generation from distribution and retail.
b) Diversify the ownership of energy generation and ensure democratic control.
5. Develop low carbon transport.
a) Improve energy efficiency of transport.
b) Shift transport power sources to mainly renewable electricity.
6. Stimulate research, development and demonstration:
a) - in demand reduction and efficiency techniques and materials;
b) - in renewable energy production;
c) - in energy storage and demand balancing technologies.
7. Ensure skills for the transformation are in place.
a) Ensure rapid development of skills required for demand reduction and energy efficiency.
b) Ensure the skilled workforce needed for the change to low carbon energy is provided.
8. Make sure regulation of the energy system is fit for purpose.
a) Ensure regulations require improving standards of demand reduction.
b) Improve the regulation of energy supply.
9. Provide the means for financing the energy transformation.
a) Stimulate demand reduction and efficiency.
b) Establish measures for funding the change to renewable energy.
10. Strengthen international energy policy.
a) Work to reduce global anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations.
b) Support development of carbon sequestration.
The full Green Party energy policy can be found HERE.
