102. PPS22: Renewable Energy defines renewable energy as energy flows that occur naturally and repeatedly in the environment, such as from the wind, the fall of water, the movement of the oceans, from the sun and also from biomass. It is Government policy to stimulate the development of new and renewable energy sources wherever they have prospects of being economically attractive and environmentally acceptable in order to contribute to:

 

103. New and renewable energy sources can particularly contribute to energy needs in a significant way. Renewable energy sources offer the hope of increasing diversity and security of supply and of reducing harmful emissions to the environment. Nationally, the best opportunities for renewable energy projects currently use energy from waste, biomass, sewerage sludge and wind schemes. There are however, local environmental consequences for all renewable projects which must be weighed against the national interest of producing clean energy. Proposals for developing renewable energy sources will therefore need to consider the direct and immediate impacts of such projects on the local environment having regard to Government policy. The Government is pursuing renewable energy targets as set out in the energy White Paper Our Energy Future Creating a Low Carbon Economy (2003). The Government's current target is to see 10% of the UK's electricity requirements being met from renewables by 2010. The Council will consider the contribution the Borough can make to meeting any regional renewable energy targets as a result of the assessments that are being undertaken at regional level, and which can be applied at the local level.