Future of energy is green

RENEWABLE ENERGY sources such as the sun, wind and waves could generate half of Britain's electricity by 2025, according to a leaked government study.

Such sources would be cheaper than electricity from new nuclear or coal- fired power stations, according to New Scientist magazine today.

At present, such renewable sources provide less than one per cent of Britain's energy needs. But that could rise 60 fold by 2025 if there was the right investment, according to the magazine's report of an internal briefing given last month to the Department of Trade and Industry's 14- member Energy Advisory Panel by its head of renewables, Gordon Bevan.

However, Mr Bevan's most ambitious recommendation is that ministers fulfil their commitment to produce 10 per cent of energy from renewable sources by 2010.