On April 28, Zac Goldsmith, MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston, welcomed the UK Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, Greg Barker MP, to Kew to discuss the Government’s energy policies and answer questions from residents.
Held at the Tap on the Line, the meeting allowed Mr. Goldsmith and local residents to quiz the Minister on a wide range of energy issues. Also in attendance were Conservative Councillors David Linette, Stephen Speak, Lord True, Meena Bond as well as Conservative MEP Dr Charles Tannock.
Much of the discussion focused on renewable energy. The Minister was keen to highlight the advances made in renewable energy technology, namely for solar and tidal energy, and told the crowd that, by 2030, tidal or wave energy could generate around ten times the energy produced by a nuclear power plant.
Mr. Goldsmith also championed the Minister’s role in setting up the Green Investment Bank, which has received over £3.8billion in Government funding towards sustainable energy projects.
Minister Barker fielded questions about European dependency on Russian gas, especially given the current political climate. He was keen to impress on residents that, while any Russian withdrawal would not directly impact on the UK, which doesn’t use Russian gas, shortages of gas to countries such as Germany could have a knock on effect for the UK market. As such, Mr. Barker highlighted the importance of European countries working together to create a security of supply.
Commenting, Mr. Goldsmith said: “Greg has been an extraordinary force for good in Government, responsible more than anyone else for the Green Investment Bank, and for ensuring the Government has kept its promises in relation to renewable energy.”