PROMOTION OF PHOTOVOLTAIC ELECTRICITY

That this House notes that photovoltaic electricity is becoming increasingly economic when integrated at the construction stage in new buildings, as demonstration projects in Newcastle, Doxford and Richmond have shown; notes that BP Amoco Shell Renewables have both announced that they expect PV to be a major, multi-billion pound business by the early part of the 21st century; recalls the opportunity the United Kingdom had to develop a wind turbine industry in the 1970s and 1980s, and regrets that this industry has since become so dominated by Denmark and Germany, which both provided incentives in the local market; and calls on the Government to ensure that such events are not repeated with PV by including provisions in the proposed Utility Bill for small grid-connected PV systems and net metering, which would ensure solar generators are paid at least the same for their exported clean solar energy as they pay for the electricity they import and initiating measures to stimulate the rapid growth of the United Kingdom market for solar electricity.