Huhne in outspoken attack against green critics

Chris Huhne has said renewable energy will be the “third industrial revolution” as Charlotte Reid listened to his speech about the economic benefits of Britain investing in green energy.

Chris Huhne, the energy secretary, has said that renewable energy technology is the “third industrial revolution” and “its impact will be as every bit profound as the first two.”

Speaking at RenewableUK, an annual renewable industries conference, on Thursday 26th October the energy secretary celebrated work across Britain that was already “delivering the technologies that will power our future.”
 
He also highlighted that in this financial year alone renewable energy investment adds up to almost £1.7 billion as well as the creation of over 9,000 jobs. The minister also attacked people who are sceptical about climate change saying, “I want to take aim at the curmudgeons and fault finders who hold forth on the impossibility of renewables … who are selling Britain’s ingenuity short.”

He said that Britain’s economy will not benefit, “by turning our back on renewable energy” and vowed that the government will make sure the country is “the largest market in Europe for offshore wind.”

However, just last week the coalition government announced plans to cut public subsidies for some renewable energy technology, in particular subsidies for solar panels.

Huhne’s speech coincided with Prime Minister David Cameron’s decision not to attend the Rio 20+ Earth summit, which is held in Brazil in 2012. The summit meeting is to celebrate 20 years since the 1992 Earth summit which brought environmental issues into the political mainstream. Instead Cameron will be attending the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

You can read Chris Huhne’s speech in full here.