Andrew Lansley tops Friends of the Earth’s solar league table of MPs

Friends of the Earth has compiled a league table of MPs who have gone the furthest to support renewable energy development in their constituency, as part of its Schools Run on Sun campaign.

The environment charity’s league table ranks 32 cabinet members according to the number of solar installations in the area they represent in parliament.

Topping the table is leader of the House of Commons Andrew Lansley, the Conservative MP for Cambridgeshire South, with 3,108 solar installations.

International development secretary Justine Greening, who represents Putney, is ranked last in the list with only 114 solar instillations, while Lib Dem energy secretary Ed Davey only has 252 instillations in Kingston and Surbington constituency.

The ranking comes as Friends of the Earth urged all MPs to support its new Schools Run on Sun campaign, which aims to make it easier for schools to run on solar power.

Although Lansley’s constituents are clear supportive of solar instillations, the environmental group argued that there simply isn’t enough support from all MPs for sustainable energy development.

Andy Atkins, executive director of Friends of the Earth, said, “Most of the cabinet should be in detention – they’re lagging embarrassingly far behind Andrew Lansley when it comes to locally-installed solar power.

“While the number of solar installations varies considerably between constituencies, most cabinet members have done little to help households, schools and businesses to reap the benefits of solar power – too many are stuck on outdated forms of energy, like shale gas.

“We urgently need to roll out clean energy across all of our towns and neighbourhoods – every MP should get behind the idea of making it easier for schools to run on sun, and boost their ranking in our solar league table.”

Research conducted by Friends of the Earth shows the potential in utilising sustainable energy like solar, suggesting that if every school in the UK ran on solar power, the yearly saving could collectively save enough money to pay the salaries of more than 6,000 teachers.

It could also produce as much electricity as burning 100,000 tonnes of oil, and saves as much carbon emissions as taking 110,000 cars off the road per year.

The UK public’s support for sustainable energy has been shown in multiple polls – especially as concerns around fracking is also on the rise. 

Photo source: Russ Ferriday via flickr

Further reading:

Giant 240-turbine UK wind farm could become world’s largest

Eric Pickles rejects 10 out of 12 wind farm applications

Reform and uncertainty sees UK slip down EY renewables investment index

Renewable energy sector set for £64bn investment by 2020

Public support for renewables grows as concern over fracking rises