European Commission to call for new industrial revolution in energy and cut of 20% CO2 by 2020

On Wednesday, the European Commission will set out a three-year road map towards a common European energy policy, with the goal of achieving a 20% greenhouse-gas emissions reduction by 2020.

LibDems make case for local power supplies

"Every Scottish town should have its own power supplies, running off renewable sources and avoiding the need for the waste of energy at large out-of-town power stations," according to the Liberal Democrats. The plan was put forward yesterday by Nicol Stephen, the Scottish LibDem leader, as a manifesto proposal for next May's election.

DCLG details zero-carbon home target

New homes will become "zero-carbon" by 2016 by tightening energy efficiency requirements, the DCLG declared this week.Under proposals unveiled for consultation, energy performance in the building regulations should improve by 25 per cent by 2010. Three years later, homes will have to be 44 per cent more energy efficient and by 2016 all new homes must be zero-carbon.A home will have to produce all its own energy, but if it takes some from the national grid it will pay it back at other times of the year, according to the government. Communities secretary Ruth Kelly said the proposals will cut around 20 per cent of housing emissions by 2050.The final code for sustainable homes was also published this week. House builders will have to provide buyers with green star ratings for new properties from April 2008. WWF-UK campaigns director Paul King said: "The code sends the right signal for house builders to put zero carbon at the top of their agenda."T...