The renewable energy industry immediately welcomed Ed Miliband’s announcement of his support for a feed-in tariff and renewable heat incentive.

“We congratulate him on launching his new department with such a positive and practical initiative”, said Philip Wolfe the Director General of the Renewable Energy Association.  The REA represents UK renewables producers and has been leading the campaign with Friends of the Earth, with the backing of 35 other organisations for the introduction of such a tariff, including a reception in the Houses of Parliament just last Tuesday.

“We also welcome Mr Miliband’s recognition of the urgent need to support renewable heat as heat is the biggest energy use in the UK. We have proposed renewable tariffs which can support heat and electricity and renewable gas. We hope the new Department of Energy and Climate Change will likewise take this opportunity to meet these policy aims when they draft their Energy Bill amendment.”

“It is vital to give energy users the incentive to become 'part of the solution'", said Mr Wolfe. "The new tariff will give a big boost to communities, householders and businesses who want to contribute to our sustainable energy targets. This will complement the support already provided to bulk energy suppliers already supported by the electricity and transport fuels Obligations."

Alan Simpson MP who has been championing the case for a tariff in parliament said; “Renewable energy is the citizens’ agenda of the future.  Across the world countries using tariffs to make the shift into renewable energy are discovering that it is the most popular, democratic idea of our time.  Citizens and communities, as the producers of renewable energy, become the drivers of a radical change in energy markets.  These could yet be the social movements that save the planet.”

Read the Ed Miliband statement here

• The amendment to the Energy Bill put by Friends of the Earth and the Renewable Energy Association and backed by 35 organisations, received exceptional cross-party support and prompted the biggest back bench rebellion of Brown's premiership to date.
• The campaign has been supported by: WWF, RSPB, Federation of Master Builders; TUC; Institution of Mechanical Engineers; Chartered Institute of Housing; UK Green Buildings Council; Greenpeace; Compass; Energy Saving Trust; Energywatch; The Co-operative; Institution of Civil Engineers; Scientists for Global Responsibility; Solarcentury; Sharp UK; UNISON; PCS Union; RIBA; Schott UK; Worcester Bosch; Micropower Council; Renewable Energy Association; Friends of the Earth; Places for People; New Economics Foundation; The Premises Studio; World Future Council; National Energy Action; NFU, Home Builders Federation; Country Land and Business Association; British Retail Consortium; National Union of Teachers
• The Tariff we have proposed would offer a simple payment per unit of energy produced to renewable heat, renewable power and renewable gas.  A Tariff approach has been highly successful in Germany and other EU countries at attracting investment in renewables from outside the traditional energy sector.
• An Early Day Motion supporting the Tariff was tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday by Alan Simpson and has already attracted over 100 signatures from MPs.
• The Renewable Energy Association is the UK’s leading renewables industry association with 550 corporate members, including all the major UK energy companies and many independent renewables producers. The Association is active across the full range of renewable energy technologies and applications.