Britain defends onshore wind policy

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LONDON, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- There's been no change in British policy on renewable energy and benchmarks set in 2011 remain in place, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said.

Davey said the government is committed to a goal of getting 30 percent of the country's electricity generated by renewable resources by 2020.

"We've put in place support to bring on growth in new industries to deploy the technologies needed to diversify our energy mix in the most cost-effective way," he said in a statement. "There are no targets -- or caps -- for individual renewable technologies such as onshore wind."

Davey's statement was in response to reports challenging the commitment to wind energy. A report in The Daily Telegraph stated that lawmakers were "furious" over remarks by British Energy Minister John Hayes that the country's "green and pleasant land" may be spoiled by wind turbines onshore.

Pro-green groups in September expressed "disappointment" when Hayes replaced Charles Hendry during a Cabinet reshuffle by British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Davey, in his statement, said there's been "no change" in the renewable energy policy of Cameron's administration.

Davey said onshore wind was one of the cheapest renewable energy options available and "has an important role to play in our energy future."