Householders ‘can generate power to curb CO2 emissions'

Homeowners who generate their own electricity would supply 5 per cent of the nation’s needs in little more than a decade under plans to be announced by the Conservatives today. The party wants small-scale electricity generation to become as popular as mobile telephones as part of efforts to bring climate change under control. Among the measures they would take would be to allow domestic wind turbines and other renewable technology to be installed without the need to seek planning permission, with the exception of listed buildings. A few large power plants have been the mainstay of electricity generation in Britain since the 1930s. Oliver Letwin, a member of the Shadow Cabinet, said that the system needed to be replaced with an infrastructure that concentrated on small-scale but widespread generation. By encouraging homeowners to install microgeneration sources the Conservatives hope to modernise the system of energy supply and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. source/full story: property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/article3006940.ece