Telegraph: “The Deputy Prime Minister said he does not “fully agree” with Mr Cameron, who on Wednesday said he will next year “roll back” the environmental levies. Mr Clegg hinted that he could be prepared to take some green levies off energy bills and on to taxes. However, he made it clear that he will prevent any attempts to “scrap a whole system of levies”.“He said that green levies should be “stress tested” and not “rolled back” as the Prime Minister is demanding. The green taxes, which help to fund wind farms and other renewable energy programmes, currently add £112 to a typical household bill.
The Conservatives have warned that the bill could rise to £194 by 2020.
The Lib Dems have previously vowed to prevent any fall in green taxes during this Parliament and were left furious after Mr Cameron’s announcement.
Mr Clegg was given only 30 minutes notice of Mr Cameron’s pledge. Lib Dem sources later described it as a “panicky U-turn”.”
BBC: Currently, about 9% of the average UK household’s energy bill goes toward funding green energy support schemes. ….Cameron’s latest attack on green levies comes just after three of the UK’s »big six« energy suppliers announced price increase of between 8% and 10%. The average price of gas and electricity paid by UK households has risen by about 18% and 9% in real terms since 2010 and by about 41% and 20% in real terms since 2007. The costs of energy and climate change policies are estimated to have contributed about 15% of the increase, according to the BBC. Green energy measures currently cost the average UK household £112 ($181) per year. There are seven energy and climate programs that receive funding via household energy bills. These are the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) program, the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme, the FIT scheme, the EU/ETS and CPF Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) programs, the Warm Home Discount scheme and the Smart Meters & Better Billing program. The ECO program, which helps low-income families make energy efficiency improvements, costs ratepayers the most: 4% of their bill goes toward funding this program. The RO and FIT schemes, which support the deployment of renewable energy generation systems, account for 2% and 1%, respectively, of the average UK household energy bill. Cameron has not said which support schemes he is targeting and has not specified how he plans make changes to the green measures.”
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