Low-carbon investment
An additional £150m of low-carbon investment, including £50m to help offshore wind industry develop new manufacturing and testing facilities, £40m small and community scale green energy projects, £30m for the chemicals industry on Teesside and £30m for green transport projects, including an expansion of the Technology Strategy Board's ultra-low-carbon vehicles competition.
A further £90m will also be paid into the 2020 European Fund for Energy, Climate Change and Infrastructure.
Renewables Obligation
Double ROCs for offshore wind projects will be extended so that all accredited between April 2010 and March 2014 will qualify for two ROCs. The government says the move will enable £400m in new investment. It also promises a technical change to the support scheme to increase the stability of ROC pricing.
Carbon Capture and Storage
Doubling of commitment to the CCS sector with plans to build four demonstration
plants. Projects to be phased in between 2014 and 2018 with funding raised
through a levy on energy bills that will be enabled through the Energy Bill
currently working its way through parliament.
Green Boiler Scrappage Scheme
All households scrapping boilers that are G rated will be eligible for £400
payment towards a more efficient model. Government says up to 125,000 homes will
be eligible for the scheme.
Home Insulation
An additional £150m will be provided for the Warm Front scheme from April, allowing a further 75,000 low income households to access subsidised insulation.
Clean Energy Cashback
Income generated by households through the feed-in tariff that is to come into
effect from next April will be tax free. As a result, households that are paid
for any low-carbon energy they generate onsite will be £180 better off if they
are paying basic tax rates. The tax break will not apply to businesses using the
scheme. The government also announced that it would undertake a consultation
next year on measures designed to ensure low income households can take part in
the clean energy cashback scheme.
Rail
Project to electricify rail lines in Manchester, Liverpool and Preston given the green light. Government promises decision on plans for a high-speed rail network early next year.
Electric Vehicles
All electric cars to be exempt from company car tax for five years, while electric vans will be exempt from Van Benefit Charge over the same period. Electric vans will also receive 100 per cent first-year capital allowance, subject to confirming compatibility with State aid rules.
Company Car Tax
From 2012, the CO2 emissions thresholds for Company Car Tax (CCT) bands will be
shifted down by 5g CO2 per km, further providing firms with incentives to select
low-emission vehicles. The CCT bands will also be extended down to create a new
10 per cent band for cars emitting up to 99g CO2 per km, which will replace of
the existing 10 per cent band.
Fuel Benefit Charge
The fuel benefit charge multiplier will increase from £16,900 to £18,000 from 6 April 2010.
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