Green energy plans to be outlined

Proposals on renewable energy aimed at meeting EU climate change targets and securing the UK's future supply are to be unveiled by the government later.

More wind turbines and solar panels are expected to be signalled as ministers aim for 15% renewable power by 2020.

Less than 5% of Britain's electricity currently comes from green sources.

Environmental groups have hailed the strategy but say past promises have not been met and some industry groups have expressed caution over its timetable.

Philip Wolfe, director of the Renewable Energy Association, said: "The key missing factor is a greater sense of urgency.

"We have only 12 years left and government still wants to use two of those talking about it. The industry has a very short space of time in which to meet challenging targets.

"There are still gaps and anomalies that need to be addressed with fresh polices."

Meanwhile, a recent report from the Centre for Policy Studies suggested the wind power the plans would rely on is unreliable, intermittent and twice as expensive as coal or nuclear.

The number of onshore turbines could be increased from 2,000 to 6,000 by 2020 under the plans.

BBC environment correspondent Sarah Mukherjee said the Britain suggested by the strategy "would buzz with millions of hybrid electric cars and would be shaded by thousands of acres of trees grown to replace coal and oil as a source of energy".

The measures are also expected to include loans and grants for firms to increase green energy and compulsory measures on households.

But no major increase in government funding is expected and investment by power firms could be passed on to consumers through higher bills in the next decade.