[timwilky]

Ok, before entering into any further debate, I declare an interest, I work for Alstom (google it if you do not know it). Any opinion I express is my own and perhaps my bosses may think me a heretic.

Firstly I am all for reduced energy demand in this country. Better more fuel efficient homes/businesses. Bring our aged stock of homes upto modern standards. (spend money in Britain, to improve Britain, done by British workers).

Heresy time. I would like to see more work done on using larger fuel cells to provide local heat and power solutions in our cities, large housing estates etc. They are efficient, do not require the distribution overhead of traditional coal/gas power plant and waste heat is reused for domestic/industrial heating etc.

I know my company is also working on carbon sequestration etc. I would like to see government funding to push this further. If we can become world leaders in these technologies then Britain can preach to the rest of the world and show them the way forward. But saying to a country, you must not burn your local coal, that keeps local miners working, but import gas from half way round the world. when you are a poor 3rd world country because it is cleaner isn't going to be listened too. (Ok some in this country thought that was a good idea before Britains gas supply started to run out)