A number of Government departments are planning on the installation of renewable energy generators, but the Devolved Administrations have confirmed they will not, according to several ministerial written answers.

Shadow minister for energy and climate change Huw Irranca-Davies asked all Government departments whether they had any plans to generate low carbon energy from their estates. Irranca-Davies posed the question to departments including the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, Communities and Local Government, Department for International Development, Department for Work and Pensions, the Defence Department and the Devolved Administrations, Scotland and Wales.

Among those asked, John Penrose for DCMS said: “The Department has no plan to generate low carbon energy from its estate,” as did David Mundell for Scotland. David Jones, speaking for Wales said it was “not practicable” to generate low carbon energy, but assured Irranca-Davies moves including recycling and turning off electrical equipment had been adopted within the department.

Local government minister Bob Neill said that DCLG would “increasingly look to low carbon energy generation as a means of reducing its carbon emissions in the coming years,” but added that installation of on-site renewables in a number of its buildings not feasible, citing “there was a range of more cost-effective options still available.”

He added the department would “continue to review its carbon reduction strategy” to ensure it was reducing emissions in line with the Government’s commitments.

Conversely, the international development minister Alan Duncan said the DFIF was “taking forward the installation of a Biomass Boiler at our East Kilbride site,” due for completion December 2011. He said it had been calculated to reduce gas usage by over 50%, adding the department had also installed a green roof.

“We are currently working with them [the Carbon Trust] to identify appropriate new technologies as part of our long term strategy to minimise the carbon emissions from our estate,” he added. Employment minister Chris Grayling said the DWP was also working with the Carbon Trust to take its Carbon Management Plan forward.

Defence secretary Andrew Robathan said the department already generates low carbon energy on its estate, using “a number of technologies” including biomass boilers, ground and air source heat pumps, solar photovoltaics, solar heating and small wind turbines.

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