The Scottish National Party have announced their ambitious 2015 renewable energy targets. Alex Salmond, the First Minister of Scotland, aims to generate 50% of Scotland’s electricity from renewable sources by 2015 – eventually reaching 100% renewable energy by 2020.

It’s good news for North Sea oil after it receives a boost from new investment. The welcome boost comes as new tax breaks along with over 160 new production licenses bring a renewed interest in investment. The tax breaks, announced last month by Chancellor George Osborne, have already secured two new major North Sea oil deals, including a £1.6 billion project by Canadian oil company Talisman Energy.

In the race for renewables biogas plants and Anaerobic Digestors (AD) have proved popular and effective methods. In the UK bioenergy now accounts for about one quarter of our renewable supply.

In an EU Climate Action conference this week the energy secretary Ed Davey called for tougher carbon reduction efforts in the EU. In his speech Davey called once again for an EU-wide carbon reduction target of 30% by 2020 – the current target is just 20%.