Green energy sources such as wind farms and nuclear reactors are expensive and the government should admit it, Vince Cable, the business secretary has said.

The senior Liberal Democrat said there was “no point just berating the energy industry” over rising prices because trying to balance consumer interests and the drive for costly green investment was a “horrendously difficult problem”.

His comments stand in contrast to the usual rhetoric of the energy department, led by fellow Lib Dem Ed Davey, which typically focuses on arguing that going green will be cheaper than the alternatives, and has been critical of recent price rises.

Dr Cable said it was “totally fair” to say that the Government “should just be honest about the fact a lot of the new energy is relatively high cost”.

“The cost of new nuclear is a hell of a lot more than the long-term marginal cost of bringing in new gas and coal [power plants]. Offshore wind is three times the current price of gas[-fired generation],” he told an Edelman event on trust in the energy sector.

 With the controversy over the changes to the Feed in Tariff scheme it seems to me that the policy on engaging people at the very local in contributing, through nationally planned schemes, to reducing their carbon footprint is struggling to make traction. I wonder what the answer is?

“Prince Charles is believed to have spent more than £300,000 on turning his cows “green”.

He has installed 424 solar panels at organic Home Farm’s 180-cow dairy near Highgrove, Glos. The farm is the only part of Charles’s estate where carbon emissions are rising every year. But the panels should cut CO2 by 46 tonnes and provide the dairy’s energy needs. The prince also wants panels at Clarence House, London.”

I wonder if greener milk tastes better?