Business Secretary Vince Cable has been talking about how the Government intends to help small businesses in Bath.
The comments were made during a visit by the Liberal Democrat politician to Marshfield, where he was keynote speaker at the Community Energy Conference – a one-day event where members of local community energy projects got together to share ideas and seek advice.
Mr Cable told his audience that renewable energies such as wind and solar had a part to play in powering the nation but added that the technologies needed investment and development.
He said it was difficult to persuade the private sector to look at renewable technologies but research by the country's academics in the field risked never being developed.
He said another concern was that many renewable energy projects had little or no British supply chain.
"What I'm hoping is going to come out of the renewable energy revolution that is taking place is that we develop serious manufacturing on the back of it."
Speaking after the event Mr Cable said the country was slowly coming out one of the worst economic crises and that businesses in Bath had weathered a difficult period.
"A lot of companies have taken a battering – it has been a very severe crisis."
He said the Government was working on increasing bank financing, speeding up late bill payments and reform of the business rates system.
Mr Cable spent the weekend in the Bath area and even admitted to having time for some Christmas shopping in the Guildhall Market.
"We went into the market – I was attracted by the paperback stall. Bath is a great place."
