Business lobby group, the CBI, has called on the government to provide policy certainty for investors in clean energy.
The CBI deputy director general, Dr Neil Bentley said the government's spending caps for energy investment must be sufficient to achieve the government's carbon targets.
Speaking at the same event the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate change, Ed Davey, said the government had heard investors call's for decarbonisation - though only within a target range.
“A strong case has been made by many investors in energy infrastructure for a decarbonisation target range for the power sector," he said.
"Such a range would make clear our continued commitment to our climate goals," he added.
The speeches comes as the Aldersgate group - an alliance of businesses supportive of green policies - called on the government to abandon its 'mixed messages' on the green economy.
Quad
The two interventions come after the coalition's 'green quad' of David Cameron, Nick Clegg, George Osborne, Danny Alexander and Ed Davey reportedly met to sort out a deal on the government's upcoming energy bill and gas strategy statement.
Sources at the meeting say no decisions were made but secretary of state for energy and climate change, Ed Davey, is due to speak alongside the CBI later this morning.
The CBI have repeatedly warned the government against a one-sided new 'dash for gas' arguing the price of gas is likely to rise in future - though the organisation endorsed "safe shale gas" extraction, however, Dr Bentley warned:
“Most modelling shows future European gas prices rising, with or without an influx of unconventional gas, and so from both a cost and a security perspective, a mixed portfolio of generating technologies looks favourable.".
Levy-control
Mr Bentley called for a mix of low-carbon technologies arguing that the government's levy control framework must be sufficient to allow long-term investment in clean energy. Referring to warnings that investment in clean energy has come to a standstill he said,
“There is no business case for putting billions of pounds into these long-lived assets if investors cannot see a long-term, stable policy framework. Right now, the policy future looks too much like a blank canvas."
“Let me be clear: the CBI strongly supports the Climate Change Act and the carbon budgets. The Energy Bill must deliver the pace of decarbonisation required to achieve them, which means that the levy control framework and the delivery plans must be set with them firmly in mind," he added.
The comments come as Dragon's Den's Deborah Meaden and around 250 representatives of renewable enegy companies, development and environmental charities are due to hand a letter to the treasury calling for renewed emphasis on green growth.
"Mixed messages from Government are undermining the potential for future growth, innovation and exports. We need more workers in green hard hats, as these represent the jobs and industries of the future," said Andrew Raingold, executive director of the Aldersgate group which represents businesses including M&S and Asda.
