It is reported the Government is at war over plans to build the UK's first coal-fired power station for 30 years in Kent.

A national newspaper claims the environment secretary Hilary Benn and his predecessor David Miliband, now the foreign secretary, will only back the plans for the plant at Kingsnorth on the Hoo Peninsula if they include the use of 'carbon capture' technology - a way of capturing the carbon emissions and storing them under the sea.

But John Hutton, the business secretary, is apparently determined to have the proposal approved, even without the use of carbon capture.

In his speech at the Labour Party Conference, Mr Hutton argued greater use of coal is necessary to ensure the future supply and the building of coal-fired stations will make no difference to the UK's total carbon emissions.

According to Greenpeace, there are enough renewable energy sources to meet our needs - and to meet out targets.

Spokesman Joss Garman told us: "Mr Hutton and energy minister Malcom Wicks seem to be the only people in Britain who still think a coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth is a good idea.

"They're trying to box the prime minister into a corner and make it seem like an inevitability. But actually the decision is up to Gordon Brown - and we hope he'll step up and choose in favour of clean energy."

He also accused Mr Hutton of trying to "actively sabbotage efforts to create sustainable and renewable energy".

Mr Garman added: "I'm optimistic [the plans will be thrown out] because a few months ago John Hutton was caught to trying to sabotage a renewables deal which would have effected the whole of Europe and Gordon Brown stepped in, gave him a dressing down, and recommitted Britain to the targets.

"Now it's time the PM took an active decision that we're not going to go for new coal."

Carbon capturing has never been fully tried and tested on any commercial project, meaning its role at Kingsnorth is likely to be an experimental one.

But ministers won't know if Kingsnorth will be chosen for the experiment for another nine months - so with E.ON's application due to be decided in the coming weeks, it could be the subject of further tensions within Gordon Brown's government.

According to Greenpeace, the earliest we will have a definite answer on the future of Kingsnorth is the new year.