The government has abandoned its target to produce a fifth of the UK's electricity from renewable sources by 2020, BBC News has learned.

The energy White Paper was expected to follow the recommendation of a Downing Street report last year and promise the tenfold rise in electricity generated by clean sources when it is published within the coming fortnight.

But the target is thought to have been dropped from the final draft of the document approved by ministers this week, after objections from the Treasury.

And it has been decided to wait for two years before committing extra government support for renewable sources, including wind and wave power.

It was hoped new energy would replace older forms

This will infuriate environmental groups and is a defeat for Margaret Beckett, who favoured the target.

But the environment secretary has won her battle to postpone support for new nuclear power stations.

However, the nuclear industry and senior scientists are warning this will leave Britain with a major energy gap in the next decade.