Energy
“There is real benefit to the UK from being a leader in implementing efficient new technologies that promote growth whilst minimising fossil fuel use, in both transport and buildings” - Bernie Bulkin, SDC Commissioner
Delivering a sustainable energy system is essential to tackle the twin challenges of climate change and energy security. The SDC's work on energy policy covers both energy demand and energy supply issues, and ties in closely with our work on climate change, transport and buildings. We have also completed a number of in-depth studies on the following subjects:
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Nuclear Power |
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Ofgem and the Energy System |
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Tidal Power |
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Wind Power |
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Supplier Obligation Project |
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Renewable Heat in Scotland |
Action on climate change needs to happen now to enable the UK to meet its target for a 20% cut in carbon emissions by 2010, which is essential for us to have any chance of achieving the much larger reductions that will be required over the next few decades.
Our vision develops the one outlined in the Government’s 2007 Energy White Paper. The need for a long-term policy framework for combating carbon emissions is clear. This would provide business certainty and create an environment for long-term investments in low carbon technologies and industries. We believe that a ‘cap and trade’ approach, commonly referred to as emissions trading schemes, need to be extended across the whole economy, possibly combined with personal carbon trading to achieve emissions reductions at the household level. This issue is covered in more detail under our climate change section.
The SDC believes that there needs to be more action on decentralised energy and heat, with less reliance on the wasteful system of centralised electricity generation. The national grid would still perform a valuable balancing role, with capacity vacated by closing coal and nuclear plants replaced with large-scale renewables such as wind power. But there would be a much greater emphasis on combined heat and power (CHP) plants, community heat networks, and microgeneration technologies. These would provide electricity, heat, and cooling near to the point of demand, leading to far greater fuel efficiency.
A sustainable energy policy must start and end with energy efficiency. Despite the challenges in ensuring that all opportunities for saving energy are realised, energy efficiency consistently comes out as the most cost-effective option for reducing carbon emissions and improving energy security. It is also an essential element in the fight against fuel poverty.
A decentralised energy system combined with much greater energy efficiency and widespread deployment of renewables would help to meet our energy needs without the need for new nuclear power, whilst reducing our consumption of natural gas. However, we need to act now to ensure that we have the right fiscal, regulatory and planning regime to deliver a modern, low carbon energy system fit for the 21st Century.
Big Energy Shift
As part of the Department of Energy and Climate Change's (DECC's) Big Energy Shift project, the SDC engaged with key stakeholders to identify the perceived blocks and levers to adopting more sustainable energy technologies across the public sector. The findings were summarised in a report now published on DECC's website. The report clearly indicates that the public sector is neither leading by example nor playing its full part in achieving the UK's national climate change targets in this area.
The SDC has therefore recommended that Government now works with Departmental energy policy leads and leading public sector practitioners to assess whether these stakeholder views hold true across the public sector; whether existing and impending initiatives are sufficient to address the barriers identified; whether those initiatives work together as a cohesive, easily accessible package of measures; and to use this assessment to develop a delivery model to better drive the urgent changes required. To support this last point, the SDC proposes three possible models within this report for consideration within this report. A bold, long-term commitment from Government has the potential to deliver better value for the taxpayer, provide a stimulus to business, and benefits to the environment. For further information, please read the report.
Please send all queries regarding this report to: callum.clench@sd-commission.gsi.gov.uk
Publications
» Domestic energy bills and costs of implementing environmental measures
» Tidal Power in the UK
» Unlocking the Power Sector
» Meeting the Challenge: Energy policy for the 21st century
» The Role of Nuclear Power in a Low Carbon Economy
» Wind power in the UK
Further reading...
SDC Resources
• Submission to the Climate Change Programme Review
• Submission to the Stern Review on the economics of climate change
• Personal carbon trading - information and debate
• Microgeneration brings energy to Life - by the Sustainable Consumption Roundtable
• Public engagement and nuclear power
Government Publications
• 2007 Energy White Paper (BERR)
• 2006 Energy Review (BERR)
• 2006 Microgeneration Strategy (BERR)
• 2003 Energy White Paper (BERR)
Information on Sustainable Energy
• British Wind Energy Association (BWEA)
• Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT)
Factsheets on small-scale renewables technologies
• Centre for Sustainable Energy
Provides energy advice and conducts research
• DEFRA
Sustainable energy policy
• Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)
Information on renewable energy, what it is and why we should use it.
Good information for small-scale wind installations, inc. planning and grants
• Department for Communities and Local Government
Planning advice for renewable energy installations
• Energy Saving Trust (EST)
Making use of renewable energy in your home, including funding and grants
• Energywatch
The gas and electricity watchdog
• Greenpeace
Animated demonstration of a low carbon virtual town ('EfficienCity')
• National Energy Action
Information and research on fuel poverty
• The National Energy Foundation
More on household renewables
• Renewable Energy Association (REA)
General renewables information - good for research
• Scottish grant programme for microrenewables
• Solar4Schools
This site has been designed to help primary schools, secondary schools, colleges and universities apply for half price solar energy systems under the government's Low Carbon Buildings Programme.
• UK grant programme for microrenewables
• World Alliance for Decentralized Energy (WADE)
Non-profit research, promotion and advocacy organisation set up to encourage the worldwide uptake of decentralised energy systems
