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For energy use in practice, see Energy Use And Conservation In The United Kingdom The Energy policy of the United Kingdom is a set of official publications and activities directed at the present and future production, transmission and use of various power technologies within the UK . Historically a country emphasizing its Coal , Nuclear and Off-shore Natural Gas production, the United Kingdom is in transition to become a net energy importer. Its national policies are articulated in a series of recent documents centering on the 2003 ''Energy White Paper''''Energy White Paper'', Department of Trade and Industry of the United Kingdom (2003); moreover, these policies contain statistics on primary Energy Source s, end uses and plans for future guidance. At the core of the UK policy is adherence to the Kyoto Protocol , including specific goals for timed phase down of Carbon Dioxide Emissions . OVERVIEW Under the Conservatives during the 1980s and 1990s , Government policy was one of market Liberalisation linked to the Privatisation of state controlled energy companies. As a consequence, Government no longer has the ability to directly control the energy markets. Regulation is now carried out through the ), incentives, planning controls, market entry restrictions (for example the costs associated with connecting to the National Grid ), the underwriting of liabilities (such as those carried by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority ), grants, and funding for research. An accomplishment of this liberalisation and privatisation has been a marked decrease in Energy Intensity , the measure of energy consumed per unit of GDP output. Another achievement has been substantial reduction of the population in Energy Poverty . A third goal attained has been continuing its tradition of energy supply reliability (measured as distribution and delivery on the electric and natural gas grids); among European Countries , the United Kingdom is second only to the Netherlands in reliability features. PRIMARY ENERGY SOURCES nuclear power complex.]] Historically a country emphasizing its Coal , Nuclear and Off-shore Natural Gas production, the United Kingdom is currently in transition to become a net energy importer. In the year 2005 the percentage of (40), Oil (33), Coal (17), Nuclear (8), Renewable (2). Coal Coal usage can be expected to decline steadily because of eroding cost advantages and pressure to reduce Sulphur and carbon (carbon dioxide) emissions, notwithstanding ongoing subsidy policies designed to retain jobs in the Coal Mining industry. The 2002 Energy Review concluded that the option of new investment in clean coal technology (through Carbon Sequestration ) needed to be kept open, and that practical measures should be taken to do this {Link without Title} . Gas The major expansion of energy supply is planned to be Natural Gas . While domestic production from the North Sea gas fields continues to lessen, approximately ten billion pounds sterling is being invested (mostly from the Private Sector ) to enhance Pipelines and storage of imported natural gas, most of which will derive from Norway . By the year 2021 North Sea oil and natural gas production is predicted to slip 75 percent from 2005 levels to less than one million barrels per day. Oil and coal reserves for all of Europe are among the most tenuous in the developed world. For example Europe's reserves to annual consumption ratio stands at 3.0Ron Nielsen, ''The little green handbook'', Picador, New York (2006) ISBN 0-312-42581-3, perilously low by world standards. Nuclear Power Nuclear generation is presently expected to decline with phase-out of older fission plants, so that about half of the nuclear power production will be lost within 10 to 15 years. Some analyses are underway which may delay the decline. For details of Government policy on nuclear power see '' Nuclear Power In The United Kingdom '' Renewables The UK Government's goal for , published 2005-12-02 , retrieved 2007-03-17 For {Link without Title} . Renewables located in Scotland count towards both the Scottish target and to the overall target for the UK. ENERGY END USAGE See main article Energy Use And Conservation In The United Kingdom Year 2005 UK end use energy percentage is approximately: Transport (35); Space Heating (26); Industrial (10); Water Heating (8) and Lighting /small electrics (6). There is a steady increase of fuel usage driven by an increasingly affluent and mobile population, so that fuel use increased by ten percent in the decade ending 2000. This trend is expected to be mitigated by increased percentage of Hybrid Vehicle s. United Kingdom space and hot water heating consume a disproportionate share of end use compared to the USA and more mild southern is one of the most significant unneeded costs of commercial energy use. CARBON EMISSIONS REDUCTION Joining over 170 other nations the UK has committed to reduction’‘Carbon Abatement Technology for Fossil Fuels’‘, UK DTI, 2005 of . The long term reduction goal for carbon emissions is 50 percent decrease by the year 2050 . A scheme of trading for carbon Emission Credits has been developed in Europe that will allow some of the reduction to arise from economic transactions. Road transport emissions reduction has been stimulated since 1999 by the banding of Vehicle Excise Duty according to vehicle fuel efficiency. Average carbon emissions fell from 192 to 172 grams/mile between 1995 and 2004 . Aviation Fuel is not regulated under the Kyoto Protocol , so that if the UK is successful in carbon emission reduction, Aviation will constitute 25 percent of UK generated Greenhouse Gas es by the year 2030 . The UK government has one project in the planning stage for natural gas fed power generation with carbon capture by seawater. This facility is contemplated at Peterhead , Scotland , a relatively remote exposure to the North Sea . Climate Change Bill See Also: United Kingdom Climate Change Bill On March 13, , published 13 March 2007, accessed 13 March 2007. If approved, the United Kingdom is likely to become the first country to set such a long-range and significant carbon reduction target into law. RENEWABLE ENERGY Although per annum by 2010. A number of other grants and smaller support mechanisms aim to support less established renewables. In addition, renewables have been exempted from the Climate Change Levy that affects all other energy sources. The established goals for UK renewable sources are ten percent of electricity generation by 2010 and twenty percent by 2020. The amount of renewable generation added in the year 2004 was 250 Voltaic program. By comparison both Germany and Japan have photovoltaic (solar cell) programs much larger than the installed base in the UK. Hydroelectric energy is not a viable option for most of the UK due to terrain and lack of force of River s. The government has established a goal of five percent of the total Transport Fuel that must be from renewable sources (e.g. ethanol, biofuel) by the year 2010 under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation . This goal may be ambitious, without the necessary infrastructure and paucity of research on appropriate UK crops, but import from France might be a realistic option (based upon the French Wine Lake ). In 2005 land to grow biofuel crops would provide for less than seven percent of the UK's present transport fuel usage {Link without Title} . ENERGY POVERTY Reducing occurrence of and Pension Credit. Some benefits have resulted from the Warm Front Scheme in England , the Central Heating Program in Scotland and the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme in Wales . These latter programs provide economic incentives for physical improvement in Insulation , etc. 2007 ENERGY WHITE PAPER The 2007 Energy White Paper: ''Meeting the Energy Challenge'' 2007 Energy White Paper: Meeting the Energy Challenge , '' Department Of Trade And Industry '', published 2007-05-23, accessed 2007-05-25 was published on May 23, 2007. It followed a Judicial Review requested by Greenpeace that ruled that elements of the 2006 Energy Review were ruled 'seriously flawed', and 'not merely inadequate but also misleading'. The 2007 White Paper outlines the Government’s international and domestic strategy for responding to two main challenges:
It seeks to do this in a way that is consistent with its four energy policy goals:
The paper anticipates that it will be necessary to install 30-35 GW of new Electricity Generation capacity within 20 years to plug the Energy Gap resulting from increased demand and the expected closure of existing power plants. It also states that, based on existing policies, renewable energy is likely to contribute around 5% of the UK’s consumption by 2020, rather than the 20% target mentioned in the 2006 Energy Review. Government strategy In summary, the government's proposed strategy involves 6 components:
To achieve the government's aims, the White Paper proposes a number of practical measures, including: Energy conservation Businesses:
Homes:
Transport:
Energy supply
2006 ENERGY REVIEW Status Following a Judicial Review requested by Greenpeace , on February 15, 2007 elements of the 2006 Energy Review were ruled 'seriously flawed', and 'not merely inadequate but also misleading'. As a result, plans to build a new generation of Nuclear Power Plant s were ruled illegal. ''See Nuclear Power In The United Kingdom for details''. Background The UK Government published its White Paper on Energy (“Our Energy Future – creating a Low Carbon Economy”) in 2003, establishing a formal energy policy for the UK for the first time in 20 years. Essentially, the White Paper recognised that a limitation of Carbon Dioxide (CO2 – the main gas contributing to Global Climate Change ) was going to be necessary. It committed the UK to working towards a 60% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050, and identified business opportunities in so doing: a recurrent theme throughout the document was “cleaner, smarter energy”. It also claimed to be based on four pillars: the environment, energy reliability, affordable energy for the poorest and competitive markets. However the White Paper focused more on analysing the issues than in providing detailed policy responses. Some detail began to filter through in a series of follow-on documents, including an Energy Efficiency Implementation Plan (April 2004) and the DTI Microgeneration Strategy "Our Energy Challenge" (March 2006). Nonetheless, most of the policies were a continuation of business as usual, with emphasis on market-led solutions and an expectation that consumers act rationally, for example in installing energy efficiency measures to make running cost savings. However, in November 2005 it was announced that the Government, under DTI leadership, would undertake a full scale Energy Review, and over 500 organisations and individuals made detailed submissions as part of this review. Officially, the review was to take stock of the outcomes to date of the White Paper, which a particular focus on cutting carbon (emissions of which remained stubbornly high) and to look in more detail at security of supply, as the UK’s oil and gas production from the North Sea had peaked, and Russia was seen as being a high-risk supplier of gas. Unofficially, it was widely felt that the real reason behind the review was to allow Nuclear Power back into the energy debate, as it had been sidelined in the 2003 White Paper. That document had said “This white paper does not contain specific proposals for building new nuclear power stations. However we do not rule out the possibility that at some point in the future new nuclear build might be necessary if we are to meet our carbon targets. Before any decision to proceed with the building of new nuclear power stations, there will need to be the fullest public consultation and the publication of a further white paper setting out our proposals.” The Energy Review was therefore to be this public consultation. A further White Paper was promised for early 2007. Contents The Energy Challenge: The Energy Review Report 2006 In the event, the Energy Review Report 2006 came out as a broader and more balanced document than critics (in advance) had expected. It started by reiterating the Government’s four long-term goals for energy policy:
It then identified two major long-term energy challenges:
The Review took an internationalist response, stressing that the world’s economies need to get on a path to being significantly less carbon-intensive, and noting rising global demand, especially from countries such as India and China. This means using less energy in products and services and changing the way energy is produced so that more of it comes from low-carbon sources. It also identified the need for a fairer distribution of energy around the world, and identified that many resources, especially of fossil fuels which are concentrated in just a few countries. It placed its main concerns and proposals into three groups: ''Saving Energy'' The starting point for reducing carbon emissions is to save energy. The challenge is to secure the heat, light and energy we need in homes and businesses in a way that cuts the amount of oil, gas and electricity used and the carbon dioxide emitted. Actions proposed include:
''Cleaner Energy'' Cost-effective ways of using less energy will help move towards the carbon reduction goal. But on their own they will not provide the solution to the challenges faced: there is also a need to make the energy used cleaner. Under this head, the Government considered:
''The Energy Security Challenge'' The challenges of reducing carbon emissions and ensuring Security Of Supply are closely linked. Security of supply requires that we have good access to available fuel supplies, the infrastructure in place to transport them to centres of demand and effective markets so that supply meets demand in the most efficient way. Many of the measures already described for tackling carbon emissions also contribute to the healthy diversity of energy sources that is necessary for meeting the energy security challenge. There are two main security of supply challenges for the UK:
The Government’s response is to continue to open up markets and to work internationally to develop strong relationships with suppliers, developing liberalised markets. So where does Nuclear Power fit within this debate? Although it is mentioned a lot more in the Review compared to the White Paper (441 times, compared to 55 to be exact), the Government does not propose building new stations itself. Instead, it will leave it to the market, although it will ease some of the planning constraints (which it also aims to do for renewables) and look into providing a design authorisation procedure. However, as with many other aspects of the Energy Review Response, the document is not likely to be the last word on the subject, as there are plans for further consultation, and the establishment of further reviews and studies in issues such as identifying suitable sites, and managing the costs of decommissioning and long term waste management. ISSUES NOT THOROUGHLY ADDRESSED BY UK POLICY Despite some successes and stated goals, there are some issues that are incompletely addressed by UK policy. The principal such items are:
PUBLIC OPINION The UK results from the 1st Annual World Environment Review, published on June 5, 2007 revealed that: First Annual World Environment Review Poll Reveals Countries Want Governments to Take Strong Action on Climate Change , '' Global Market Insite '', published 2007-06-05, accessed 2007-05-09
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