Abstract
As a case study in the global technological, political and economic transition to the use of sustainable energy sources, this chapter looks at the way renewable energy technology has been developed in the United Kingdom (UK) in the context of its overall response to climate change. In particular it highlights the impacts that differing views on the role of market competition have played. It argues that the market-oriented approach to the support of renewable energy adopted by the UK has been a key reason why it has, with some exceptions, been relatively slow to develop its very large renewable energy resource compared to most other EU countries. It suggests that, under present policies, this relatively poor showing may not improve, especially given the UK’s strong commitment to expanding nuclear power.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Agora (2014) Comparing the cost of low-carbon technologies: what is the cheapest option?. Agora Energiewende, Berlin. http://www.agora-energiewende.org/topics/optimisation-of-the-overall-system/detail-view/article/klimaschutz-wird-mit-erneuerbaren-deutlich-preiswerter-als-mit-atomkraft/
Bailey R, Blair L (2012) ‘A Corruption of Governance’, unlock democracy and the association for the conservation of energy, London
BERR (2007) Energy white paper: meeting the energy challenge. Department of Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform, London
Biresselioglu M, Karaibrahimoglu Y (2012) The government orientation and use of renewable energy: case of Europe. Renew Energy 47:29–37. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148112002479
BIS (2013) Nuclear industry strategy. Department for Business Innovation and Skills, London. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-innovation-skills/series/nuclear-industrial-strategy
Boccard N (2014) The cost of nuclear electricity: France after Fukushima. Energy Policy 66(March):450–461. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421513011440
Boyle G (ed) (2012) Renewable energy. Oxford University Press, Oxford
DECC (2011) Planning our electric future: a white paper for secure, affordable and low carbon electricity. Department of Energy and Climate Change, London. https://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/legislation/white_papers/emr_wp_2011/emr_wp_2011.aspx
DECC (2012) The energy bill: electricity market reforms. Department of Energy and Climate Change, London. www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/pn12_151/pn12_151.aspx
DECC (2013) Energy and emissions update. Department of Energy and Climate Change, London
DECC (2014a) Electricity market reform: allocation of contracts for difference. Department of Energy and Climate Change, London. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/271919/Competitive_allocation_consultation_formatted.pdf
DECC (2014b) Electricity market reform: contracts for difference. Department of Energy and Climate Change, London. www.gov.uk/government/publications/electricity-market-reform-contracts-for-difference
DTI (2003) Energy white paper 2003: our energy future- creating a low carbon economy. Department of Trade & Industry, London
EC (2011) Energy roadmap 2050: a secure, competitive and low-carbon energy sector is possible. European Commission, Brussels. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/1543&type=HTMLIEA
EC (2014) 2030 framework for climate and energy policies. European Commission, Brussels. http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/2030/index_en.htm
ECF (2010) Roadmap 2050. European Climate Foundation, Brussels. http://www.roadmap2050.eu
Eclareon (2011) RES-Integration, report to the EC DG ENG, on member states progress. http://www.eclareon.eu/en/res-integration
EFI (2013) Research, innovation and technological performance in Germany. Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation (EFI). http://www.e-fi.de/fileadmin/Gutachten/EFI_Report_2013.pdf
Elliott D (2010) Nuclear power and renewables in the UK: can we have both? In: Elliott D (ed) Nuclear or not? Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke
Elliott D (2012a) Windpower: opportunities, limits and challenges. In: Szarka J et al (eds) Learning from windpower: governance and societal perspectives on sustainable energy. Palgrave, Basingstoke
Elliott D (2012b) Emergence of European supergrids. Energy Strateg Rev 1:171–173
Elliott D (2013a) Renewables: a review of sustainable energy supply options. Institute of Physics Publications, Bristol. http://iopscience.iop.org/book/978-0-750-31040-6
Elliott D (2013b) Fukushima: impacts and implications. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke
EREC (2010) Rethinking 2050. European Renewable Energy Council, Brussels. http://www.rethinking2050.eu
Ernst and Young (2008) Renewable energy country attractiveness indices, Ernst and Young report, Quarter 1–2
ERP (2012) ‘UK Nuclear Fission Technology Roadmap’, produced for the energy research roadmap by the UK National Nuclear Laboratory. http://www.energyresearchpartnership.org.uk/nucleartechnologyroadmap
Europa (2014) Commission concludes modified UK measures for Hinkley Point nuclear power plant are compatible with EU rules. European Commisons press release. http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-1093_en.htm
GEB (2014) German energy blog info service. http://www.germanenergyblog.de/?p=15647#more-15647
Goodall C (2014) Energy and Scottish independence. Carbon Commentary, 22nd April 2014. http://www.carboncommentary.com/2014/04/22/3544
Greenpeace (2014) ‘PowE[R]2030,’ Energynautics report for greenpeace Europe, and earlier greenpeace ‘Energy [R]evolution’ reports. http://www.energynautics.com/news/#GP_EU
Grimes R, Nuttall W (2010) Generating the option of a two-Stage nuclear renaissance. Science, 13th August 2010, pp 799–803.
Gruber A (2010) The costs of the French nuclear scale-up: a case of negative learning by doing. Energy Policy 38:5174–5188. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421510003526
HM Government (2013) Initial agreement reached on new nuclear power station at Hinkley. UK Government press release. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/initial-agreement-reached-on-new-nuclear-power-station-at-hinkley
HM Treasury (2012) Government publishes legislation to help accelerate major infrastructure investment and house building. UK government press release. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-publishes-legislation-to-help-accelerate-major-infrastructure-investment-and-house-building
HM Treasury (2013) Investing in Britain’s future. HM Treasury, London. http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/investing-in-britains-future
IEA (2010) World energy outlook 2009. International Energy Agency, Paris
IEA (2011) Deploying renewables: best and future policy practice. International Energy Agency, Paris
IEA (2013a) IEA medium term renewable energy market report 2013. International Energy Agency, Paris
IEA (2013b) RE-COST, Prysma report on behalf of IEA-RETD. International Energy Agency, Paris. http://iea-retd.org/archives/publications/re-cost
IEA (2014) RE Prosumer IEA-RETD report. International Energy Agency, Paris. http://iea-retd.org/archives/publications/e-prosumers-report
IPCC (2011) Special report on renewable energy sources and climate change mitigation (SRREN). Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Geneva. http://www.srren.org
IPCC (2014) Fifth Assessment report, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Geneva http://www.ipcc.ch/
Jacobson M, Delucchi M (2011) Providing all global energy with wind, water, and solar power. Energy Policy 39(3):1154–1190
Leidreiter A (2014) German Renewable Energy Act Reform is not a “Feed-in Tariff 2.0”. World Future Council. http://power-to-the-people.net/2014/04/german-renewable-energy-act-reform-is-not-a-feed-in-tariff-2-0/
Lesser J, Su X (2008) Design of an economically efficient feed-in tariff structure for renewable energy development. Energy Policy 36:981–990
Lewis B, Chee FY (2014) New EU rules on energy funding phase out subsidies for renewables. Reuters. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/04/09/eu-funding-energy-idUKL6N0N12FP20140409
Maue G (2012) Presentation on the Germany energy programme to a PRASEG seminar in February in London. Parliamentary Renewables and Sustainable Energy Group
Mitchell C (2000) The England and Wales non-fossil fuel obligation: history and lessons. Ann Rev Energy Environ 25:285–312
Mitchell C (2011) Nuclear power is the reason for the new energy regulations. The Guardian, 11th March 2011. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/mar/11/nuclear-power-reason-energy-regulations
Mitchell C, Bauknecht D, Connor P (2006) Effectiveness through risk reduction: a comparison of the renewable obligation in England and Wales and the feed-in system in Germany. Energy Policy 34:297–305
NPS (2011) National policy statements for energy, EN-1. Department of Energy and Climate Change, London. http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/consents_planning/nps_en_infra/nps_en_ifra.aspx
Nuclear Review (1995) The prospects for nuclear power in the UK. Nuclear review report Cmnd 2860. HMSO, London
Obama B (2009) Presidential speech to Congress. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-of-President-Barack-Obama-Address-to-Joint-Session-of-Congress
Pugwash (2013) Pathways to 2050: three possible UK energy strategies. British Pugwash group, London. http://www.britishpugwash.org/recent_pubs.htm
PWC (2010) A roadmap to 2050 for Europe and North Africa. PriceWaterhouse Coopers, London. http://www.pwc.co.uk/eng/publications/100_percent_renewable_electricity.html
RAe (2014) Wind energy: implications of large-scale deployment on the GB electricity system. Royal Academy of Engineering, London. http://www.raeng.org.uk/windreport
REN21 (2014) ‘Renewables 2014 Global Status Report’, Renewable energy policy network for the 21st century. Paris. http://www.ren21.net/gsr
Richardson K, Dahl-Jensen D, Elmeskov J, Hagem C, Henningsen J, Korstgård J, Kristensen N, Morthorst P, Olesen J, Wier O, Nielsen M, Karlsson K (2011) Denmark’s road map for fossil fuel independence.Solut J 2(4). http://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/node/954
Schleicher-Tappeser R (2012) How renewables will change electricity markets in the next five years. Energy Policy 48(September):64–75. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421512003473
Scottish Government (2013) Electricity Generation Policy Statement – 2013. Devolved government report, Edinburgh. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/06/5757/0
Smith School (2012) Towards a low carbon pathway for the UK. Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford
Sovacool B, Valetine S (2012) The national politics of nuclear power. Routledge, London
SRU (2011) Pathways towards a 100 % renewable electricity system. German Advisory Council on the Environment (SRU). http://www.umweltrat.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/EN/02_Special_Reports/2011_10_Special_Report_Pathways_renewables.html
Teyssen J (2012) E.on confirms strategy focused on renewables. Windpower Monthly, quoting Teyssen’s comments to German business daily Handelsblatt, 30th March 2012. http://www.windpowermonthly.com/go/windalert/article/1124937/?DCMP=EMC-CONWindpowerWeekly
Toke D (2005) Are green electricity certificates the way forward for renewable energy? An evaluation of the United Kingdom’s renewables obligation in the context of international comparisons. Environ Plann C Gov Policy 23:361–374
Toke D (2007) Renewable financial support systems and cost-effectiveness. J Clean Prod 15:280–287
Toke D (2010) Letter to the guardian. 17th June 2010. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/17/true-costs-nuclear-power?INTCMP=SRCH
Trade and Industry Select Committee (1998) Conclusions of the review of energy sources for power generation and the government response to the fourth and fifth reports of the Trade and Industry Committee. House of Commons, London, Cmnd 4071 Oct
WEC (2013) World energy scenarios: composing energy futures to 2050. World Energy Council, London. http://www.worldenergy.org/publications/2013/world-energy-scenarios-composing-energy-futures-to-205
Wicks M (2009) Energy security report for the Prime Minister. Department of Energy and Climate Change, London
WWEA (2015) World Wind Energy Association data. http://www.wwindea.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/top12.jpg
WWF (2011) The energy report – 100 % renewable energy by 2050. World Wildlife Fund for Nature. http://www.wwf.org.uk/research_centre/research_centre_results.cfm?uNewsID=4565
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Elliott, D. (2017). Renewable Energy in the UK: A Slow Transition. In: Shmelev, S. (eds) Green Economy Reader. Studies in Ecological Economics, vol 6. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-38919-6_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-38919-6_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-38917-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-38919-6
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)