Renewable energy - latest Government targets and publications

Just catching up on latest news in the press and from the Government regarding policies and targets for national energy use and renewable energy

Renewable energy
The UK is committed to producing 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020 — this is equivalent to around 35% of its electricity

What is renewable energy?

Anything that can be used to make heat or electricity without unsustainable fuels and which does not make a net contribution of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. This includes wind power, waves and the tides, solar energy, geothermal energy and biomass. Nuclear power, although it is low-carbon, cannot be counted as a renewable source of energy because its fuel, uranium, is finite.

What is the progress globally?

The UK still only gets 1.8% of its energy from renewables, according to government figures. EU figures for 2005 show that, in Sweden, the renewable share was upwards of 40% and Finland's was around 30%. Denmark got more than 20% of its electricity-generating capacity from wind power thanks to consistent support ion the technology from the government. Germany gets 5.9% of its energy from renewables, largely thanks to a feed-in tariff for solar energy, which pays consumers a premium rate for any electricity they feed into the national grid.

The new Coalition Government has released three new publications outlining targets and policies related to energy

Annual Energy Statement: DECC Departmental Memorandum
This Statement fulfils the commitment in our Coalition Programme for Government to present an annual statement of our energy policy to Parliament. The mission of this Government is to support the transition to a secure, safe, low-carbon, affordable ...in four key areas:
I. Saving energy through the Green Deal and supporting vulnerable consumers
II. Delivering secure energy on the way to a low carbon energy future
III. Managing our energy legacy responsibly and cost-effectively
IV. Driving ambitious action on climate change at home and abroad

2050 Pathways Analysis: July 2010
The analysis in this 2050 Pathways Analysis report presents a framework through which to consider some of the choices and trade-offs which we will have to make over the next forty years. It shows that it is possible for us to meet the 80% emissions...

Policy impacts on prices and bills
Energy and climate change policies are likely to have a significant impact on consumers across the UK. The impact on households and businesses will be through changes in prices for goods and services and changing patterns of consumption, in particular for energy. The analysis, published alonside the Annual Energy Statement in July 2010, sets out DECC’s latest assessment of the impact of energy and climate change policies on gas and electricity prices and bills. It updates analysis that was previously published in July 2009.