This report discharges obligation under section 172 of the Energy Act 2004 as amended by section 80 of the Energy Act 2011; to report annually on the availability of electricity and gas for meeting the reasonable demands of consumers in Great Britain. It also discharges obligation under certain EU Directives to monitor and report on gas and electricity security of supply issues. This year's report includes two annexes: the Secretary of State's response to Ofgem's Electricity Capacity Assessment report; and an update to the indicators on security of supply published in the Energy Security Strategy of November 2012. Great Britain's electricity system faces some significant challenges over coming years. Older more polluting generation capacity has been closing under EU directives and some generation infrastructure is naturally coming to the end of its working life. In addition the system needs to ensure the UK can meet its decarbonisation objectives. In relation to gas, GB has the most liquid and one of the largest gas markets in Europe with extensive import infrastructure and a diverse range of gas supply sources. If necessary it could meet nearly double (189 per cent) its annual demand from imports alone. With regards to oil, the international nature of oil markets mean that if there are issues with a particular supply source it is likely to impact on prices paid, as opposed to physical supplies, as other supplies step in to take advantage of higher prices on offer. However GB's dependence on imports is expected to increase as oil demand globally continues to rise, and as global production becomes more complex
This consultation document seeks views on proposals for implementing the key mechanisms under electricity market reform (EMR) - the Contracts for Difference (CfDs), the Capacity Market, and associated institutional and delivery arrangements. A package of draft secondary legislation is included to help illustrate the proposals. EMR is the Government's response to the challenges facing the electricity sector: a fifth of 2011 capacity has to close over the next ten years; the need to transform the generation mix to respond to climate change and to meet legally-binding carbon and renewable targets; the expectation that electricity demand will continue to increase over the coming decades. An estimated £110 billion investment is required over the next 10 years. CfDs will provide long-term revenue stabilisation to low-carbon plant, allowing investment to come forward at a lower cost of capital. The Capacity Market will provide a regular retainer payment to reliable forms of capacity (both demand and supply side), in return for such capacity being available when electricity supply is being squeezed. The National Grid will be the delivery body for EMR. The key mechanisms will be supported by: carbon price floor, a tax underpinning the price of carbon emissions in the UK; emissions performance standard, a regulatory backstop to the amount of CO2 emissions from new fossil-fuel power stations; action to promote electricity demand reduction; Ofgem's measures to improve wholesale market liquidity. The Energy Bill currently progressing through Parliament will introduce the powers to implement EMR.
The Annual Energy Statement 2013 sets out the government's priorities in delivering the UK's energy policies in the near term: helping households and businesses take control of their energy bills and keep their costs down; unlocking investment in the UK's infrastructure that will support economic growth; playing a leading role in efforts to secure international action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change. It presents plans to make switching simpler and quicker, and a new probe into energy firms' accounts, to make them more transparent on profits and prices, as well as increasing penalties for market manipulation and regularly checking that the market is working properly
This is a white paper on local economic growth, moving power away from central government to local communities, citizens and independent providers. The Government aims to create a fairer and more balanced economy, one that is not so dependent on a narrow range of economic sectors, is driven by private sector growth and has new business opportunities that are more evenly balanced across the country and between industries.This paper sets out how the Government will put businesses and local communities in charge of their own futures, give greater incentives for local growth and change the way central government supports and maintains growth. There will be investment in a 1.4 billion pound Regional Growth Fund over the next three years which will help areas that depend too heavily on the public sector for jobs, helping create more sustainable private sector employment. This Fund has been designed to reflect the views put to the consultation that took place over the summer. The changes in the paper are part of the Government's new approach of decentralisation, creating local enterprise partnerships bringing together business and civic leaders to set the strategy and take the decisions that will allow their area to prosper. Looking at reforming the planning system will also be part of this making it easier for local areas to benefit from the proceeds of development. And the creation of more directly elected mayors will foster growth by giving more power to local areas so decision making will be more accountable and responsive to local economic conditions.
This annual report details the work and expenditure of the Department for International Development (DFID) during the period April 2006 to March 2007, working as part of the wider international effort to tackle world poverty and promote the sustainable development of low-income countries. The report includes chapters on: reducing poverty in Africa and Asia and progress towards the Millennium Development Goals; making the multilateral system and bilateral aid more effective; fragile states, conflicts and crises; environment, climate change and natural resources; and working with others on policies beyond aid. The assessment of progress is structured around the DFID Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets.
This programme sets out the Government's policies and priorities for action on climate change in the UK and internationally. The first section examines the nature and scale of the challenge posed by climate change. It describes the existing international framework for action, including the G8 and EU meetings and resulting plans of action. The Government intends to build on these developments, and also try to influence the rapidly growing economies of India, China, Brazil and others so that they evolve as low-carbon economies. The major part of the report is concerned with the UK's attempt to deliver the Kyoto Protocol target of reducing emissions of six greenhouse gases by 12.5 per cent below base year levels over the 2008-2012 period, and also the domestic goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2010. Projections indicate that CO2 reduction by 2010 will only be some 10.6 per cent below the 1990 level. Sections on the UK emission inventory and projections, the strategy to reduce emissions, and the energy supply sector, are followed by chapters covering particular economic sectors: business; transport, domestic; agriculture and forestry; the public sector. Among policies outlined here are: encouragement of microgeneration and renewable sources of energy; investigation of carbon capture and storage; support for energy efficiency in business, local and central government; increase uptake of biofuels; include aviation in the emissions trading scheme for the EU from 2008; raise energy standards of new and refurbished buildings; introduce the Code for Sustainable Homes; strengthen consumer demand for energy efficiency. The Government also sets out its approach to encourage personal action, as citizens, consumers, motorists and business people. Provision of better information to the public, including an online service on the environmental impact of everyday products and services, will be supplemented by a plan for action on sustainable consumption by the end of 2006.
This document sets out the Government's response to the public consultation on the draft Climate Change Bill (Cm. 7040, ISBN 9780101704021) and to the reports of the following Parliamentary Committees during session 2006-07: the Joint Committee on the Draft Climate Change Bill (HLP 170-I/HCP 542-I, ISBN 9780104011379); the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (HCP 534-I, ISBN 9780215034892); and the Environmental Audit Committee (HCP 460, ISBN 9780215035561). The Climate Change Bill seeks to introduce a clear, credible and long-term framework to support emissions reductions in the UK, designed to maximise the social and economic benefits and minimise costs, and also sets out an international precedent, reinforcing the UK's position as a consistent leader in the field of climate change and energy policy. This document explains the main changes the Government intends to make to the Bill, taking into account the consultation responses and the recommendations of the three Parliamentary Committees, and key elements of the Bill include: putting into statute the UK's domestic targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions through domestic and international action by at least 60 per cent by 2050, and 26 to 32 per cent by 2020, against a 1990 baseline; secondary legislation to set binding limits known as carbon budgets on aggregate carbon dioxide emissions over five year periods; and the creation of a new independent body, the Committee on Climate Change, to advise on setting carbon budgets.
This issue of the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics (DUKES) is part of a series and updates the figures given in the DUKES 2010. The publication consists of seven chapters; the first chapter deals with overall energy, with the other chapters covering specific fuels, combined heat and power and renewable sources of energy. The statistics presented in this digest will generate widespread interest from anyone working within or with an interest in energy sources, consumption and climate change. Chapters covering specific fuels and renewable sources of energy contain details on the production and consumption of individual fuels, presented using commodity balances. A commodity balance illustrates the flow of a fuel through from production to final consumption. These individual commodity balances are also combined in an energy balance, showing the interaction between different fuels. General energy statistics are presented in a table, revealing energy consumption by final users and an analysis of energy consumption by main industrial groups. Surveys conducted by AEA Energy & Environment on behalf of DECC estimate the contribution made by combined heat and power and renewable energy to energy production and consumption in the UK.
This is the 35th edition of this annual publication and brings together the full range of transport statistics. It is a major publication within the scope of National Statistics and provides an accurate, comprehensive and meaningful picture of transport patronage in Great Britain. Chapters cover modal comparisons, aviation, energy and the environment, freight, maritime, public transport, roads and traffic, transport accidents and casulties, vehicles and international comparisons
Planning Policy Statements (PPS) set out the Government's national policies on different aspects of spatial planning in England. PPS1 sets out the overarching planning policies on the delivery of sustainable development through the planning system. This PPS on climate change supplements PPS1 by setting out how planning should contribute to reducing emissions and stabilising climate change and take into account the unavoidable consequences. It does not seek to assemble all national planning policy relevant or applicable to climate change and should be read alongside the national PPS/G series. Where there is difference in emphasis on climate change between the policies in this PPS and others in the national series this is intentional and this PPS takes precedence. This document is a supplement to PPS1, Delivering sustainabe development (ISBN 9780117539396)
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