Lower carbon energy in the UK: The legislation
16-06-08
The transformation of the energy market in the UK is being driven by changing legislation - internationally and at home - to promote renewable energy as an answer to energy security and environmental concerns.
With the international Kyoto Protocol agreement and an anticipated successor deal driving global change, Europe is now working under a new common energy policy aiming at 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.
A string of new European Directives, most notably a new Renewable Energy Directive, was agreed at the end of 2008 to drive forward this common policy, with more EU legislation on energy security and efficiency on the way.
Under EU law, Britain has a national target to source 15% of its energy from renewables by 2020.
The government passed three Bills - on energy, climate change and planning - at the end of 2008 to help speed up progress towards renewable and low carbon energy in the UK.
In Westminster, 2009 should see a number of new measures produced including a new Renewable Energy Strategy and a Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy. Scotland and Wales are also working to foster low-carbon energy, particularly on the renewable side with some big ambitions from the devolved administrations.
Within both Europe and the UK, the authorities are also paving the way for technologies outside the renewables field to help reduce the energy sector's carbon footprint - including more nuclear power and the use of carbon capture and storage technology (CCS) to "clean up" the use of fossil fuels.
Meanwhile, the world meets in Copenhagen at the end of 2009 in an attempt to strike a new international deal on climate change action, beyond the Kyoto deal that runs out in 2012. If a new deal is reached at Copenhagen, Europe's 2020 target to cut 20% of greenhouse gas emissions could be strengthened to a 30% target or more.
Our legislation section provides some details of the significant new legislation driving the current transformation of the energy sector - with information on:
Also, see our legislation news section for the latest updates on the progression of energy legislation affecting the UK - from the European Union in Brussels and Strasbourg to the government in Westminster and the devolved administrations in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh:
