Energy 

Page updated:

Major revision Spring 2018

EN001 The aim is a decarbonised energy system based on efficient use of electricity and heat from renewable sources within the UK providing security of supply and replacing fossil fuels.

EN002 Producing and using energy is a major source of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. Therefore the energy system must address the temperature targets of the 2015 Paris agreement on Climate Change and targets in the the Climate Emergency chapter, taking into account fairness within and between nations.

EN003 The principal objective is to decrease overall energy use to the minimum possible through improved efficiencies, changes in materials and reductions in overall consumption.

EN004 Democratic control of the energy system will be enhanced, together with fair, affordable and equal access to energy and the goods and services it provides.

EN005 Transformation of the energy system will bring with it significant health benefits, improved social well-being and environmental safeguards. The positive economic effects on employment and across all sectors of the economy will be maximised.

EN006 Changes to the energy system will take into account population growth and demographic change, changing behaviour patterns, changes in transport and assist adaptation to changing weather and climate.

EN007  Central and local government will collaborate in developing energy plans in consultation with local communities and businesses, setting energy and emission targets for buildings, industry and transport to encourage very low carbon energy use.

Power

EN010 In line with the move from fossil fuels, clean electricity generation will be substantially increased, based primarily on renewable, very low carbon sources with offshore wind as a major source, supported by onshore wind, marine, solar photo-voltaic, biofuels (with combined heat) (CHP) and hydro power.

EN011 Continuity of supply will be ensured by using the UK’s renewable energy sources and a variety of storage technologies, links to other countries’ grids and minimal use of natural gas to balance demand and supply, and consistent with meeting demand in real-time. Surplus electricity will be transformed into heat and gas and stored (power to gas), or exported.

EN012 Carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure, including a network, will be established to ensure decarbonisation of power supply by natural gas, assist industrial decarbonisation, and as a basis for future carbon sequestration.

EN013 Change in the organisation of energy transmission and distribution will be accelerated to cater for increases in dispersed energy sources, demand side management and storage.

EN014 Nuclear power, coal and incineration of waste will be phased out.

EN015 Biofuels will be sustainably sourced within the UK (see Forestry policy).

Buildings

EN020 Large-scale refurbishment programmes will be carried out to greatly increase the energy efficiency of existing buildings.

EN021 Heating of buildings will be transformed by the use of solar thermal, heat pumps, biofuels (with combined power) (CHP), stored heat, hydrogen and electricity; the use of natural gas for heating will be phased out entirely.

EN022 New buildings will be built to energy efficient very low carbon standards.

Industry

EN030 Industrial processes will be transformed to be more efficient; renewable heat and very low carbon electricity will be prioritized over the use of fossil fuels.

EN031 Change to low carbon energy processes will be encouraged by incentives to avoid long-term lock-in of high-carbon technologies.

EN032 Use of the CCS infrastructure, established for power, will be encouraged where removal of fossil fuel energy is not practical.

Transport

EN040 Walking, cycling, rail and public transport will be the main substitute for car travel (see Transport chapter).

EN041 Cars and vans, and later HGVs, will become increasingly based on ultra-low emission engines using batteries and fuel cells (utilizing power to gas); electrification will proceed in step with deployment of clean energy sources.

EN042 Electrification of rail, coach and bus services will continue.

EN043 Energy efficiency standards for internal combustion engine vehicles will be set reflecting real life conditions, and progressively tightened.

EN044 Air travel will be radically discouraged.

EN045 Greater efficiency in sea transport will be encouraged to minimise energy use per tonne/km.

Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D)

EN050 Research will be continued into the best technologies and processes to address the energy system considering cost, timescale, governance and function.

EN051 Substantial RD&D will be made available to promote large-scale cost-effective deployment especially for marine power, energy storage, building energy performance improvements including insulation, techniques and technologies, HGVs, CCS and shipping.

Skills and Training

EN060 The workforce needed to implement these changes will be developed through extensive national and local programmes covering construction, transport, manufacturing and energy at all skill levels and to the wider public.

Social Well Being and Health

EN070 Fuel poverty will be addressed by a comprehensive range of policies, including home energy improvements, and related policies on income, health, and housing as well as and energy pricing and regulation.

Finance

EN080 A carbon tax will be applied at a level high enough to encourage the shift from fossil fuels to renewables at the speed and scale required.

EN081 Transformation of the energy system at the right speed and scale will require funding from general taxation, in combination with private finance; all fossil fuel subsidies will be removed.

EN082 Incentives will address particular challenges in the energy system, including HGVs and industrial plant.

EN083 Partnership between energy users and producers will be encouraged in order to assist energy management at all levels.

EN084 Financial instruments to assist efficiency measures will be developed.

Legislation and Regulation

EN090 Regulation will play a large part in ensuring each sector of the economy is energy efficient and to ensure the deployment of very low carbon devices and systems.

EN091 Regulations will ensure all new buildings are built to the best energy and carbon performance standards and are monitored in use.

EN092 Wildlife, landscape and heritage will be safeguarded and air quality improved as the energy system changes.

EN093 Existing policy frameworks will be reviewed, and following consultation, will be changed to reflect the increased ambition.

EN094 Fair competition will be ensured to encourage diversity of ownership of the energy system including public, municipal and community schemes.

EN095 Energy regulation will be aimed at helping to achieve environmental and social objectives, and a fair and accountable energy sector.

International

EN110 Border tariffs and bans will be applied to discourage and avoid imports of products with high embodied energy/emissions.

EN111 Transfer of leading UK energy technologies around the world will be ensured, and international action promoted to ensure higher efficiency standards.

EN112 The UK will take a leading part in capacity-building in developing countries as part of international aid, as well as in international efforts to reduce GHG emissions.

Related Policies

EN120 Energy policy is also covered in the following chapters of the PSS:

• Climate Emergency
• Countryside
• Economy
• Education
• Europe
• Food and Agriculture
• Forestry
• Housing – Industry
• International
• Local Planning and the Built Environment
• Marine and Coastal
• Natural Resources and Waste Management
• Pollution
• Population
• Science and Technology
• Tourism
• Transport

Energy chapter updates:

No amendments have been made since the last major update (Spring 2018)