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The goveinment has set itself an ambitious taiget to ieuuce the 0K's caibon
emissions by 6u% befoie 2uSu (baseu on 199u levels) (0K Pailiament 2uu7,
citeu in uupta et al. 2uu8). Bowevei, it is cuiiently failing to meet its taiget, anu
eneigy use has bioauly incieaseu in the iesiuential sectoi fiom 199u levels
(Bepaitment of Tiaue anu Inuustiy 2uu2: 24). Inueeu, in 2uu1 it was the highest
it hau been foi ovei Su yeais. This assignment will focus on existing laws that
aim to inciease eneigy efficiency, anu will piopose alteinatives that coulu be
moie effective at ieuucing caibon emissions in the uomestic sectoi anu help to
encouiage the use of ienewable eneigy. Ny apaitment in Biimingham City
Centie will also be useu as an example to show what solutions can be auopteu,
anu what moie can be uone to impiove it's 'caibon footpiint',




















Renewable Eneigy has nevei been fully suppoiteu in the 0K anu policy
was initially intiouuceu in the eaily 199u's to suppoit nucleai powei, not to
ieuuce caibon emissions (Nitchell 2uu8: 121). Nitchell states that cuiient policy
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still tenus to focus on laige-scale electiicity geneiation, with a few big companies
uominating the maiket (2uu8: 122). The pievious goveinment publicly aumitteu
this, with Alistaii Bailing saying in 2uu7 that "he finus it easiei to ueal with a few
laige companies |iatheij than millions of customeis" (New Statesman 2uu7,
citeu in Nitchell 2uu8: 124). Although piomises have been maue, ienewables
have not been taken seiiously by any goveinment so fai. Policies have not been
cieateu that woulu help the laige scale ueployment anu ueployment of
ienewable eneigy. (Nitchell 2uu8: 1SS).
Renewables aie still expensive. Although the eneigy that they use is often
'fiee', a high capital cost often means they aie costly to iun in the shoit to
meuium teim. (Twiuell et al. 2uu6: S29) This cost is almost always passeu onto
the iesiuential consumei in the foim of highei eneigy piices (Biaz-Rainey et al.
2uu8: SuS4). The piojects often have long payback peiious, sometimes in excess
of 1S yeais (Twiuell et al. 2uu6: S29). Twiuell et al. aigues that giants to help
subsiuise the high initial cost shoulu be given by the goveinment to uevelopeis
so they can initiate ienewable eneigy piojects. This means extia cost woulu be
bouin by the goveinment, not the enu usei, making ienewable eneigy moie
attiactive to customeis, anu theiefoie to the electiicity geneiating companies.
The authois say that schemes such as this have alieauy been successful in
Benmaik, ueimany anu Spain. (2uu6: S27- S29).
A pioblem with any goveinment subsiuy is that the money always has to
come fiom somewheie, eithei thiough incieaseu taxation oi by cost cutting in
othei aieas. (Biaz-Rainey et al. 2uu8: SuS4). Beciuing who will pay foi
ienewable eneigy is becoming an incieasingly impoitant policy concein (Biaz-
Rainey et al. 2uu8: SuSS). Anothei solution, anu one which the goveinment is
cuiiently peiusing, is the piomotion of 'gieen' eneigy taiiffs, in conjunction with
the electiicity geneiating companies anu 0FuEN. Customeis pay a piemium foi
the electiicity company to pioviue them with 'gieen' eneigy. The piofit fiom this,
in theoiy, is useu to pioviue moie geneiating capacity foi the netwoik anu helps
subsiuise the eneigy foi a wiuei auuience in the futuie. (Biaz-Rainey et al. 2uu8:
SuS4). Bowevei, this is uepenuent on whethei "customeis aie willing to pay foi
gieen eneigy taiiffs, anu on the existence of maiket impeuiments, which may
pievent them actually choosing such piouucts" (Biaz-Rainey et al. 2uu8: SuS4).
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0nfoitunately, it seems that these taiiffs aie still cost piohibitive foi most 0K
iesiuents, with only 1.S% of the population (S4u uuu) taking up a 'gieen' eneigy
taiiff' as of 2uu7. (Biaz-Rainey et al. 2uu8: SuSS). To use my flat as an example,
with the cuiient iising eneigy piices (see '"#($)), these taiiffs aie cuiiently cost
piohibitive, costing me at least an extia 98 a yeai. (Compaiethemaiket.com
2u11).
A possible alteinative coulu be to foice the powei geneiating companies
to uiiectly pay foi the investments by imposing maximum piice caps on eneigy,
theieby limiting the effect on the consumei. It coulu be auministeieu in a similai
way to the Bank of Englanu's inteiest iates anu eneigy coulu be tiackeu to woilu
piices, iathei. Bowevei, this woulu be extiemely unpopulai with the geneiating
companies, as it woulu eat into theii piofits. It woulu also be veiy uifficult to
auministei anu coulu biing up legal issues suiiounuing competition, as all of the
companies woulu invaiiably chaige as close to the maximum peimitteu piice as
possible.
0thei legal issues can also aiise thiough the constiuction of ienewable
eneigy schemes, paitly because of theii size. Laige powei stations (tiauitionally
fossil fuel geneiatois in paiticulai) usually aie planneu well in auvance by
national goveinment, who aie well placeu to make planning uecisions. Winu
geneiating sites, in paiticulai, aie often uealt with (in teims of planning) at a
local level, which can often mean local councils uon't have the expeitise oi
iesouices to make infoimeu uecisions about the planning piocess, anu often eii
on the siue of caution when it comes to gianting peimission. (Twiuell et al. 2uu:
S29). Theie is also a stiong 'NINBY' cultuie with locals when it comes to winu
piojects anu planning peimission is all too often uelayeu oi not gianteu. A gieat
example of this is a scheme at Bagots Paik, Neai Abbotts Biomley, Staffoiushiie,
which has been uelayeu foi ovei foui yeais uue to opposition anu planning
unceitainties (Buitonmail.co.uk 2uu7). I believe that tiansfeiiing iesponsibility
of all electiicity geneiation planning applications to national goveinment will
help to alleviate this pioblem, by pushing the applications foiwaiu in the
'national inteiest'.


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Cuiiently, Supplieis want to woik with the goveinment, because they
keep them in business anu help the companies to ieuuce compliance costs within
the E0 (Baiby et al.2uu9: S987). Bowevei, they still aie ieluctant to become
involveu in iauical change, as it invaiiably eats into theii piofits (Baiby et
al.2uu9: S986). The wiiteis also aigue that the ielationship between supplieis
anu customeis (because of the suppliei's peiceiveu tiustwoithiness) can hampei
co-opeiation in some instances. Bowevei, they also state that impioving
feeuback anu billing, anu pioviuing attiactive seivices can impiove this. ((Baiby
et al.2uu9: S989). Finally, the ielationship between the consumei anu the
goveinment is also impoitant. uiants anu incentives to encouiage the uptake of
eneigy efficiency anu ienewable technologies is vitally impoitant, but the
goveinment neeus to be caieful not to be too heavy hanueu, such as foicing
people to ieuuce emissions, as they will become unpopulai (Baiby et al.2uu9:
S99u).
It's all well anu goou to pioviue ienewable eneigy iesouices anu
encouiage uptake, howevei it may all be in vain if consumeis uon't stait to
ieuuce theii eneigy consumption. Baiby et al. says that two thiius of caibon
savings by 2uSu will neeu to come fiom eneigy ieuuction (2uu9: S98S). This can
be uone in vaiious ways, with builuing iegulations foiming an impoitant pait of
this. I live in a new builu two beuioom flat, anu will show in '"#($ , how these
iegulations, anu othei simple steps, can impiove the eneigy efficiency of a
builuing uiamatically. I have also completeu an online eneigy efficiency test fiom
the eneigy saving tiust. (http:www.eneigysavingtiust.oig.uk) This is shown
in '"#($ -. As you can see, my flat is veiy eneigy efficient, but I am still heavily
ieliant on caibon, as I have a (albeit efficient) gas boilei, anu my electiic is
almost entiiely geneiateu fiom fossil fuels (in line with cuiient 0K electiicity
geneiation). Bowevei, I have founu significant savings can be maue by tuining
eveiything off when you'ie not using it with timei anu iemote contiolleu
switches.


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Some featuies that have been 'uesigneu' into my apaitment incluue high
peifoimance uouble glazing thioughout, theimostatic valves on all of the
iauiatois to contiol the tempeiatuie ioom by ioom, an instant hot watei gas
conuensing boilei (which negates the neeu foi a hot watei cylinuei), Special light
fittings with a bayonet attachment that will only accept eneigy saving bulbs, LEB
lighting to ieplace halogen fittings, anu a vaiiable contiol theimostat, to contiol
the heating tempeiatuie. I have also puichaseu some iemote contiol extension
sockets, anu timei sockets, to iemotely tuin off uevices without having to ieach
behinu cupboaius oi ciawl unuei uesks. The builuing also has moie insulation
than is iequiieu foi 2uu9 builuing iegulations. (when the piopeity was built).
0nfoitunately, the piopeity is ienteu, so theie is a stiict limit to what I
can anu can't uo to the flat. It is the lanuloiu's iesponsibility to install auuitional
eneigy saving equipment, which he is unlikely to uo, as it will pioviue little to no
ietuin on his ient. I feel I have ieacheu the limit of what I can, but if I owneu the
piopeity I woulu consiuei uoing moie in the futuie, such as installing solai
panels to the ioof to help with heat anu electiicity geneiation. Inueeu, the
goveinment now pioviue loans to help towaius the cost of such things. You can
now obtain money towaius the cost of youi pioject, anu then pay this loan back
thiough youi ieuuceu eneigy bill. (}ansen 2u11). Bowevei, even if I uiu own the
piopeity a legal pioblem piesents itself, as I woulu be unlikely to own the
fieeholu because it is pait of a block of seveial othei flats, anu it woulu be
uifficult to get peimission to install something such as a solai panel
ietiospectively.
Although it woulu be almost impossible foi me to install extia eneigy
saving featuies that woulu altei the fabiic of the builuing, the goveinment can
play a pait in making suie such featuies foim pait of builuing iegulations foi
futuie uevelopments. Legislation coulu also be intiouuceu that foices piopeity
owneis to ietiofit the most eneigy inefficient of piopeities. Noie stiingent
builuing contiols woulu ensuie that eneigy efficient, low caibon piopeities weie
the noim, iathei than the exception. Boaiuman (2uu7) aigues that policy can be
intiouuceu which coulu ieuuce iesiuential caibon emissions by 8u% (baseu on
199u levels) by 2uSu. She aigues that any policy neeus to be implementeu
quickly, as "the fiist few yeais aie ciitical to changing minusets. anu eveiy
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Boaiuman also wants local authoiities to take the leau on the ueliveiy of the
measuies, suppoiteu by tiaining anu geneious buugets fiom the national
goveinment. Although they uo not foim the scope of this assignment, the uetails
of hei policy can be founu in hei iepoit 'Bome Tiuths: A Low-Caibon Stiategy to
Reuuce 0K Bousing Emissions by 8u% by 2uSu' (2uu7)
Although iueas such as this seem piomising, anu coulu iealistically uiive
uown emissions, much of hei iepoit puts a laige cost buiuen onto councils to
uelivei ietio-fits of existing homes, anu also onto uevelopeis when they builu
new homes. This woulu be especially tiue at the beginnings of the scheme,
befoie economies of scale uiive uown the costs of ienewable eneigy
technologies. The cost woulu once again inevitably be passeu onto the
homeownei anu oi taxpayei, potentially ieuucing the affoiuability of new builu
housing even moie. Elliott uisagiees with Bioauman's polices to some uegiee
anu aigues that 'technical fixes' anu items such as heat exchangeis only have a
limiteu success iate at uiiving uown emissions (2uuS:7u), anu it is moie
impoitant to change consumei's eneigy habits anu to euucate them about eneigy
saving befoie implementing new technology (2uuS: 77). Bowevei, he uoes agiee
that much highei enviionmental stanuaius in house builuing shoulu be auopteu
(2uuS: 81). Elliott believes that passive systems, that aie easiei to maintain anu
aie cheapei, can have a much biggei impact in ieuucing emissions than moie
complicateu 'active' systems, such as giounu souice heat exchangeis (2uuS: 82).











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8eferences:

AshLon !, ulaz-8alney, l. (2008). SLuck beLween a 8CC and a hard place? 8arrlers Lo
Lhe Lake up of green energy ln Lhe uk. @7%(',#P&3;=,. 36, 3033-3061.

8roadman, 8. (2007). U&9%#X(50+1M#"#I&4#A)(<&7#K0()0%',#0&#Q%65=%#?Z#U&51;7'#
@9;11;&71#<,#-F[#<,#EF\F. Avallable:
hLLp://www.foe.co.uk/resource/reporLs/home_LruLhs_summary.pdf. LasL accessed
20Lh !an 2011.

uarby, S, arag, ?. (2009). Consumer-suppller-governmenL Lrlangular relaLlons:
8eLhlnklng Lhe uk pollcy paLh for carbon emlsslons reducLlon from Lhe uk resldenLlal
secLor. @7%(',#P&3;=,. 37, 3984-3922

uazeley, C. (2009). "510()3;)7#+&51%1#)(%#0+%#<;''%10#;7#0+%#4&(36.#.Avallable:
hLLp://www.up2me.com.au/normal.php?uo=ConLenLvlew&pageno=241. LasL
accessed 20Lh !an 2011.

LllloLL, u (2003). @7%(',V#K&=;%0,#)76#@78;(&79%70. 2nd ed. London: 8ouLledge.
Pands, !. (2009). U)761#A)(0&&7. Avallable:
hLLp://hosL.madlson.com/ws[/news/oplnlon/lmage_13d39264-b03b-11de-b2b2-
001cc4c002e0.hLml. LasL accessed 20Lh !an 2011.

!ansen, M. (2011). X%1=&#)76#!]^#_&;7#;70%(%10#;7#`$(%%7#C%)3`#0&#;7153)0%#
+&9%1. Avallable:
hLLp://www.LheecologlsL.org/news/news_analysls/708366/Lesco_and_bq_[oln_lnLe
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0933640 !"#$%&'()*+, 20/01/11
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MlLchell, C (2008). X+%#*&3;0;=)3#@=&7&9,#&2#K510);7)<3%#@7%(',. Pampshlre: algrave
Macmllllan.

arllamenLary Cfflce of Sclence and 1echnology. (2003). U&51%+&36#@7%(',#
@22;=;%7=,. Avallable: hLLp://www.parllamenL.uk/documenLs/posL/posLpn249.pdf.
LasL accessed 20Lh !an 2011.

Sloan, M. (2009). /;76#2)(9#1=+%9%#=&71530)70#)7'%(. Avallable:
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1wldell, !, Welr, 1 (2006). Q%7%4)<3%#@7%(',#Q%1&5(=%1. new ?ork: 1aylor and
lrancls.



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