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Submission: Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariff Cap) Bill
Written submission from the University of Exeter Energy Policy Group to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee’s inquiry on Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariff Cap) Bill. Submission from Catherine Mitchell, Energy Policy Group, University of Exeter Summary Price caps are complex, and the issue has become very political in GB. In principle, we do not like the idea of price caps. However, we accept that given the political nature of the discussion that a temporary, absolute price cap should be set by Ofgem for prepayment meter customers and those on the
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New Thinking: The Role of the CCC in a reformed GB Institutional Framework
The Role of the CCC in a reformed GB Institutional Framework Catherine Mitchell, IGov Team, 30th November 2017 IGov1 developed a fit-for-purpose GB governance framework (here and here), and is shown in Figure 1 below. This framework endeavours to bring together the relationships between all GB energy institutions in a ‘whole system’ sense, and it endeavours to cover all major institutions which will have to exist, and all high-level institutional decisions which will have to be made in transforming from the current GB governance framework to a fit-for-purpose one. IGov2 has taken this framework – the
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Join the EPG: PhD on Democratisation, Data and Algorithms
The EPG is looking for a PhD student to study: Democratisation, Data and Algorithms – mutually exclusive, or helpful for GHG reduction? GB has an energy policy goal of reducing greenhouse gases from 1990 levels by 80% by 2050. This will require a complete change in the way GB uses energy, and people will have to become more connected to their energy use for multiple reasons, not least because they will have to be prepared pay for energy system transformation. The energy system is already beginning to change as a result of policies to cut
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Global Insight 22: 29th November 2017
Australia COAG Energy Council Meet to discuss NEG The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council met last Friday to discuss the new National Energy Guarantee (NEG). The NEG, which is to follow on from the Renewable Energy Target (RET) due to end in 2020, is made up of two parts and has a reliability guarantee and an emissions guarantee – and has caused controversy due to its decision to end subsidies for renewable energy projects whilst, as some commentators have reported, seeming to encourage the use of coal. The Council of Australian Governments (COAG)
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New Thinking: Building political consensus for energy transformation in Britain
Building political consensus for energy transformation in Britain Matthew Lockwood, IGov Team, 23rd November 2017 The IGov project is about the governance structures and processes needed for the transformation of the British energy system. At the heart of this transformation is the need for the radical decarbonisation of energy, but in a way that is affordable and secure. We believe (and it is now fairly widely accepted) that this transformation will also involve a move away from a centralised supply focused paradigm towards more flexible demand and the expansion of distributed energy resources; indeed these
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Global Insight 21 – 21st November 2017
Australia Off-grid solutions for rural customers cheaper option for networks The Australian Energy Networks Association (ENA) in conjunction with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and the Alternative Technology Association (ATA) have called for a rule change to allow the networks to provide off-grid solutions to rural connections. They state that recent trials in Western Australia have shown that using solar and battery storage with diesel generator back-up provides a more reliable, cost effective solution. The rule change is required as networks are not allowed to provide generation or retail services, the same as the
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Global Insight 20 – 14th November 2017
Australia Solving the problem of apartment living and rooftop solar Industry analysts SunWiz have released their monthly update for October and have announced that small-scale solar (>100kW) has had its best October to date with registrations for 107MW of generation. They estimate that if this growth continues then small-scale solar would have installed 1GW for the year. The registrations were made up primarily of large commercial (75-100kW) and large domestic (6.3-8kW). Costs for small-scale solar are also falling with a 5kW system costing in the region of £3000. Solving the problem of apartment living and
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Global Insight 19 – 7th November 2017
Australia Steel giant recognizes the value of DER It is not just households that are recognizing the benefits of distributed energy (DER) in Australia. This week one of GFG Alliance’s Australia steel works has announced plans to use DER to reduce its energy expenditure and improve its sustainability. GFG Alliance has invested in ZEN Energy and has announced plans to build 1GW of renewables to help power the companies Wyhalla plant. The combination of 200MW solar PV, 100MW/100MWh battery storage, 100MW of demand response and a 120MW/160MWh pumped storage is expected to reduce the plants
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Global Insight 18 – 31st Oct 2017
Australia Network Opportunity Maps The Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) in Sydney in collaboration with Energy Networks Australia (ENA), and with support from government and industry have released their Network Opportunity Maps. The maps data sets can be loaded to give detailed information of network opportunities including expected network constraints and so developing a market for new energy services. This will enable renewable energy solutions and demand-side response initiatives to easily identify which areas they could benefit. The maps are similar to the Distributed Energy Resource (DER) plan which the IGov project have been recommending
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Presentation: Innovation and governance for future energy systems – what role will distribution companies play?
The ideas behind the IGov ‘straw’ Fit-for-Purpose GB Energy Governance Framework From: Catherine Mitchell Presentation to: DTU, 26th October, Copenhagen Seminar Points IGov Governance Framework is derived from evidence via case studies We took the Framework developed in IGov1, and have reduced it to 4 dimensions which are interconnected and overlapping. No one dimension is sufficient to enable the energy transformation. I will skip 3 dimensions and concentrate on the role of distribution. Denmark not necessarily an average country when it comes to transformation – in terms of size; geography; population; environmental literacy etc It would
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