UK government launches consultation on future of micro-generation

LONDON, England, June 29, 2005 (Refocus Weekly)

The British government wants to see “much more diverse local energy generation” by 2020, with more micro-sized green power and green heat technology supplying individual customers and buildings.

“We need sustainable, secure, affordable heat and electricity to be delivered through competitive markets, and microgeneration has an important contribution to make in achieving this goal,” says the 60-page consultation on ‘Microgeneration Strategy & Low Carbon Buildings Programme’ launched by the Sustainable Energy Policy Network, which is a network of government departments responsible for delivering the energy white paper that was published in February 2003. Members of SEPN include the Cabinet Office, Carbon Trust, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Northern Ireland Office, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembly Government.

“Power generation has traditionally been about giant stations supplying whole cities, but the future may show that small is big,” says energy minister Malcolm Wicks. “Some generation will move closer to home - giving individuals and small communities the chance to contribute directly to the UK's long-term environmental and energy goals. There could also come a day when many people will receive a cheque alongside their energy bill.”

Micro-generation is the production of heat or electricity on a small scale from a low-carbon source, and the consultation paper says technologies include micro-wind, solar (thermal and photovoltaic), ground source heat pumps, micro-hydro, bio-energy, fuel cells, micro-CHP or air source heat pumps. The paper seeks views on how to support product development and deployment; appropriate economic incentives; issues around building regulations and planning policy; technical matters relating to connection to the distribution network and metering; and the Low Carbon Buildings Program.

Responses must be filed by September 23, following which the government will publish a final strategy for the promotion of micro-generation before April 2006, as required by the Energy Act 2004.

“Many people are keen to do their bit to help cut climate-changing emissions,” says Wicks. “They have the potential to make a big difference; nearly half of all UK carbon dioxide emissions come from buildings.”

"This consultation will give people the chance to share their views on how we can best promote the development and uptake of micro-generation, and make it easier for people to adopt these technologies in their own neighbourhood,” he adds. “It's all about looking to the future but acting now.”

“Over the past 50 years in all walks of life, we have seen technological advancements almost beyond imagining,” the document explains. “From personal computers to mobile telephones, innovation has led to the once extraordinary becoming commonplace.”

“Power generation has been subject to the same innovative influences,” with devices that use solar power and wind “now of a size to make them practical for homes and offices.”
Micro-generation has an important contribution to make in achieving the goal of delivering “sustainable, secure, affordable heat and electricity” through competitive markets, and many of the technologies and systems required to make this vision a reality already exist and others are in the process of being developed. “This strategy looks to create the right competitive environment for these technologies to fulfil their potential,” says Wicks.

The markets for micro-generation technologies are at an early stage of development, with an estimated 80,900 installations of low- or zero-carbon technologies generating either heat or electricity completed prior to 2004. There are a number of likely barriers to the widespread deployment of micro-generation technologies, including cost constraints, information constraints and technical constraints, and these areas are discussed in the consultation document with specific questions to elicit views on how these barriers can be overcome.

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