Renewable Energy in the UK

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xxii

   PDF

2. Renewables: From the Fringe to Dominance

   • David Elliott

   Pages 1-20

3. The Government Takes an Interest in the 1970s

   • David Elliott

   Pages 21-53

4. The Technology Moves on in the 1980s

   • David Elliott

   Pages 55-75

5. Forward to the Market into the 1990s

   • David Elliott

   Pages 77-104

6. Interim Analysis of the Story So Far

   • David Elliott

   Pages 105-124

7. The Market Takes Off Into the 2000s

   • David Elliott

   Pages 125-193

8. Sorting the System in the 2010s

   • David Elliott

   Pages 195-268

9. The Future into the 2020s and Beyond

   • David Elliott

   Pages 269-315

10. Back Matter

    Pages 317-322

    PDF

​This book offers a detailed account of how renewable energy has moved from the margins to the mainstream in the UK, and of the battles that have been fought to achieve this, trawling through the often troubled history of government involvement.  


The book examines how renewables became what now seem likely to be the dominant energy sources of the future. Renewable energy technologies, using solar and wind power and other natural energy sources, are now supplying around 30% of UK electricity and appear set to continue expanding to supply around 50% within the next decade. Although the emphasis of the book is on the UK, developments there are compared with those in other countries to provide an overall assessment of the relevance of the UK experience. 


Chapters explore why the UK still lags behind many other countries in deploying renewables, in part, it is argued, due to its continued reliance on nuclear power.The book ends with a discussion on what sort of changes may be expected over the coming years. The author does not assume a single answer, but invites readers to consider the possibilities.   

• renewables
• renewable energy in the UK
• renewable energy policy
• UK energy policy
• select committee report
• The ACORD review
• alternative energy’
• alternative technology’
• wind energy
• Non Fossil Fuel Obligation
• climate change
• Environmental Geography

• The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK

  David Elliott

David Elliott is Emeritus Professor of Technology Policy at the Open University, UK. He worked initially with the UK Atomic Energy Authority at Harwell and then for the Central Electricity Generating Board in Bristol, before moving, in the early 1970's, to the Open University, where he carried out research and developed courses on technological innovation, focusing in particular on renewable energy technology development policy. Professor Elliott has written extensively on sustainable energy policy and is co-editor of Palgrave Macmillan’s ‘Energy, Climate and Environment’ series, and also editor of the long established journal, Renew.

Policies and ethics