Delivering Sustainability – The need for energy policy to engage more people than the ‘usual suspects’ – the supply-side

Catherine Mitchell, University of Exeter

Sets out the nature of the current energy system in terms of incumbent energy companies and how Government policies support them, before asking what can be done about this. The implication of meeting the 2050 carbon targets is that the energy system (electricity, heat and transport) will need to be almost completely different from that in place today, requiring significant innovation and change. It is apparent that the Big Six dominate electricity supply and generation and large scale gas, at the expense of other key sectors (transport, heat, skills) and what may be needed are more inclusive and open policies and a strategic plan with political intervention and funds.