ENERGY DEMANDS FOR UNITED KINGDOM

Energy Demands for the United Kingdom (UK)



Energy Demands for the United Kingdom (UK)

Introduction

Energy use and production have become highly salient within both national and international policy. This reflects an international recognition of the need to cut emissions in order to mitigate the threats of climate change. Within the UK there is significant policy support for renewable energy development generally, and wind power in particular. Nevertheless, the UK is not expected to meet its targets for renewable energy production. This is often portrayed as being the result of localised public opposition to particular proposed developments. However, this thesis challenges the notion that local objectors are powerful actors within renewable energy deployment. A detailed, multi-method case study of one planning application for a wind power development was conducted in order to explore how the planning process is experienced and perceived by various different actors involved (i.e. representatives of the developers, local objectors, local supporters) (Lipp, 2011, p31).

Energy use and production have become highly salient within both national and international policy. This reflects an international recognition of the need to cut emissions in order to mitigate the threats of climate change. The UK has been heavily reliant on fossil fuels throughout its history, as Brennand (2004, p83) notes it has relied on coal since the 18th century, natural gas since the 1960's and oil since the 1970's. However, as 'the prospect of exhaustion of this indigenous fossil fuel endowment combines with a heightening environmental awareness' the importance of developing capacities to exploit renewable energy sources is becoming increasingly clear (Brennand 2004, p83). This also represents a response to increasing national and international commitments to reducing emissions and combating the threats of climate change.

The UK is one of 189 member countries of The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which was one of three conventions adopted at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. The ultimate objective of the UNFCCC is to 'stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system'. To date a key outcome of the UNFCCC has been the 1997 Kyoto Protocol which has been ratified by 182 countries and came into effect in 2005 meaning that the UK is bound to reduce its emissions by 8 per cent (from 1990 levels) by 2008-2012 (Haugh, 2011, p155).

As such the UK is required to make significant changes in order to satisfy its commitments. The drive for renewable energy, which will be made apparent within chapter two, represents an important part of these changes. Renewable energy is said to be 'an integral part of the Government's strategy for reducing carbon emissions' and, as will be shown within chapter two, there is significant policy support for renewable energy development - and wind power in particular. Nevertheless, the UK is not expected to meet its targets for renewable energy production (Lipp, 2011, p31).

Discussion

In 1989 the first steps towards creating a UK renewable energy ...