Decarbonising electricity
The power sector, the largest source of UK emissions, must be largely decarbonised by 2030 if the UK is to reduce emissions consistent with its statutory carbon budgets. A low-carbon power sector is also important to enable the decarbonisation of the transport and heating sectors (the second and third largest sources of UK emissions, respectively) through their electrification.
The Institute leads research on the policy regime, low-carbon technologies and grid upgrades required to facilitate electricity sector decarbonisation, and its potential to unlock growth and innovation opportunities.
Key publications:
Long run demand for energy services: income and price elasticities over 200 years
Data Set on the Consumption of Energy and Energy Services (1300-2008). Fouquet, R. (2014) Review of Environmental Economics and Policy 8(2).
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The British Feed-in Tariff for small renewable energy systems: Can it be made fairer?
The British Feed-in Tariff (FiT) scheme, which launched in April 2010, pays £500 million each year to the owners of small scale renewable energy installations for the clean … read more »
The Climate Change Act
The Climate Change Act received Royal Assent on 26 November 2008 and set an overarching target to reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 per cent by … read more »
Climate change policy UK
The Grantham Research Institute for Climate Change and the Environment and the Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy (CCCEP) have published a policy paper, originally commissioned as a working paper … read more »
Handbook on Energy and Climate Change
Fouquet, R. 2013. Edward Elgar Publications. Cheltenham, UK, and Northampton, MA, USA.
Decarbonising electricity generation
The power sector is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the UK and must be largely decarbonised by 2030 if the Government is … read more »
A UK ‘dash’ for smart gas
Shifting from coal to natural gas for electricity generation can help the UK power sector to decarbonise in the near term. With good planning and investment, natural gas can support the development of a low-carbon power sector by providing essential backup for intermittent renewables, but could only play a bigger role longer-term if fitted with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.
However, a new UK ‘dash’ for gas on the assumption of low prices is a risky economic and environmental option. A lower risk option is a ‘dash’ for smart gas; using natural gas in those areas where it offers the greatest value in decarbonising the power sector. read more »
The economics of wind power: submission to the inquiry by the House of Commons Select Committee on Energy and Climate Change
Samuela Bassi and Sam Fankhauser
Economy and energy
Yeager, K., F. Dayo, M. Dominik, R. Fouquet, A. Gilau, R. Hosier, A. Miller, S. Rao, S. Sethi. 2012. In: N. Nakicenovic, L. Gomez-Echeverri and T.B. Johansson (eds.) Global Energy … read more »
The long run demand for lighting: elasticities and rebound effects in different phases of economic development.
Fouquet, R., and P.J.G. Pearson. 2012. Economics of Energy and Environmental Policy, v.1, pp.83-100.
The demand for environmental quality in driving transitions to low-polluting energy sources
Fouquet, R. 2012. Energy Policy 50 (Special Issue on Past and Prospective Energy Transitions), pp.130-41.
The case for and against onshore wind energy in the UK
This policy brief investigates the extent to which onshore wind can contribute to future electricity generation, whether there are technological constraints, what the economic costs are and what the … read more »
A practitioner’s guide to a low-carbon economy: lessons from the UK
This paper identifies practical lessons for policy makers that seek to decarbonise their economies, drawing primarily on the UK experience. There are five main conclusions. First, decarbonisation needs a … read more »
Trends in income and price elasticities of transport demand (1850-2010)
Fouquet, R. 2012. Energy Policy 50 (Special Issue on Past and Prospective Energy Transitions), pp.62-71.
Long run trends in energy-related external costs.
Fouquet, R. 2011. Ecological Economics, v.70, pp.2380-9
The basic economics of low-carbon growth in the UK
Mattia Romani, Nicholas Stern and Dimitri Zenghelis
The slow search for solutions: lessons from historical energy transitions by sector and service.
Fouquet, R. 2010. Energy Policy, v.38, pp.6586-96.
A brief history of energy
In: Hunt, L. and J. Evans (eds.). 2009. International Handbook of the Economics of Energy. Edward Elgar Publications. Cheltenham, UK, and Northampton, MA, USA.
Heat, Power and Light: revolutions in energy services
Fouquet, R. 2008. Edward Elgar Publications. Cheltenham, UK, and Northampton, MA, USA.
Seven centuries of energy services: the price and use of lighting in the United Kingdom (1300-2000).
Fouquet, R., and Pearson, P.J.G. 2006. The Energy Journal, v.27, pp.139-77.
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Green growth
Can environmental policies deliver increased economic growth and prosperity?
Economic competitiveness
Are environmental policies a threat to economic competitiveness?
China
How will China make the shift to low-carbon growth?
Implementing the Paris Agreement
Research and analysis produced in the run up to the Paris Agreement.
Decarbonising electricity
How will the UK and Europe make the transition to a low-carbon power sector at the lowest cost?
EU ETS reform
What will successful reform look like for the world’s largest carbon market?
