The Energy Policy Context for Renewable Gas

Abstract

The British Government, in language similar to that used by other governance bodies, have identified an energy “trilemma”: of having to design policy that meets the needs of the combined criteria of energy security, climate security and economic stability (DECC, 2014b). Energy policy should build in safeguards for energy supply and energy demand control; meet the Carbon Budgets set out by the Climate Change Committee under the articles of the Climate Change Act of 2008 (CCC, 2013), whilst ensuring affordable energy provision, and sustaining energy markets, without destabilising the wider economy. It may seem that the way forward for policy points in several different directions at once, like a city centre waymarker; however, a common framework for policy can be constructed, provided that counter-productive requirements are removed and enabling measures adopted.