Sustainable Energy Policy Network

Introduction

The Sustainable Energy Policy Network (SEPN) was created by the British government in 2003 to review the country's energy policy. The White Paper was published in May 2007, a culmination of the information and recommendations from the SEPN. It is expected to become law in the United Kingdom during 2008 to 2009.

Historical Background and Scientific Foundations

In February 2003, the government of the United Kingdom launched the SEPN, which set out to fulfill a number of goals in relation to British energy policy.

Most notable among these was the intention to reduce the UK's carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions—the main contributor to global climate change—by 60% by 2050. It also set out to maintain a cheap and reliable supply of domestic energy to UK residents.

To facilitate these goals, the SEPN created a network of policy units across government departments, devolved administrations (i.e., the Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Ireland Assemblies) and regulatory bodies.

Patricia Hewitt, the UK Trade and Industry Secretary, formally launched SEPN in June 2003. SEPN activity was culminated in the publication of the Energy White Paper in May 2007. Over its four-year life, the SEPN coordinated and carried out work that created Britain's 2006 energy review—The Energy Challenge— and the Energy White Paper.

Impacts and Issues

The Energy White Paper is primarily concerned with domestic policy. It concludes that Britain faces two long-term energy challenges: tackling climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions both within the UK and abroad; and ensuring secure, clean, and affordable energy rather than becoming increasingly dependent on imported fuel. The White Paper made clear that Britain's reliance on fossil fuels could not last: North Sea gas and oil were running out, and foreign sources could not last indefinitely.

WORDS TO KNOW

RENEWABLE ENERGY: Energy obtained from sources that are renewed at once, or fairly rapidly, by natural or managed processes that can be expected to continue indefinitely. Wind, sun, wood, crops, and waves can all be sources of renewable energy.

WHITE PAPER: An authoritative, publicly available paper or report giving an overview of some important topic. Traditionally, only documents issued by governments were termed white papers, but corporate documents crafted to urge a certain point of view are increasingly labeled “white papers.”

WIND FARMS: Clusters of wind turbines generating electricity. Wind farms are the most efficient way to generate large amounts of electricity from wind because they can share a single, high-capacity line to transmit their power output to the long-distance electric-power network (grid).

Although there were a raft of proposals to reduce domestic energy consumption—such as the introduction of “real time” electricity meters to make users aware of their consumption as they used it—it was the proposal that Britain should build a second generation of nuclear power stations to meet its future energy needs that was the most radical and headline-grabbing part of the White Paper. No nuclear power station had been opened or planned in Britain in the preceding twelve years.

The White Paper promised to relax planning laws in order to accelerate the building of new power stations. Its contents were criticized, almost unanimously, by environmental groups, which had lobbied for the development of renewable energy resources, such as wind farms. Friends of the Earth described the White Paper as “bad for the environment, bad for local communities and bad for democracy.” Greenpeace said that the White Paper is “clearly intended to open the door to new nuclear power stations and airports, which will take the UK's fight against climate change backwards.”

A White Paper traditionally precedes laws going before parliament. Most of the contents of the Energy White Paper are expected to become law during 2008 to 2009.

See Also Environmental Policy; Nuclear Power; Public Opinion.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Periodicals

“Energy Utopia.” New Scientist (June 2, 2007): 2606.

Web Sites

Dorfman, Paul. “Power Trip.” Guardian, May 23, 2007. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/may/23/nuclearindustry.homeaffairs> (accessed November 21, 2007).

Greenpeace UK. <http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/tags/energy-white-paper> (accessed December 2, 2007).

McAllister, Terry, and Mark Milner. “The Future May Be Nuclear, Says Government—and Time Is Short.” Guardian, May 24, 2007. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/may/24/energy.business> (accessed November 21, 2007).

Osborne, Hilary. “Green Groups Hit Out at Planning Reforms.” Guardian, May 21, 2007. <http://politics.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,329891091-107983,00.html> (accessed December 2, 2007).

James Corbett