Energy efficiency subsidy could cut UK demand by 40 per cent

• 11 years ago (2012-10-16)
• David Flin

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A report from the UK think tank Green Alliance has said that an electricity efficiency feed-in traiff (EE FiT) paying projects that can demonstrate measured electricity use savings should be introduced into the upcoming Energy Bill, as this will introduce a financial incentive for energy efficiency.

The report highlights government research from earlier this year that suggested that effective measures to reduce electricity use could avoid 40 per cent of electricity demand by 2030, and save more than £10 billion annually. The Green Alliance said that current policies will only deliver a third of this potential. It argues that instead of supporting the construction of new electricity generation capacity, the upcoming Energy Bill should instead reward lower cost energy efficiency savings, and create markets for demand reduction.

Matthew Spencer, Director of Green Alliance, said: “An electricity efficiency feed-in tariff is the simplest way of doing this, and evidence from the USA suggests that it will incentivise a wave of new energy saving amongst business and households.”