Renewable energy policy

Human induced climate change, caused primarily by emissions of CO2 from combustion of fossil fuels, is posing a significant threat to the world's environment. The UK Government's response to climate change includes objectives to meet 10% of electricity requirements from renewable energy by 2010.

Bedfordshire County Council commissioned consultants to undertake a study looking at renewable energy policy and practice in Bedfordshire. The main objectives of the study were to identify targets for the development of renewable energy within the county, and to outline what actions are required to prompt key stakeholders into making progress towards the targets. Specific aims included:

• To examine existing studies that have identified renewable energy targets for Bedfordshire and update these figures in the light of current policy directions and technology developments
• To seek the opinions of key stakeholders in the County on the nature and scale of renewable energy installations that the Council should be seeking to promote
• To highlight the environmental, social and economic benefits and impacts associated with the renewable energy developments proposed
• To provide a series of recommendations on how the Council can contribute to furthering the development of renewable energy generation within Bedfordshire

Projections suggest that to meet it's share of the national renewables target, 342 GWh of electricity will need to be generated from renewable sources in the County by 2010. Existing renewable capacity in Bedfordshire and Luton consists of plants fuelled by landfill gas at five landfill sites. The output from these schemes is estimated at 213 GWh per.

Two previous renewable energy capacity studies have been completed for the East of England. After reviewing the figures in these previous reports, and taking account of recent policy and technology changes, two possible scenarios were proposed for the development of renewable energy in Bedfordshire and Luton.

Consultation on the scenarios was undertaken with a number of stakeholders in Bedfordshire and Luton and elsewhere who are likely to influence the uptake of renewable energy in the county. Their opinion was sought on the figures in the scenarios and the general approach the Council should adopt to promoting renewables. A number of interviews with key interest groups were also carried out, and public comments were invited via the County Council's newsletter and web site.

The replies received from the consultation were very positive with most agreeing that the Council should seek to promote the uptake of renewable energy towards the top end of the range suggested. An important finding from the consultation was that there was a great deal of enthusiasm for renewable energy but there is a lack of clear focal point to supply information and connect interested parties with interested renewable energy developers.

Based on the findings of the consultations the scenarios were modified and a final set of targets were prepared for Bedfordshire and Luton. These are set out below:

Stakeholder Supported Renewable Energy Targets for Bedfordshire and Luton (2010)

Theoretical Resource		Target for 2010
	GWh	MW Total	GWh	As a % of resource
Wind Total	220	26.1	64	29%
Biomass Total	554	40.6	200	36%
Landfill Gas Total	500 (by 2010)	53.9	303	61%
PV Total	31	8.8	7.7	25%
	Resource (GWh)	MW	GWh
Total	1305	250	575
As a % of resource			44
As a % of consumption			17

In addition to the preparation of the targets, the study also sought to identify the key barriers which may hinder the process of renewable energy development within the County. Some of these barriers are recognised as national issues that are beyond the control of the Council, such as:

• Lack of commercial viability for some technologies and some areas of the County
• Structure of the electricity trading system being unfavourable to small scale renewables

However there are a number of barriers which the Council is in a position to address, these include:

• Difficulty in achieving planning consent
• Lack of information about the commercial opportunities from renewable energy
• Lack of motivation to implement renewable energy schemes.

As a result of consultation with a number of key parties, a range of ways in which these barriers may be overcome in Bedfordshire have been identified. These focus on specific actions which the Council may take forward itself, together with ways in which it can stimulate, encourage and support other key actors in the county to implement renewable energy schemes.

The key areas in which the Council can influence renewable energy implementation lie in its responsibilities for:

• Planning – through influencing developments in planning policy framework, planning guidance, planning agreements etc
• Development – through stimulating uptake of renewable energy technologies in new developments
• Estates – through implementing renewable energy technologies on the Council's own estates and buildings, as well as through its tenants
• Education – by promoting information about renewable energy widely in schools as well as to the general public
• Environment – by linking renewable energy into the Council's wider environmental responsibilities and targets (building on existing internal policies and targets)
• Funding – where possible provide financial support towards new and existing renewables initiatives, and/or signpost towards funding available from other sources
• Collaboration with other renewables initiatives - There are already a number of renewables initiatives operating in the east of England, Thames Valley and East Midlands. Bedfordshire lies adjacent to all of these initiatives and the Council should make contact with each of them to identify where the County can best benefit from collaborative activities.

Increasing renewable energy use in Bedfordshire is a challenge for the County Council, which will require a strong level of political will and commitment to achieve. Nevertheless this study has demonstrated that there is not only sufficient renewable energy resource within the county, there is also a high level of enthusiasm and commitment to bring forward renewable energy schemes. The recommendations developed as a result of this study provide a series of practical actions and initiatives that the Council can bring forward in order to help to make renewable energy developments happen in the county.

Renewable Energy Policy and Practice Guidance for Bedfordshire

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