Delivering a Low Carbon Electricity System
Technologies, Economics and Policy

A systematic analysis of the issues surrounding the creation of a low-carbon electricity sector.

Michael Grubb (Edited by), Tooraj Jamasb (Edited by), Michael G. Pollitt (Edited by)

9780521888844, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 17 July 2008

536 pages, 86 b/w illus. 63 tables
23.5 x 15.7 x 3 cm, 0.96 kg

'As a path-breaking Climate Change Bill moves through the UK Parliament, it is clear that the electricity system in its widest sense - covering generation, infrastructure and consumers - has a critical role to play in meeting climate policy goals. The trick will be to do so while keeping down costs and ensuring secure supplies. The authors of this comprehensive text show how it can be done. An astute juggling of technology and economics, supported by informed analysis, is essential. This book should be on every energy policy makers reading list.' Jim Skea, UK Energy Research Centre

Meeting targets aimed at tackling the climate change challenge requires moving towards a low-carbon economy. These targets can only be met with major reductions in carbon emissions from the electricity sector. Written by a team of leading academics and industry experts, Delivering a Low Carbon Electricity System analyses the social, technological, economic and political issues that affect the attempt to create a low-carbon electricity sector and assesses the main instruments for achieving this aim. The book begins by looking at how low-carbon generation technologies might be added in sufficient quantity to the electricity system. Next, it examines how networks and the demand side can help to decarbonise the sector. It then highlights the role of innovation and discusses instruments for promoting technological progress. Finally, given the economic framework and technological possibilities, it presents a number of general and specific policy instruments and options for the future.

List of figures
List of tables
List of contributors
Foreword
Acknowledgments
1. A low-carbon electricity sector for the UK: issues and options Michael Grubb, Tooraj Jamasb and Michael Pollitt
Part I. The Fundamentals: 2. Calculating the social cost of carbon Chris Hope and David Newbery
3. Technologies for a low-carbon electricity system: an assessment of the UK's issues and options Tooraj Jamasb, William J. Nuttall, Michael Pollitt and Alexandra Maratou
4. The benefits of fuel mix diversity Fabien A. Roques
5. Variability and renewables Graham Sinden
6. Implications of intermittency and transmission constraints for renewables deployment Karsten Neuhoff, Jim Cust and Kim Keats
Part II. Incentives and the Demand Side: Demand Side Management and System Requirements: 7. Electricity network investment and regulation for a low-carbon future Michael Pollitt and Janusz Bialek
8. Domestic electricity consumption and demand side participation: opportunities and challenges for the UK power system Mark Bilton, Charlotte Ramsay, Matthew Leach, Hannah Devine-Wright, Patrick Devine-Wright and Daniel Kirschen
9. Enhancing efficient use of electricity in the business and public sectors Michael Grubb, James Wilde and Steven Sorrell
Part III. Investment, Price and Innovation: 10. Will the market choose the right technologies? Karsten Neuhoff and Paul Twomey
11. Pricing carbon for electricity generation: national and international dimensions Michael Grubb and David Newbery
12. Learning curves for energy technology: a critical assessment Tooraj Jamasb and Jonathan Köhler
13. Accelerating innovation and strategic deployment in UK electricity – applications to renewable energy Michael Grubb, Nadine Haj-Hasan and David Newbery
Part IV. Scenarios, Options and Public Attitudes: 14. Scenarios of the electricity industry in Great Britain in 2020: networks, generation and decarbonisation Ian Elders, Graham Ault, Graeme Burt, Ryan Tumilty, Jim McDonald and Jonathan Köhler
15. Modelling the economic impact of low-carbon electricity Milton Yago, Jonathan P. Atkins, Keshab Bhattarai, Richard Green and Stephen Trotter
16. Bridging technologies: can clean fossil offer a bridge to a sustainable energy future in the UK? David M. Reiner, Jon Gibbins and Sam Holloway
17. Reconsidering public acceptance of Renewable Energy Technologies: a critical review Patrick Devine-Wright
18. Concluding chapter Michael Grubb, Tooraj Jamasb and Michael Pollitt
Index.

Subject Areas: Environmental science, engineering & technology [TQ], Environmental economics [KCN], Economics [KC]