Local authority

The

’s energy mix has never been more in the spotlight. The decline in oil reserves, combined with rising energy demands, are causing concern over how the nation is to fuel its future.

Local energy generation (or microgeneration) — technology installed in the home or in local communities to allow them to generate their own energy — has been recognised as an important and growing part of this mix. It could provide a substantial proportion of the UK’s energy requirements. Mini wind turbines, photovoltaic cells and other small-scale technologies, such as heat pumps, can make a significant contribution to fuel diversity and security of supply while delivering significant carbon reductions.

The Energy Saving Trust undertook a detailed review of technologies, the current market and the possible role and impact of local energy generation in the UK’s energy mix in a report, Potential for Microgeneration Study and Analysis. Commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry to inform the government’s low-carbon building programme and microgeneration strategy due this spring, this study examined routes for the creation of a sustainable and competitive environment for these technologies, and anticipated time scales for return on investment.