ACE

This new report from ACE and Unlock Democracy exposes the circumstances in which MPs and Parliament were given incorrect information upon which to make their decisions on national energy policy, specifically in relation to new nuclear power. 

The report outlines that, on the basis of the Government’s own evidence, we do not need any more new nuclear power stations in order to ‘keep the lights on’ and reduce CO² emissions by 80% by 2050. It goes on to show that, on the basis of the Government’s own evidence, electricity generated by nuclear power is the not the least expensive of all lowcarbon technologies. In everyday terms, the building of new nuclear power stations to provide electricity is likely to mean higher fuel bills.

Finally the report attempts to assess what has gone on. Why the seemingly inexplicable decisions documented (i.e. the decisions in favour of new nuclear power stations that are not needed) were taken by successive Governments. 

The report concludes that what has gone on is nothing less than a corruption of governance. This corruption of governance can only be rectified if Parliament re-opens this debate, and MPs vote on this issue having seen the correct information.

Download the Executive Summary here.

Download the full report here.   

Framing a sustainable transition to the Green Deal and the Energy Company Obligation 

The ACE Research Team is today publishing its report on the implications of the transition from CERT to Green Deal and the new Energy Company Obligation after 2012 - to coincide with the deadline to the Government's Green Deal consultation.

The 'Dead CERT' project's focus is on the main contributors to the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target: cavity wall and loft insulation. Its aim is to understand the implications of the move from CERT to Green Deal and ECO for the markets for these measures, and to make recommendations to support a well-managed transition which ensures carbon budgets, fuel poverty targets, and the wider ambitions for the Green Deal can be met.

The report's findings, summarised here, inform the relevant parts of ACE's response to the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation consultation. Dead CERT concludes that current proposals for the Green Deal and ECO framework do not match the framework’s status as flagship Government policy, the aspiration for this Government to be the ‘greenest ever’, and the desire for the Green Deal to be ‘the biggest home energy improvement programme of modern times’. In fact, current proposals pose serious risks to Government objectives and the energy efficiency industry.

The full report demonstrates that an outcome which falls short of these aspirations is entirely unnecessary and easily avoided. For individual households, low cost insulation measures such as cavity wall and loft insulation can help make ambitious and capital intensive whole house packages meet the Golden Rule set for the Green Deal. In much the same way, fully tapping the considerable potential for these measures will enable the wider ambitions – for the Green Deal and ECO framework, carbon and fuel poverty targets, jobs and green economy objectives – to be met across the British housing stock without compromising the philosophy underpinning the Government’s proposals.

• Dead CERT - Executive Summary
• Dead CERT - Full Report - with Appendices
• ACE response to the Green Deal and ECO consultation