The politics of wind

Here we provide the main policy documents that underpin the government’s renewables strategy, the consultations that followed, the statutory instruments to which they gave rise and papers commenting on them.

The process of legislation that led to the current explosion in wind-power applications began five years ago. At its core are the Renewables Obligation and the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) schemes, introduced in 2002.

It is a confusing and at times complex affair. Newcomers might find A Cuckoo in the Renewables Nest useful as it summarises the political milestones. See also "The Economics of Renewables" for OFGEM and other reports.

All the documents in this section are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

• The Energy Challenge, Energy Review Report 2006
  The DTI,  2006
  218pps.
• The Energy Challenge, Energy Review Report 2006
  The DTI,  2006
  Executive summary. 14pps.
• Our Energy Future, Creating a Low-Carbon Economy
  The DTI,  2003
  Energy White Paper.
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  Displaying 3 of 11 documents - click here to list all documents in this section
  
  

• Matching Renewable Electricity Generation with Demand
  University of Edinburgh for the Scottish Executive,  2006
  An appraisal of the extent to which Scotland could meet forty per cent of its demand for electricity in the year 2010 from renewable resources, prepared by the Institute for Energy Systems in the School of Engineering and Electronics at the University of Edinburgh. 77pps.
• Matching Renewable Energy Generation with Demand
  University of Edinburgh for the Scottish Executive,  2006
  Appendices, 11pps.
• Matching Renewable Electricity Generation with Demand
  University of Edinburgh for the Scottish Executive,  2006
  Summary, 22pps
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  Displaying 3 of 12 documents - click here to list all documents in this section
  
  

• Renewable Energy in Scotland
  Scottish Executive – Enterprise & Culture Committee,  2004
  6th Report of the Scottish Parliament
• Renewable Energy in Scotland
  A public information leaflet published by the Enterprise & Culture Committe.
• A Walk in the Dark
  A VoS Briefing Paper,  2004
  A submission to the Enterprise & Culture Committee`s Renewable Energy Inquiry.
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• Meeting Scotland`s Future Energy Needs
  House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee,  2005
• Renewable Energy: Practicalities
  House of Lords Science & Technology Committee,  2004
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• Inquiry into Energy Issues for Scotland
  The Royal Society of Edinburgh,  2006
  150pps.
• Inquiry into Energy Issues for Scotland
  The Royal Society of Edinburgh,  2006
  Summary. 24pps.
• Energy at the Crossroads
  Institution of Chemical Engineers,  2002
  A response to the PIU Energy Review – chemical engineering`s contribution to the UK energy debate.
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  Displaying 3 of 6 documents - click here to list all documents in this section
  
  

• A Cuckoo in the Renewables Nest
  Reprinted from a "VoS" newsletter,  2005
  An outline of the political background to the wind-energy crisis.
• Does "Dough-for-Blow" scam herald comeback for nuclear?
  A reprint from a "VoS" newsletter,  2003
  which asks whether wind power is a stalking horse for the comeback of nuclear power.
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