This report addresses the following key questions concerning the UK renewable energy market:
How do government policies shape the development of the renewable energy market?
What is the product mix of renewable energy deployment?
What are the public’s attitudes towards renewable energy?
How have key players involved in the renewable energy sector performed in recent years?
How will proposed government policy changes affect the various sectors of the renewable energy market?
Definitions
The terms of reference for this report concern the UK renewable energy market. This covers:
Biogas from anaerobic digestion
Biomass
Hydro electric
Tidal power
Wind power
PV cells
Landfill gas
Sewage gas
Wave power
Some further terms are used in this report:
| Kilowatt | One thousand watts. |
| Megawatt | One million watts (one thousand kilowatts). |
| Gigawatt | One thousand megawatts. |
| Terawatt | One thousand gigawatts. |
One billion refers to one thousand million.
Some numbers in tables may not add due to rounding.
Methodology
Reports are researched and written by MBD’s in-house, specialist business-to-business consultants. Research is based on both an analysis of official information and on original trade research, providing both a quantitative and qualitative view of the market. MBD’s unique range of frequently updated reports provide an integrated body of ongoing research, enabling deep understanding of the prevailing trends and of the drivers of these trends based on trade opinion.
Abbreviations
The following abbreviations have been used in this report:
| CCC | Committee on Climate Change |
| CCGT | Combined Cycle Gas Turbines |
| CfD | Contract for Difference |
| CPI | Consumer Prices Index |
| CM | Capacity Market |
| CSP | Concentrated Solar Power |
| DECC | Department of Energy & Climate Change |
| DVD | Digital Versatile Disc |
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Market positioning
Interest in renewable energy in the UK has increased in recent years due to new UK and EU targets for carbon emission reductions, the promotion of renewable electricity power generation through commercial incentives such as the Renewable Obligation Certificate scheme (ROCs) and FITs, and the promotion of renewable heat through the Renewable Heat Incentive. Historically, hydroelectric schemes were the largest producers of renewable electricity in the UK, but have now been surpassed by wind power schemes, for which the UK has large potential resources.
