Publication date: October 2003
The 2003 UK Energy White Paper set out an aspiration to cut
carbon dioxide emissions by 60% and create a low carbon economy by
2050. These deep cuts will require both a doubling in the uptake of
energy efficiency measures and significant new supplies of
renewable energy.
To maximise the economic return to the UK, public support should
be targeted at technologies where the UK has competitive strengths.
Like private investors, public interest organisations like the
Carbon Trust need to invest carefully, making funding available in
support of specific objectives. To pursue our objectives cost
effectively will require us to prioritise between technologies and
follow differentiated investment strategies.
The Low Carbon Technology Assessment, published in 2002,
was commissioned to help the Carbon Trust make best use of its
investment resource. It gives guidance on those technology
groups with substantial potential for carbon emissions
reduction and where investment by the Carbon Trust can make a
material difference to the technology's progress towards
commercialisation given other public/private sector
funding.
Work undertaken in 2003 developed the findings of the Low
Carbon Technology Assessment in the specific area of renewable
power technologies in order to inform the Carbon Trust's
approach to investment in this area. This report
summarises the key findings of this work.
Download the report:
Building options
for UK renewable energy (CT-2003-08)