Carbon pricing is often regarded as the Holy Grail of climate policy. But according to Richard Cowart, Principal at the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), carbon prices cannot be a stand-alone solution. They have limited reach and – especially in electricity -- can be expensive for consumers. Nor are high carbon floor prices a magical solution: they don’t reduce the surplus of allowances and may not even reduce emissions. According to Cowart, … [Read more...]
Small district heating systems key to improving Poland’s air quality
Small, coal-fired district heating systems are a major source of air pollution in Poland. Applying EU regulations would go some way towards solving this problem, write Edith Bayer and Richard Cowart of global energy policy advisors Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), but more needs to be done. Bayer and Cowart draw four lessons from a new study that looked at practical ways to modernize two small district heating systems in Poland. … [Read more...]
The Clean Growth Strategy puts faith in energy efficiency – here’s how to do it
The UK government’s new Clean Growth Strategy gives quite a lot of priority to energy efficiency. That’s good news, write Jan Rosenow and Richard Cowart of the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP). What’s needed next is to develop the policies that actually deliver the goods. This can be done by following the principle of Efficiency First. … [Read more...]
European Council set to wipe out energy efficiency progress, leading to a decade of higher costs
Shockingly, the European Council is on the point of making decisions that will obliterate progress in energy efficiency in the EU, write Jan Rosenow and Richard Cowart of the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP). This will raise energy bills for consumers and companies, lead to worse health, comfort, air quality, and public housing, reduce job opportunities, and make it harder and more expensive to reach EU climate targets. All for the sake of … [Read more...]
Don’t throw out the energy efficiency baby with the Brexit bathwater
Will Brexit put energy efficiency progress in the UK at risk, ask Jan Rosenow, Pedro Guertler and Richard Cowart of RAP (Regulatory Assistance Project)? In electric appliances and heating systems – probably not. The biggest risk is in the building sector.UK policymakers will need to put efficiency first if they want to reach carbon targets and keep costs down. … [Read more...]
We need a lorry-load of energy savings – the UK government delivers a hatchback
The UK government has published a proposal for the new phase of its flagship energy savings policy, the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). According to Jan Rosenow and Richard Cowart of the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), the plan falls far short of what is needed to meet the UK’s targets both on fuel proverty and carbon reduction. “The government has its reasoning backward.” … [Read more...]
Energy efficiency in the UK: why are we walking away from it?
For the first time in more than two decades, the UK has no energy efficiency programme for the bulk of the market, write Jan Rosenow and Richard Cowart of the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP). The authors note that the pace of reduction in energy demand is already slowing down and this will only get worse in the coming years. They call on the UK government tot take action: the market won’t deliver energy efficiency without incentives or … [Read more...]
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