Lessons from energy efficiency policy and programmes in the UK 1973 to 2013

The UK is in the process of implementing the Green Deal, a finance-based energy efficiency policy. It is aimed, initially, at the domestic sector, but with plans to extend the scheme to the commercial and public sectors. The Green Deal represents a fundamental reorganisation of policy because it places a considerable reliance on the role of markets to deliver the required energy savings. After some initial Government funding, support programmes have been curtailed or removed completely and role of government restricted to capacity building, accreditation and compliance monitoring. Will the Green Deal succeed? This paper reviews the history of energy efficiency policy and programmes in the UK from 1973 to the present day, taking account of the political environment and of the wider context of energy and climate policy development. This information is then analysed to draw out what isgenerally considered to be effective policy, and applies this to the current policy landscape.