The Road to 2020 (September 2008)

Report purpose

For the first time the UK has a legally binding renewable energy target. It commits the country to producing 15% of all energy consumed in transport, heat and power generation from renewable sources by 2020. This is an extremely challenging target as the UK presently generates less than 2% of its energy from renewable sources and total energy consumption has been rising in recent years.

This report lays out an early analysis of what this new target could mean for the South West of England, where the challenges lie, and where there are opportunities for the region to speed up deployment and increase economic development.

We have explored the implications of both a 15% and a 20% target for the region because our strong renewable resource offers the opportunity for us to go beyond the national average.

This report is intended as both a contribution to the government’s Renewable Energy Strategy consultation, and to provide guidance to businesses and public sector partners in the region who want to understand the opportunities created by the new UK renewables target.