The United Kingdom Introduces Feed-in-Tariffs

Originally published November 3, 2010

Keywords: United Kingdom, feed-in-tariffs, renewable energy, directive, European Union, energy consumption

Background

An EU-wide framework for renewable energies was introduced in 2009 under the Renewable Energy Directive (Directive). This legislation created a legally binding commitment for Member States to achieve the Directive requirement that 20 percent of the European Union's overall energy consumption come from renewable sources by 2020.

As part of its own commitment to the Directive objective, the United Kingdom is obliged to produce 15 percent of its energy supply from renewable sources by 2020. In light of this requirement, the UK Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) published the Renewable Energy Strategy (RES) in 2009, which sets out the approach for meeting the Directive target.