Energy Act 2011


The Energy Act 2011 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom relating to UK enterprise law and energy in the UK.

Contents

Chapter 1, sections 1 to 41 contain an "Energy Company Obligation", requiring the "big six" energy providers to deliver efficiency measures to domestic users. This had three components:
Chapters 2 and 3, sections 42 to 65 contain provisions on rented sectors in England, Wales and Scotland.
Chapter 4 is entitled "Reducing carbon emissions and home heating costs".
Chapter 5 concerns information about energy consumption, including smart meters.
Part 2 contains provisions on security of energy supplies, including the following:
  • sections 82-83, SS can determine that someone gets access to infrastructure without an application being made, after a reasonable time in which an agreement is not reached.
  • sections 94-102, Energy Supply Company Administration Order, if there is no willing buyer and a large number of customers, a court can appoint an administrator to keep the supplier trading until it can refinance, or a buyer is found, or customers are transferred to other suppliers. The govt can give financial assistance until then.
  • section 108, Carbon dioxide pipelines are in upstream regulation, used for carbon capture and storage.

    Significance

From 2013 a Coalition flagship policy called the Green Deal was to begin, to update housing stock. With an additional charge on electricity bills, consumers could install energy efficient improvements, the charge running with the electricity meter. The government ended funding for the Green Deal Finance Co in July 2015. It seemed property owners were deterred from using it. CCC, Report to Parliament 2013, 122 criticised the Green Deal’s lack of takeup.