The Big Energy Shift Background and Key Impacts

The purpose of this dialogue project was to encourage people to discuss the way they insulate, heat and power their homes and communities. In total, approximately 250 people from nine communities across the UK took part in the dialogue, which sought people’s views on Government plans for a big energy shift.

The dialogue project took place in parallel with the formal consultations on the Heat and Energy Saving Strategy and Renewable Energy Strategy being prepared, and involved Government ministers throughout the process, including Ed Miliband and Joan Ruddock.

Aims and objectives

• Test out the public’s views on community-level carbon and energy savings
• Enable UK Government to make fully informed policy decisions in response to the proposals in the Climate Change Bill.

In each of the nine citizen’s forums which took place, 20+ residents from the local area were invited to take part, with a focus on homeowners. During the course of the forums, three events were set up for each community.

The first of these events allowed participants to learn about new energy technologies from a range of energy and technology experts, who were on hand to explain how the technologies worked and answer any questions.

During the second event, participants were given the opportunity to view some of these technology options firsthand and consider how these might be used in their own homes.

The third event brought participants back together with other stakeholders, such as NGOs, to discuss their thoughts around the policy options having learnt about and viewed some of the new technologies.

A final event held in London provided a summary of the findings from each of the three events, in addition to an opportunity for representatives of those who took part across the country to come together and put forward their recommendations to policy makers.

Key Impacts

The findings from the dialogue showed that there was huge potential for people to change their energy behaviour and that attitudes towards improving energy efficiency were extremely positive. However, the results also demonstrated that individuals alone were not likely to initiate change, but that integrated community-wide approaches involving householders, businesses and Government are needed to stimulate a Big Energy Shift. Leadership from the Government in particular was highlighted as a key mechanism to change.

On 28 September 2009, the Government launched the Low Carbon Communities Challenge, a two-year programme to provide financial and advisory support to 20 ‘test-bed’ communities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that are seeking to cut carbon emissions. This initiative, which was announced in the Low Carbon Transition Plan, comes as a direct result of the Big Energy Shift public dialogue and will provide funding of £10 million to the communities involved.

The Low Carbon Communities Challenge will build on the outcomes of the Big Energy Shift by trialling an integrated, community-wide approach that encompasses new technologies and other support measures in a number of communities. Sciencewise-ERC will be providing specific support and funding for the community dialogue aspect of the challenge.