Sustainable energy policies: The UK versus The Netherlands Who’s best? René Kemp.

Sustainable energy policies:

The UK versus The Netherlands

Who’s best?

René Kemp

Sustainable energy policies in NL

The Dutch “transition approach”

• Led by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (responsible for business, energy and innovation)

• Goal: to achieve a transition to a low-carbon economy

• In a bottom-up, top-down manner, moving from programmes & experiments to alternative systems with new business

• With an important role for platforms

Top-down elements

• 26 transition paths

• 5 platforms for energy transition

• Government support for experiments (35 million euro)

• Policy renewal

Areas of interest

Policy Renewal

Biomass

Sustainable Rijnmond

New Gas

Eff. Energy Chains

Bottom-up elements

• Business alliances

• Experiments

• Identification of barriers / opportunities informing private action and policy

New Gas Sustainable mobility

Biomass

Decentralised electricity

(Greenhouses

Hydrogen

Clean fossil fuels

Built environment

Hybrid vehicles

Biofuels

Hydrogen vehicles

ITS

Biomass production in NL

Biomass import chains

Biomass coprod.

SNG

Green chemistry

Dutch transition paths

Chain Efficiency Sustainable electricity supply

Optimized waste chains

Precision agriculture

Process intensification

Multimodal transport

Freight load management

Symbiosis

Decentralised cogeneration

Paper industry

Renewables

Decarbonisation and cogeneration

Electricity infrastructure

Electricity saving

Dutch transition paths continued

2050 Biomass 20-40% of primary energy supply ‘Vision’

2020‘Strategic goals’10-15% in power prod. 15-20% in traffic

2003 2 à 3 %

‘Transition Paths’

C. Biofuels

B. Pyrolysis

A. Gasification

ExpvE

OS

Exp

Exp EOS: experiments : R&D

The biomass vision

How serious are they?

• Platform for “green resources” (one of official 5 platforms) 4 transition paths

• 60 million euro for biofuels

• In 2007 2% blending requirement for gasoline and diesel

• Certification system

Why is NL interested in biomass?

Because NL is a gas country (biomass can be turned into a gas)

Because agriculture business and the logistic sector (Rotterdam harbour) are interested in it

Because the chemical industry thinks it may obtain an competitive edge from knowledge-intensive, green materials

Because ECN is a world leader in biomass gassification

Why biomass #2

Because of Europe: the biofuel DirectiveBecause environmental groups are positive

about biomass (if done in the right way)Because the government views it as a relatively

attractive way to achieve CO2 reductions

Policy renewalfor technological innovation in NL

‘room for experiments’ environmental permits, zoning regulations ‘attitude’ of public authorities

public funds: ‘unique opportunities’ ‘service points’

cooperation within the bureaucracyR&D in support of transition paths

Members of platform “green resources”

• Paul Hamm (chair)• Dhr. G.G. Bemer (Koninklijke Nedalco)  • Dhr. A. van den Biggelaar (Stichting Natuur en Milieu) • Mevr.dr.ir. M.J.P. Botman (Ministerie van Economische Zaken) • Prof.dr. A. Bruggink (NWO-ACTS / Universiteit Nijmegen / DSM) • Ir. K.W. Kwant (SenterNovem) • Dhr. P. Lednor (Shell Global Solutions) • Dr. Peter M. Bruinenberg (AVEBE) • Prof.dr. E.M. Meijer (Unilever) • Prof.dr. J.P.M. Sanders (Agrotechnology & Food Innovations) • Prof.dr. W.P.M. van Swaaij (Universiteit Twente) • Prof.dr. H. Veringa (ECN) • Dr. J. Vanhemelrijck (EuropaBio) • Prof.dr.ir. L.A.M. van der Wielen (Technische Universiteit Delft)  

NL: Energy transition is “accelerated evolution”

UK: Making business sense of climate change

Government should not pick winners

Policy discourse

1) Because of the barriers to system innovation -- which have to with uncertainty, the need for change at various levels and vested interests

2) Because public policy is highly fragmented and oriented towards short term goals

3) Because of the need for societal support for transition policies and for legitimising policies towards structural change

4) Because a gradual approach of small steps is economically not disruptive and politically (socially) do-able

Why we need transition management

Transition management relies on blueprintsNot true: it is based on a set of goals and quality images (visions). The goals and policies are constantly re-evaluated and periodically adjusted. This creates some flexibility but maintains a sense of direction. 

Transition management is the enemy of control policiesNot true: control policies are needed. Transition management adds something to such policies: a framework and a commitment to change.. 

Transition management is something consensualNot true: There are stakes and ultimately winners and losers. 

It will succeed where other policies will failNot true: it helps to achieve greater coherence in policy and increases diversity

Misunderstandings about transition management