Energy white paper 2003: ‘Our energy future: creating a low-carbon economy’

From heating and lighting to transport, industry and communications, energy is fundamental to almost everything we do. We expect it to be available whenever we want it, and it to be affordable, safe and environmentally sustainable.

Our energy future: creating a low-carbon economy defined a long-term strategic vision for energy policy combining our environment, security of supply, competitiveness and social goals. It built on the Performance and Innovation Unit's Energy review, published in February 2002, and on other reports that have looked at major areas of energy policy. The Sustainable Energy Policy Network (SEPN) was instrumental in seeing through the paper’s findings.

Because energy requires long-term investment, we looked ahead to 2050 to set the overall context. We set out the challenges ahead in terms of the environment, the decline of our indigenous energy supplies, the need to update our energy infrastructure, and the policies we need to pursue over the next 20 years and beyond.

Based on this, the energy policy has five key goals:

1. to put ourselves on a path to cut the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions – the main contributor to global warming – by some 60% by about 2050, with real progress by 2020
2. to maintain the reliability of energy supplies
3. to promote competitive markets in the UK and beyond, helping to raise the rate of sustainable economic growth
4. to improve our productivity
5. to ensure every home is heated adequately and affordably

The Sustainable Energy Act 2003 received Royal Assent on 30 October 2003. The Energy Act 2004, which implemented a range of commitments made in the 2003 white paper, received Royal Assent on 22 July 2004.

Annual reports

In accordance with section 1 of the Sustainable Energy Act 2003, we are obliged to report annually on the progress made in meeting the energy objectives set out in the 2003 white paper. The fifth and latest report, published in July 2008, covers the period 24 February 2007-23 February 2008:

• Fifth annual report on progress towards the 2003 energy white paper

Previous annual reports and supporting documents

• Energy white paper: annex A – fourth annual report on progress towards the 2003 energy white paper goals
• Creating a low-carbon economy – third annual report on implementation of the Energy white paper
• Creating a low-carbon economy – second annual report on implementation of the energy white paper
• Ail adroddiad blynyddol ar weithrediad y papur gwyn ar ynni – Welsh version of second annual report
• Progress on regional implementation of the energy white paper
• Creating a low-carbon economy – first annual report on implementation of the energy white paper
• Creu economi carbon-isel: adroddiad blynyddol cyntaf ar weithrediad y papur gwyn ar ynni

Energy white paper 2003: supporting analysis

• Energy white paper: addressing the PIU recommendations
• White paper modelling: use of the MARKAL energy model
• Options for a low-carbon future: phase 2
• Security in gas and electricity markets: NERA report
• Energy markets and capacity obligation: NERA report
• Quantifying the system costs of additional renewables 2020
• Estimates of primary energy demand and electricity generation
• Sectoral energy and emissions projections in the energy white paper