The Energy Policy Group at the University of Exeter provides an academic hub for the interdisciplinary study of energy policy. We place sustainability and change at the heart of debates about energy policy and governance. We work collaboratively with stakeholders and researchers on the economics and politics of energy to find new and innovative approaches for enabling the transition to a low carbon, sustainable and affordable energy system. Find out more about our team, vision and work here.
Our new thinking...
Richard Lowes
Political power and the development of the GB Renewable Heat Incentive
September 2016 | Conference Paper: BIEE 2016 | Paper and Slides
Catherine Mitchell
Governing for innovation without disruption in energy systems
September 2016 | Conference Paper: BIEE 2016 | Paper and Slides
Richard Hoggett
Optimising the energy system from the bottom up
September 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Iain Soutar & Catherine Mitchell
Grappling with wickedness: The articulation of WEF nexus governance in the UK
September 2016 | RGS Annual Conference | PDF
Joseph Dutton
It will take more than giving people a share in shale gas profits to sway public opinion on fracking
August 2016 | The Conversation | Link
Richard Lowes
Heat decarbonisation calls for proven technology
August 2016 | UKERC Guest Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Sim4Nexus and the IPCC AR6 Cycle
July 2016 | Sim4Nexus kick off meeting presentation | PDF
Catherine Mitchell
The embedded benefits saga: Why GB needs a progressive energy vision
August 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Bridget Woodman
Hinkley Point C delay: How to exploit this attack of common sense in energy policy
July 2016 | The Conversation | Link
Catherine Mitchell
What I wanted to say on the Today show this morning
July 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Giving control back to the people - why the Government should ditch HPC
July 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Matthew Lockwood, Caroline Kuzemko, Catherine Mitchell & Richard Hoggett
Historical institutionalism and the politics of sustainable energy transitions: A research agenda
July 2016 | Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy | Link
Matthew Lockwood
The UK's Levy Control Framework for renewable electricity support: Effects and significance
July 2016 | Energy Policy | Link
Joseph Dutton
Turkey crisis: How will oil and gas supplies be affected?
July 2016 | The Conversation / The Conversation France | English and French
Joseph Dutton
The importance of the EU to the renewable energy sector
June 2016 | RenewableUK Wales Conference | PDF
Richard Hoggett
The changing role of consumers in the energy system
July 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Richard Lowes & Bridget Woodman
An introduction to Heat, Incumbency and Transformations (HIT)
July 2016 | HIT Vlog 1 | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Distribution service providers
June 2016 | Inter-American Development Bank, Washington DC | Link
Catherine Mitchell
US regulatory reform: NY utility transformation
June 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Putting the environment back into GB energy policy
May 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Iain Soutar
From local to global value: The transformational nature of community energy
May 2016 | PhD thesis | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Introduction to DSO vs DSP: Potential regulations and incentives
May 2016 | IGov DSP Roundtable, London | Link
Matthew Lockwood
Setting the context: The current framework for innovation in distribution grids
May 2016 | IGov DSP Roundtable, London | Link
Matthew Lockwood
Green innovation and regulatory institutions: The case of smart electricity grids in Great Britain
May 2016 | ESRC 'Green Innovation: Making it Work' Seminar, Brussels | Link
Paul Ekins, Joseph Dutton & Jim Watson
The EU referendum: Implications for UK energy policy
May 2016 | UKERC Policy Briefing | PDF
Richard Lowes, Bridget Woodman & Jess Britton
EPG response to the Energy and Climate Change Committee's 2020 renewable heat and transport targets inquiry
April 2016 | Written evidence: ECC inquiry | Link
Dominic Maclaine
Beware of Brexit certainty
May 2016 | EPG Blog | Link
Caroline Kuzemko
Germany's €17bn energy efficiency strategy: Where's ours?
May 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Bridget Woodman & Oscar Fitch-Roy
Renewable energy auctions: best practice design elements
May 2016 | CA-RES II Plenary meeting, Vienna | PDF
Catherine Mitchell
Energy policy-making in a time of rapidly changing technologies and social preferences
May 2016 | ESRC/DECC Seminar | Link
Joseph Dutton
The politics of cross-border electricity market interconnection: the UK, Ireland and Greenlink
May 2016 | EPG Working Paper 1602 | PDF
Matthew Lockwood
Solar surprise, revisited
May 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Richard Lowes, Bridget Woodman & Jessica Britton
EPG response to the DECC consultation: The Renewable Heat Incentive: A reformed and refocused scheme
April 2016 | DECC consultation response | PDF
Catherine Mitchell
Energy transformation: future challenges and opportunities
April 2016 | Freie Universität Berlin | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Restructuring GB's energy institutions: why is it worth the cost?
April 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Distribution Service Providers
April 2016 | Updated slides | Link
Dominic Maclaine
Should we stay or should we go?
April 2016 | EPG Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Transformative governance: Speeding up change in global energy systems
April 2016 | University of California, Berkeley | Link
Caroline Kuzemko
Governing for demand management innovations in Germany: Surprises
April 2016 | Ofgem | Link
Burns, C., A. Jordan, V. Gravey, N. Berny, S. Bulmer, N. Carter, R. Cowell, J. Dutton, B. Moore, S. Oberthür, S. Owens, T. Rayner, J Scott & B. Stewart
The EU Referendum and the UK environment: An expert review
April 2016 | The UK in a Changing Europe | Link
Oscar Fitch-Roy & Bridget Woodman
Auctions for renewable energy support in the United Kingdom: Instruments and lessons learnt
March 2016 | AURES report | PDF
Caroline Kuzemko
The political economy of energy transitions in Germany and Britain
March 2016 | Policy Studies Association Annual Conference, Brighton | PDF
Matthew Lockwood
Climate policy under the consolidation state
March 2016 | Policy Studies Association Annual Conference, Brighton | PDF
Bridget Woodman, Richard Lowes & Catherine Mitchell
Heat, Incumbency and Transformations (HIT)
March 2016 | UKERC AGM, Oxford | PDF
Shane Fudge, Michael Peters & Bridget Woodman
Local authorities as niche actors: the case of energy governance in the UK
March 2016 | Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Transformative energy governance: Is there cause for optimism?
March 2016 | AAG Annual Meeting, San Francisco | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Governance of energy systems transformation: emergence or design?
March 2016 | Energy system challenges in a world in transition, Oxford | Link
Bridget Woodman & Oscar Fitch-Roy
International experiences with wind auctions: UK Case study
March 2016 | AURES Workshop presentation | PDF
Jess Britton
Smart meter data and public interest issues - The sub-national perspective
March 2016 | TEDDINET, CSE & Sustainability First discussion paper | PDF
Catherine Mitchell
Hinkley Point C: Time for a Plan B
March 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Dominic Maclaine
Nuclear power always promises jam tomorrow
March 2016 | EPG Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
CMA Summary of Provisional Decisions
March 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Women in energy 2016
March 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Matthew Lockwood
Not just independent but also integrated - the future for energy system operation
March 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
The future of the electricity utilities
March 2016 | The Future of the Electricity Utilities Project, Hong Kong | Link
Matthew Lockwood
Creating protective space for innovation in electricity distribution networks in Great Britain: The politics of institutional change
March 2016 | Environmental Innovation & Societal Transitions (18: 111–127) | Link (open access)
Matthew Lockwood
Reviewing the benefits of the Low Carbon Network Fund and the governance of the Network Innovation Competition and the Network Innovation Allowance
February 2016 | Ofgem consultation response | PDF
Anthony Froggatt & Amelia Hadfield
Will the European Energy Union transform the sector?
February 2016 | New Power | Link
Caroline Kuzemko
Governing for demand management innovations in Germany: Politics, policy and practice
February 2016 | IGov Working Paper | Link
Oscar Fitch-Roy
Collective lobbying to set the agenda in EU climate and energy policy: 7 tips for success
February 2016 | University of Westminster | PDF
Catherine Mitchell
Exploring German governance issues - informed by GB and US experiences
February 2016 | Agora presentation | Link
Catherine Mitchell
More flexible, more renewable - our evolving energy systems are changing fast
February 2016 | Business Green | Link
Catherine Mitchell, Juan Rivier, Mario Ragwitz, Fabian Wigland, Lena Kitzing & Michael Minter
Auction Academy Wrap-up: Renewable energy support auctions
February 2016 | AURES online debate | Outline & Recording
Dominic Maclaine
Forget bew build, just use what you have got
February 2016 | EPG Blog | Link
Caroline Kuzemko
Depoliticising energy policy: transformative ideas won't happen when technocrats are in charge
February 2016 | LSE Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Innovation and energy governance: Lessons to be learnt from New York State?
February 2016 | SPRU Seminar | Link
Joseph Dutton
Why Norway may open up spectacular Lofoten archipelago to oil and gas firms
February 2016 | The Conversation | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Momentum is increasing towards a flexible electricity system based on renewables
February 2016 | Nature Energy | Link
Kuzemko, C., Lockwood, M., Mitchell, C. & Hoggett, R.
Governing for sustainable energy system change: Politics, contexts and contingency
February 2016 | Energy Research and Social Science | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Spreading the opportunities of sustainable energy in Germany
January 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Dominic Maclaine
Could 2016 be the year the Big Six becomes a memory?
January 2016 | EPG Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Landmark US Supreme Court decision in favour of demand response
January 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Oscar Fitch-Roy
Specific design elements for RES auctions: Pre-qualification rules and penalties
January 2016 | AURES Webinar | Outline & Recording
Catherine Mitchell
National Infrastructure Commission Call for Evidence response
January 2016 | EPG | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Energy Distribution Service Providers
January 2016 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Oscar Fitch-Roy
Auctions for renewable energy support in California: Instruments and lessons learnt
December 2015 | AURES Report | Link
Oscar Fitch-Roy
An offshore wind union? Diversity and convergence in European offshore wind governance
December 2015 | Climate Policy | Link
Dominic Maclaine
Committees and hot air - is there a global warming link?
December 2015 | EPG Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
The man at the bar
December 2015 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Energy system change, not climate change
December 2015 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Anthony Froggatt & Amelia Hadfield
Deconstructing the European Energy Union: Governance and 2030 goals
December 2015 | EPG Working Paper 1507 | PDF
Caroline Kuzemko
Climate change benchmarking: Constructing a sustainable future?
December 2015 | Review of International Studies | Link
Bridget Woodman
Developing the UK energy market: overview and assessment
November 2015 | Westminster Energy, Environment and Transport Forum | PDF
Anthony Froggatt
State of the Energy Union: We need clear targets & effective governance
November 2015 | EPG Blog | Link
Anthony Froggatt
A comparison of the European Climate and Energy 2020 and 2030 packages
November 2015 | EPG Working Paper 1506 | PDF
Iain Soutar
The role of social capital in energy systems transformation: Insights from community energy
November 2015 | SCORAI workshop, Vienna | Presentation and Paper
Catherine Mitchell
Contemporary US political party energy politics
November 2015 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Matthew Lockwood
Introduction to code governance
November 2015 | Code Governance for the 21st Century, London | Presentation
Dominic Maclaine
Too cheap to meter? – I don’t think so!
November 2015 | EPG Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Energy policy – a global move to renewables and energy efficiency
November 2015 | Global Conversation, New York| Presentation
IGov Team
Codes governance and reform discussion paper
November 2015 | IGov Website | PDF
Caroline Kuzemko
Oral evidence: Inquiry into ‘A smarter energy future for Wales’
November 2015 | National Assembly for Wales | Link
Kuzemko, C., Britton, J., Soutar, I. & Woodman, B.
Written response: Inquiry into ‘A smarter energy future for Wales’
November 2015 | National Assembly for Wales | PDF
Catherine Mitchell
Fit-for-purpose GB energy governance
October 2015 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Dominic Maclaine
Pulling wool over your eyes
October 2015 | EPG Blog | Link
Iain Soutar
The strategic importance of democratising energy
October 2015 | EPG Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Tomorrow’s utilities – what future?
October 2015 | Cornwall Energy | Presentation
Bridget Woodman
Rudd's 'magic money tree' risks undermining investments in a low carbon economy
October 2015 | EPG Blog | Link
Oscar Fitch-Roy
Viewpoint: Wind offers optimism to the climate topic
October 2015 | Windpower Monthly | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Progressive regulation – what future for Ofgem?
October 2015 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Dominic Maclaine
Dealing with an unwanted guest
October 2015 | EPG Blog | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Saving face
September 2015 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Caroline Kuzemko
Politicising UK energy: What ‘speaking energy security’ can do
September 2015 | Chapter 8 in ‘Tracing the Political’ by Flinders, M. & Wood, M. | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Governance and transition to a sustainable energy system
September 2015 | Incumbent dynamics in energy transitions, Berlin | Presentation
Catherine Mitchell
Energy system of the future
September 2015 | SET Plan Conference 2015, Luxembourg | Presentation
Catherine Mitchell
China gives priority to green dispatch
September 2015 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Woodman, B., Mitchell, C., Lowes, R., Dutton, J., Hoggett, R., Steward, T., Lockwood, M. & Kuzemko, C.
Submission to Energy and Climate Change Committee inquiry on ECC priorities for holding Government to account
September 2015 | ECC website | Link
Catherine Mitchell
Electricity markets and their regulatory systems for a sustainable future
September 2015 | Chapter 23 in ‘Global Energy: Issues, Potentials, and Policy Implications’ by Ekins, P., Bradshaw, M. & Watson, J. | Link
Matthew Lockwood
Heat and the city community: The institutional roots of Danish energy conversion efficiency
September 2015 | University of Edinburgh | Presentation
Jess Britton
The Bristol Method: How to use heat networks to lower the carbon footprint of a city
September 2015 | Bristol Green Capital 2015 | PDF
Catherine Mitchell
Energy and Corbynomics
September 2015 | New Thinking Blog | Link
Mitchell, C., Woodman, B., Lockwood, M., Britton, J., Kuzemko, C. & Hoggett, R.
Comments on the CMA Energy Market Investigation – Provisional findings and possible remedies
September 2015 | IGov Website | PDF
