Additional written evidence is contained in Volume 3, available on the Committee website at www.parliament.uk/ecc. For Volume 1: Report, see (ISBN 9780215052193)

Bridging theory and practice, this book offers insights into how Europe has experienced the evolution of modern electricity markets from the end of the 1990s to the present day. It explores defining moments in the process, including the four waves of European legislative packages, landmark court cases, and the impact of climate strikes and marches.

This report analyses international case studies of innovative business models and regulatory arrangements and provides recommendations for a truly smart energy system. “Active consumers who have access to distributed energy resources, such as solar photovoltaics, storage, electric vehicles and heating appliances will play a crucial role in the challenging transition to a low carbon energy system", explains Monica Giulietti, one of the report’s authors. For fairer prices: use tariffs based on capacity rather than on volume The current network tariff regime is not optimal for a smart energy system. Researchers recommend that tariffs be more directly linked to costs. A more advanced tariff structure is feasible in a smart electricity network: tariffs can be dependent on time and location and adapt to local network congestion. “A shift towards tariffs based on capacity will also reduce the subsidisation of the energy system by poorer consumers to the richer ones, thereby improving the fairness of the tariff structure”, says Bert Willems, co-author of the report. The DSO-TSO interaction models are to be enhanced The report highlights different proposals for DSO-TSO interactions that allow the trade of flexible services provided by distributed energy resources under different regulatory and market contexts, in the United Kingdom, Australia, New York and Europe. “While we’ve observed that in all cases an expansion of the DSO’s roles, capabilities and coordination with the TSO is required, our analysis also shows that most jurisdictions have not yet identified their preferred organisational set-up. The European Commission should systematically take into account the differences of Member States, such as the number, size and independence of DSOs, in future studies or impact assessments”, says Karim Anaya, co-author of the study. Both price and non-price factors are required for consumers to engage Bringing together smart meter technology, blockchain and apps can help consumers to take part in energy transactions by informing them about the advantages provided by distributed energy resources at a given time. However, these technologies can only help if the costs for consumers are low. Otherwise, non-price factors such as climate activism or environmental preferences will be the sole drivers for consumers to participate in this system. Although financial benefits only cannot motivate consumers’ engagement in a complex system, they are significant signals. And we need strong signals if we want consumers to modify longstanding habits. Going off-grid: the risk of death spiral The authors warn that, in the long run, when the costs of storage and local generation are expected to drop, local energy communities might decide to disconnect from the distribution network and operate on a stand-alone basis. The cost of the distribution network will then have to be covered by the remaining network users who, as a result, will see their energy bills increase. This could lead to a “death spiral” where more customers leave the distribution network (though unlikely in northern Europe), making these obsolete. Networks would go bankrupt and only small island grids would remain. “Smart consumers are highly dependent on the ecosystem they are operating in. We can learn from international experiences that Europe needs to develop innovative regulatory models and be ready to test new institutional schemes that involve consumers to support the energy transition. The work ahead goes beyond monitoring what the Clean Energy Package can deliver, we have to anticipate new trends and take action to give more clarity to what DSOs and TSOs can do together and avoid new bottlenecks”, concludes Chloé Le Coq.

With twenty-two chapters written by leading international experts, this volume represents the most detailed and comprehensive Handbook on electricity markets ever published.

The Climate Change Act 2008 committed the UK to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050. The 2010-2015 Parliament has been a defining period for energy and climate change policy. Three Energy Acts set the policy framework to help the UK achieve its goal. Each Act was designed to support new forms of energy generation, promote energy efficiency and protect consumers. These ambitious pieces of legislation have set the benchmark against which the progress towards providing a secure, clean and affordable energy supply will be judged. The Energy and Climate Change Committee plays a central role in scrutinising and improving the Government's policy and legislation. In section two of this report, the Committee provides a quantitative overview of the work it has undertaken in this Parliament. In section three, the Committee looks in more detail at three case studies - electricity market reform, competition in the energy market and shale gas - each of which highlights the key role the Committee has played in holding the Government to account and improving policy and legislation. Finally, in section four the Committee sets out our future vision for the UK energy system, based on the views and evidence provided by the wide range of stakeholders that it works with. The Committee also explores the challenges which will need to be overcome in the next Parliament if the UK is to achieve its ambitious long-term climate and energy goals.

This book charts the difficulties encountered by vulnerable consumers in their access to justice, through the contributions of prominent authors (academic, practitioners and consultants) in the field of consumer law and access to justice. It demonstrates that despite the development of ADR, access to justice is still severely lacking for the vulnerable consumer. The book highlights that a broad understanding of access to justice, which encompasses good regulation and its public enforcement, is an essential ingredient alongside access to the mechanisms of traditional private justice (courts and ADR) to protect the vulnerable consumer. Indeed, many of the difficulties are linked to normative obstacles and lack of access to justice is primarily a vulnerability in itself that can exacerbate existing ones. In addition, because it may contribute to ‘pushing’ already vulnerable consumers into social exclusion it is not simply about economic justice but also about social justice. The book shows that lack of access to justice is not irreversible nor is it necessarily linked to consumer apathy. New technologies could provide solutions. The book concludes with a plea for developing ‘inclusive’ justice systems with more emphasis on public enforcement alongside effective courts systems to offer the vulnerable with adequate means to defend themselves. This book will be suitable for both students and practitioners, and all those with an interest in the justice system.

The Energy and Climate Change Committee believes that energy companies found to have mis-sold electricity and gas deals should pay compensation to consumers. The Committee is concerned that customers may be pressured into switching supplier on the door-step without proper consideration of the options when confronted with a vast array of complex tariffs and a hard sell. Figures from Ofgem suggest that up to 40% of consumers who switch do not end up with a better deal. The report also raises concerns about the propensity for energy prices to 'rise like a rocket and fall like a feather', the growing complexity of tariffs and the market dominance of the 'Big Six' vertically integrated energy companies. The MPs single out recent price increases from ScottishPower for particular criticism. Customers who use the least energy will be hit the hardest from August when the increases are put into effect providing an apparent incentive for higher consumption - when energy companies are now supposed to be helping consumers become energy efficient. Electricity and gas tariffs are now so complex that even the Energy Minister admitted he got confused when trying to switch. The Committee is worried that a lot of people are simply bamboozled by their bills and the vast array of different tariffs on offer. The industry should address these problems immediately without waiting for Ofgem or the Government to act.

The Routledge Handbook of Consumer Protection and Behaviour in Energy Markets provides a comprehensive study of consumer protection and consumer behaviour in selected jurisdictions worldwide. Each chapter is written by experts and provides a contemporary overview of national consumer protection and policy developments in the energy sector. Today energy has become an essential factor in ensuring the socio-economic development of any country and improving the quality of life of society and is now an essential element of life for everyone. The energy market has become a competitive market, based on the assumption that generation and sale of energy is not a natural monopoly and that market mechanisms, in particular competition between energy companies, are the best way to reduce prices and improve customer service. The purchase of energy is inextricably linked with its distribution from the producer to the purchaser. The book shows that well-functioning energy markets need informed and well protected consumers, who can benefit from competition and transparent offers. They are free to choose the most competitive providers, and know their rights, with access to effective means of redress. Given that the energy market has a specific, technical nature, the book analyses the energy market within the scope of free market principles, with a focus on the protection of the weaker party to the contract: the consumer. In addition, consumers can also play an active part of the clean energy transition.

The Economics of Electricity Markets provides a cutting-edge analysis of the critical issues involved in the design and operation of electricity markets, as well as an assessment of alternative institutional arrangements that have either been implemented or are under discussion in Europe and the US. The book illustrates how a sound market design can render electricity trading and retailing very much like that of other commodities. Social and political concerns, rather than engineering or economics, are what make electricity markets 'special'. The expert contributors address a wide set of issues that arise when competition is introduced to the electricity industry, ranging from the design of spot and real-time power markets to alternative approaches to congestion management, from competition policy in wholesale electricity markets to the benefits and costs of retail competition, and from regulatory measures to ensure generation capacity adequacy to the politicization of generation investment decisions as a way of pursuing sustainability targets. This highly informative book will appeal to academics, students and researchers in the field of advanced energy economics, and will prove essential reading for energy regulators, professionals and executives wishing to explore the theoretical foundations underpinning their day-to-day activities.

This book provides a synthesis of research perspectives on customer engagement through a collection of chapters from thought leaders. It identifies cutting-edge metrics for capturing and measuring customer engagement and highlights best practices in implementing customer engagement marketing strategies. Responding to the rapidly changing business landscape where consumers are more connected, accessible, and informed than ever before, many firms are investing in customer engagement marketing. The book will appeal to academics, practitioners, consultants, and managers looking to improve customer engagement.