In 2019 I wrote a dissertation on local British energy companies as the final requirement for the MSc. in Energy, society, and sustainability course at the University of Edinburgh. The main document can be found here. The electronic appendices can be found on this website too: licensees and their market shares, general data on the wholesale and retail markets, and default tariff prices.
Great Britain faces the need to transition to a fairer, more sustainable energy system. This dissertation studies the role that energy suppliers led by local authorities could have in this transition. It builds upon previous work on urban sociotechnical transitions but has a novel focus on how market dynamics and regulatory interventions affect these local suppliers. I analyse wholesale market data and conduct five case studies to understand how volatility affects these suppliers and to build a typology of their regulatory structures. I find that regulatory interventions on energy prices can have detrimental effects on these companies, and that their social and environmental objectives cannot be achieved simultaneously. However, through their unique market position, they increase competitive pressure on incumbent suppliers to offer fairer prices to disadvantaged consumers. Lastly, their regulatory structure affects whether they take on predominantly financial or contractual risk. Further research needs to determine the efficacy of their efforts to alleviate fuel poverty.
None yet: if you find a mistake, please email me [7 August 2019]