NETWORK /
16
/ FEBRUARY 2019
ENERGY
Comparing markets
Jeff Casey, director of UK business development for Burns &
McDonnell, takes a comparative look at market factors driving
the UK and US energy industry.
U
tilities in the
UK and US are
in flux. A wide
range of techno-
logical, social,
governmental,
regulatory and economic factors
are creating major disruptions.
The pace and breadth of change
may be different in both coun-
tries but common to both is the
need to mitigate the impact of
climate change.
The UK has committed itself
to achieving zero-carbon emis-
sions and seeks to integrate
renewable energy resources,
control costs and generally pro-
vide consumers more freedom
to participate in a deregulated
market. UK consumers are
adopting new technologies and
increasingly engaging in the
marketplace.
In the US, the movement to
reduce carbon is different. The
power industry and government
policy is far more fragmented.
The power industry is controlled
by a web of regulators and
operational authorities at the
federal, regional, state and local
levels.
In many respects the UK is
far ahead of the US in address
-
ing climate change. It has a far
