Sustainable Urban Energy Policy Heat and the city [Hardcover]

Minimising the most severe risks of climate change means ending societal dependence on fossil fuels, and radically improving the efficiency with which we use all energy sources. Such deliberate transformative change is, however, without precedent.

Sustainable Urban Energy Policydebates the major public issue of developing a sustainable, clean and affordable energy system by adopting a distinctive focus on heating in cities. In this way, the book constructs an original account of clean energy policy, politics and provision, grounded in new empirical data derived from case studies of urban and multi-level governance of sustainable heat and energy saving in the UK and Europe. Offering an original conceptual framework, this study builds on socio-technical studies, economic and urban sociology, human geography, applied economics and policy studies in order to understand energy governance and systemic change in energy provisions.

This book is a valuable resource for students and academics in the areas of Science and Technology Studies, Sociology, Geography (Urban Studies) and Political Economy as well as energy policy makers, social housing providers and energy practitioners.

PART I Overview  1. Introduction  2. Social studies of technology, energy systems and modern societies PART II Policy and Politics for Sustainable Heat  3. European heat policies and practices  4. From optimisation to diversity: Changing scenarios of heating for buildings in the UK  5. Implementation of district heating policy in the UK  PART III Cities and Urban Centres: Resources, Expertise and Sustainability Challenges  6. Business Models for District Heating Networks: Economics, Finance and Risk  7. Urban Energy GovernancelÀ