Wholesale energy markets, decarbonisation policy and consumers: An IPPR debate on two new reports by Which?

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This briefing summarises the main themes of a high-level roundtable, hosted by IPPR in July 2013, to debate the findings of two new reports on energy policy published by consumer advocate Which?, focusing on wholesale market reforms and decarbonisation policy.

Roundtable participants included senior representatives from key industry players and the energy markets regulator Ofgem, as well as MPs or senior advisers from each of the three largest political parties.

In the discussion, there was considerable disagreement in relation to one of Which?'s core recommendations for wholesale market reform: to ringfence the supply and generation businesses of vertically integrated energy companies. There were strong arguments put both for and against this controversial policy.

On decarbonisation, the discussion focused on how to improve public confidence in government policies, given the significant addition these make to consumer energy bills.

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