Regulatory and policy framework for the uptake of renewable energy in the United Kingdom: Current challenges in a time of mutability of the energy sector

Energy policies and regulations are regularly introduced to reflect current developments of the energy system. The introduction of sustainable energy technologies created a demand for alternative sources of energy and economic incentives which were widely adopted. This paper presents the panorama of the energy regulatory system in the UK and the range of new policies and regulations required to promote the trade of energy from the perspective of small-scale self-consumers and exporters of renewable energy; specially, the operation of feed-in tariffs and their proposed replacement, the Smart Export Guarantee, and its application within energy storage technologies. The paper also looks into the European market and the implications of the exit of the UK from the European Union. It also identifies uncertainties of the current UK regulatory framework from the perspective of small-scale self-consumer and highlights future challenges regarding the generation and consumption of renewable energy after the exit of the UK from the European Union.