Guy Newey

  • Head of Environment & Energy
  • guy.newey@policyexchange.org.uk
  • 0207 340 2650
Guy Newey

Biography

Guy joined Policy Exchange in October 2010 as a Research Fellow for the Environment & Energy Unit, before taking over as Head of Environment & Energy in April 2012. Before joining, he worked as a journalist, including three years as a foreign correspondent in Hong Kong.

He has an MSc in Environmental Technology from Imperial College, London and a BA in English Literature from Bristol University. His research interests include energy efficiency, renewable energy policy, biodiversity and changing energy behaviour.

Related Publications

  • Smarter, Greener, Cheaper: Joining up domestic energy efficiency policy

    17 January 2013

    Households could reduce their gas and electricity bills by as much as £70 a year if they were allowed to compare each other’s energy bills. Smarter, Greener, Cheaper, shows there is evidence both internationally and in the UK that households cut the amount of energy they use when their energy use is compared to that of a more energy efficient neighbour.

  • Something in the Air: The forgotten crisis of Britain's poor air quality

    19 July 2012

    Something in the Air shows that air pollution is Britain’s invisible environmental problem. It is comparable to obesity and alcohol and second only to smoking as a public health problem, but gets far less attention. Yet some government policies, such as encouraging diesel vehicles in cities, are making the problem even worse.

  • Fuelling Transition: Prioritising resources for carbon emissions reduction

    08 June 2012

    Fuelling Transition says the electricity market needs to be allowed to invest in gas as a transition fuel, subject to a long-term EU emissions cap. Extending the EU cap to 2035 would give greater certainty to investors, allowing the market to decide which technology has the most potential to deliver emission reductions at the cheapest cost.

  • Nurturing Nature: Policy to protect and improve biodiversity

    11 May 2012

    The planning system is failing to protect some of England's most threatened wildlife and important habitats. Nurturing Nature finds that mechanisms designed to protect England's natural environment and compensate for any damage to it are haphazardly applied and woefully monitored.

  • Boosting Energy IQ: UK energy efficiency policy for the workplace

    28 July 2011

    Based on interviews with 22 energy experts and analysis of current policy, Boosting Energy IQ finds the UK's overlapping climate policies are unnecessarily complex. Moreover, they have created multiple carbon prices across the non-domestic sector. This risks making overall carbon reductions more expensive.

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Related Events

  • Nudging Negawatts: Can behavioural economics help transform the UK's approach to energy?

    01 December 2011

    Questions remain about whether government polices will provide enough of an incentive to get over the ‘hassle’ of improving energy efficiency. Are extra nudges, changes in social norms and default adjustments needed to unlock genuine energy efficiency opportunities and make it easier for customers to reduce their bills?

  • Are Britain's leading energy suppliers failing customers or protecting them?

    12 October 2011

    How fair are criticisms of energy companies increasing prices? Energy companies argue they are just passing on the rising costs of fossil fuel prices, driven by a global market, and green policies. Some experts insist the UK's competitive energy markets provide consumers with some of the cheapest electricity and gas prices in Europe. Energy firms are not just competing on price, but on who can offer the best service and products.

  • (Conservative Party Conference) Will the Green Deal deliver?

    03 October 2011

    With Damian Carrington (The Guardian), Gregory Barker MP, Dr Adam Corner (Understanding Risk research group, University of Cardiff), Guy Newey and John Swinney (Carillion Energy Services).

  • (Labour Party Conference) Will the Green Deal deliver?

    26 September 2011

    With Damian Carrington (The Guardian), Luciana Berger MP, Guy Newey, Trewin Restorick (Global Action Plan) and John Swinney (Carillion Energy Services).

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Related News

  • Cautious support for radical Tory proposal to overhaul regulation

    24 April 2013

    Utility Week quotes Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange, speaking in response to the report by John Penrose MP calling for a liberalisation of regulation in the vital utilities sector. Guy said the paper has some good ideas, including introducing more competition into the market.

  • Conservative Party: Trimming the greenery

    23 April 2013

    Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange, is quoted by ENDS on the potential impact on environmental policy if the Tories swing to the right in 2015. Guy said much of the agenda for government to 2020 has already been set, including the UK’s binding renewable energy targets and the budget for subsidies, but said the Conservative Party could reframe what it is doing as ‘cost-effective environmentalism’.

  • To save, check your neighbours' energy bills

    17 January 2013

    The Daily Telegraph covers recent Policy Exchange report Smarter, Greener, Cheaper which says households could reduce their energy bills if they compare each other’s bills. Report author Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy, is quoted saying that customers could choose to opt-in to share details of their energy usage recorded on smart meters to see where they need to cut usage.

  • Guy Newey on You & Yours

    17 January 2013

    Policy Exchange's Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy appeared on BBC Radio 4's You & Yours to discuss his report Smarter, Greener, Cheaper. Guy said that evidence shows households can reduce their gas and electricity bills if they are allowed to compare their bills with those of a more energy efficient neighbour.

  • Comparing bills would cut energy usage, claims Policy Exchange report

    16 January 2013

    Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange is quoted in Utility Week discussing findings from Smarter, Greener, Cheaper. Guy argues that households could find out if they were paying more for their gas and electricity bills than their neighbours by comparing bills and seeing where they could cut usage.

  • Energy Bills 'Will Be Lower' Under New Policy

    30 November 2012

    Guy Newey, Policy Exchange's Head of Environment & Energy, appears on Sky News arguing that the new Energy Bill will push up families' energy bills for the sake of meeting an overly-aggressive 2020 carbon target.

  • Winds of change

    30 November 2012

    Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange, is quoted in The Economist speaking about the recent Energy Bill, arguing that the government is likely to make bad decisions and give in to being lobbied.

  • Household to see higher green costs - while factories escape

    29 November 2012

    The Daily Telegraph quotes Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange, speaking about the recent Energy Bill. Guy said the subsidy lobby has won, which will mean households face paying for green costs that are unnecessarily high.

  • Power to the people with energy prices boost

    21 November 2012

    Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange, is quoted in The Daily Star speaking about government plans to make energy companies offer customers the cheapest rate, saying that this could see fewer people switching, reduce competition and push up the cost of bills.

  • Fuel shake up may mean higher bills

    21 November 2012

    The Daily Express cites comments by Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange, arguing that propsals by the government to force energy companies to put families on the best tariff could end cheap deals and reduce competition, causing bills to rise in the long term.

  • Energy tariff plans could 'push up bills in the long term'

    20 November 2012

    Guy Newey, Policy Exchange's Head of Environment & Energy, is quoted by Herald Scotland saying that the government's proposals to force energy companies to give customers the best rate could reduce competition, stop families shopping around for the best deal, and push up bills in the long term.

  • Cameron WILL force energy firms to offer every customer the cheapest tariff - but will this push up your bill?

    20 November 2012

    In an article discussing government plans to force energy companies to offer households the lowest price, This Is Money cites Policy Exchange's Head of Environment & Energy, Guy Newey, saying that this could end cheap deals and prevent families from being able to shop around.

  • Energy Bills: Shake Up Could Push Up Cost

    20 November 2012

    Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange, is quoted by Sky News arguing that government plans to force energy companies to give households the lowest price could end up increasing energy bills in the long term and reducing competition.

  • Energy Secretary 'can't guarantee' all families will save under revised energy tariffs

    20 November 2012

    The Independent cites Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange, arguing that proposals by the government to force energy companies to give consumers the lowest tariff could reduce competition, drive prices up in the long term, and prevent people from shopping around for the best deals.

  • Guy Newey on Newsnight

    16 November 2012

    Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange, appeared on BBC Newsnight criticising the Renewable Energy Target and calling for long-term and tougher carbon pricing in order to help cut carbon emissions.

  • Guy Newey on Channel 4 News

    13 June 2012

    Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange, appears on Channel 4 News making the case from report Fuelling Transition that the government's focus should be on the cheapest possible decarbonisation.

  • Households to pay more under coalition's energy plans

    23 May 2012

    politics.co.uk quote Policy Exchange's Head of Environment & Energy Guy Newey criticising the government's draft Energy Bill, arguing that it would not provide the certainty investors require and that it is increasingly leading towards central planning of the energy market.

  • Electricity bills up £200 to pay for nuclear dream: Families hit to ensure profits for firms who build reactors and wind farms

    23 May 2012

    Guy Newey, Policy Exchange's Head of Environment & Energy, is quoted by The Daily Mail criticising the government's draft Energy Bill for taking a "huge, one-sided gamble on high gas prices", risking tens of billions pounds of consumers' money.

  • Most councils 'can't prove' they have compensated for biodiversity damage

    11 May 2012

    Planning magazine covers Policy Exchange report Nurturing Nature, citing the report's findings that green space is being lost because local authorities are failing to force developers to replace green land lost as a result of development. The report calls for the NPPF to explicitly state that large developments must deliver a net gain in biodiversity.

  • Planning system ''is failing our wildlife''

    11 May 2012

    Public Service magazine covers Policy Exchange report Nurturing Nature. It reports the finding that local authorities are failing to enforce rules designed to protect England's natural environment.

  • Planning system 'failing' wildlife

    11 May 2012

    The Independent covers Nurturing Nature, Policy Exchange's recent report on biodiversity. They report the discovery that steps to protect wildlife habitats from local development are being haphazardly followed - if at all - resulting in loss of over an acre of green space for every 2.5 acres developed.

  • Countryside under threat as developers fail to compensate for damage to wildlife

    10 May 2012

    The Telegraph covers Policy Exchange report Nurturing Nature which criticises the effectiveness of current legislation designed to protect wildlife habitats. Head of Environment & Energy and report author Guy Newey is quoted stressing that development can still be encouraged while at the same time improving England's natural environment.

  • Will the green deal save homeowners money?

    13 April 2012

    Guy Newey, Policy Exchange's Senior Research Fellow for Environment & Energy, is quoted by The Guardian arguing that the Green Deal is a good idea in principle but needs to be supported by a wider set of energy efficiency measures including carbon pricing and smart metering.

  • David Cameron to make keynote environment speech

    04 April 2012

    Guy Newey, Senior Research Fellow for Environment & Energy, is quoted by The Guardian calling on the government to maintain popular support for climate change policies by keeping the policy costs as low as possible so they do not become a burden on hard-working people.

  • DECC makes last-ditch attempt to simplify Carbon Reduction Commitment

    27 March 2012

    Senior Research Fellow for Environment & Energy Guy Newey is quoted by BusinessGreen calling for the Carbon Reduction Commitment to be scrapped as it is burdonsome and overly complex.

  • Industry blasts 'unacceptable' delay to carbon reporting

    27 March 2012

    Guy Newey, Policy Exchange's Senior Research Fellow for Environment & Energy, is quoted in The Guardian criticising the government's failure to make a decision on mandatory carbon reporting for businesses, an idea Policy Exchange proposed in Boosting Energy IQ. 

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Related Blogs

  • Party that grabs 'Greener, Cheaper' energy story at election will thrive

    20 May 2013

    Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange, argues that public concern with energy bills means energy and climate policy will be a crucial battleground in the 2015 general election. The party that can come up with a convincing answer on gas and electricity bills, as well as wider cost of living concerns, will be in a strong position to win the next election.

  • Europe’s carbon trading system can be saved, but must avoid past renewables mistakes

    18 April 2013

    Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange, sets out why Europe’s carbon trading system can be saved, but notes that it must avoid past renewables mistakes.

  • Is Europe serious about tackling climate change?

    12 February 2013

    Guy Newey, Policy Exchange's Head of Environment & Energy, argues that if the EU is as serious as its say about climate change then it has to correct the flaws in the bloc's emissions trading scheme.

  • Government must 'nudge' people to make the most of smart meters

    17 January 2013

    Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange, sets out findings from recent Policy Exchange report Smarter, Greener, Cheaper, on ways households can be more energy efficient. Guy argues that the introduction of smart meters will help households monitor where they are using the most energy.

  • The dangers of energy 'targetism'

    18 December 2012

    Guy Newey, Head of Environment & Energy at Policy Exchange, argues that Tim Yeo MP is wrong to call for the inclusion of a 2030 decarbonisation target for the electricity sector in the upcoming Energy Bill, warning of the problems with trying to set legislation according to long-term predictions.

  • The risks of a never-ending search for certainty in the energy market

    07 November 2012

    Guy Newey, Policy Exchange's Head of Environment & Energy, sets out the challenges of providing certainty in the energy market, arguing that the government should try and balance the interests of investors with those of bill payers by making as few decisions as possible, as quickly as possible.

  • Tinkering with solar panel subsidy risks making bad policy worse

    19 February 2011

    Environment & Energy Research Fellow Guy Newey writes in The Spectator highlighting the flaws in the government policy of subsidising small-scale renewable energy, citing Policy Exchange report Greener, Cheaper.

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