Electric power industry The world's first public electricity supply was provided in late 1881, when the streets of the Surrey town of Godalming in the UK were lit with electric light. This system was powered from a water wheel on the River Wey, which drove a Siemens alternator that supplied a number of arc lamps within the town. This supply scheme also provided electricity to a number of shops and premises to light 34 incandescent Swan light bulbs. Additionally, Robert Hammond, in December 1881, demonstrated the new electric light in the Sussex town of Brighton in the UK for a trial period. The
Decarbonisation measures in proposed UK electricity market reform for low-carbon generation are strong enough to encourage sufficient investment in decarbonisation. The Government has been reluctant to intervene in the past, preferring instead to defer to market forces, but, as illustrated by the evolution of the Renewables Obligation, the Government has found it increasingly necessary to perform a more strategic role. The requirement for Government intervention does not necessarily mean that markets are unable to deliver the required changes, indeed, market mechanisms remain the preferred option for decarbonising UK electricity supply, just that they must be designed and implemented in such a way that delivers the scale and pace