HPQ: Analysing UK Government Climate Policy
Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate & Contracts for Difference
Author: [Your Name]
School: [Your School]
Submission Date: 1st September 2025
Word Count: [To be updated]
Research Question
“How effective have the UK Government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate and Contracts for Difference (CFD) scheme been in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy?”
Abstract
This project analyses two of the UK Government’s key climate policy instruments: the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate and the Contracts for Difference (CFD) scheme. Using publicly available data from the Department for Transport (DfT), the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), the Office for National Statistics (ONS), and the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC), this project evaluates the effectiveness and economic impact of each scheme.
Data was processed and visualised using Python (pandas, matplotlib) in Jupyter notebooks. The full analysis, charts, and notebooks are available in this GitHub repository.
Project Contents
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
| ZEV Mandate — Policy Overview | What the mandate is, targets, and how it works |
| ZEV Mandate — Data Analysis | EV registration trends and market share data |
| CFD Scheme — Policy Overview | How the auction mechanism works |
| CFD Scheme — Data Analysis | Capacity, cost trends, and renewable energy growth |
| Comparative Analysis | Head-to-head effectiveness comparison |
| Conclusions | Key findings and policy recommendations |
| References | All data sources and academic references |
Data Sources
All data used in this project is publicly available:
- DVLA / DfT — Vehicle licensing statistics
- DESNZ — CFD auction results and strike prices
- LCCC — Low Carbon Contracts Company reports
- ONS — UK emissions and energy statistics
- SMMT — Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders
Tools Used
- Python 3 — Data processing and analysis
- pandas — Data manipulation
- matplotlib — Chart generation
- Jupyter Notebooks — Interactive analysis environment
- GitHub Pages — Project website
- Markdown — Documentation