Walker [89] assesses the link between distributed energy systems and fuel poverty in the UK. The author notes that the wide range of potential DG technologies, as well as issues such as the operation, ownership, installation, network requirements and maintenance of the individual systems will determine the effect on fuel poverty. The author suggests that increased penetration of distributed energy systems could improve energy affordability for low income households in the UK. However, he notes that the upfront costs required to over the installation of residential distributed energy generation systems are an important barrier for low income households. Existing evidence suggests that the early adopters of microgeneration systems are higher income groups [22]. If policies designed to encourage DG are focused on households installing and paying for small-scale generation technologies (as is the case for the current FIT scheme, and the Low Carbon Buildings Programme),21 Walker [89] argues that there is the risk of middle classes actively investing in such technologies, whilst the low-income groups rely on traditional electricity and gas supplies. If technology advances mean that investors in microgeneration benefit from falling energy costs, then the problem of fuel poverty will be exacerbated. Walker [89] instead argues that national and local governments, housing associations and/or energy providers should actively pursue the provision of microgeneration technologies in alternative ways, for example via fuel poverty programmes that provide grant funding for low-income groups