week ending 6 July 2007
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is developing Stanley Mills, a cotton mill in Perthshire where there will be opportunities to study water power, hydro electricity and renewable energy, and the industrial revolution.
Times Educational Supplement 6th July 2007 more >>
South-western Biomass
The Met Office is investigating the viability of using energy generated from wood fuel to power its weather forecasting supercomputer. It is one of 30 projects which have gained development support from Regen SW, the Government renewable energy agency for the region. More than 100 new potential biomass sites applied for assistance under the South West Bioheat Programme, which aims to increase the region's capacity for generating energy from wood fuel.
Western Morning News 5th July 2007 more >>
Solar Cornwall
St Levan-based Plug into the Sun was runner up for an award from the Renewable Energy Association.The local company was highly commended for making Cornwall a leading light in solar power and came a close second in the Best British Renewable Energy Region Award. Plug into the Sun, which installed 10% of all solar PV systems in the UK last year, was one of just five companies short-listed from more than 120 applications and invited to the Savoy Hotel in London to receive the award.
This is Cornwall 5th July 2007 more >>
Green Housing Model
A revolutionary "green" housing development constructed by a Bolton building company, G&J Seddon, has been hailed as a model for housebuilders nationwide. By using modern methods of construction, recycled building supplies and renewable energy sources, the New Inn housing development in Clayton, east Manchester was identified as an ideal case study for this year's Green Up North conference last month. Northern Counties, the housing association that owns the development, were invited by the National Housing Federation, to showcase the scheme and demonstrate the environmental work being carried out.
Bolton News 5th July 2007 more >>
Aberdeen Schools
Schoolchildren in Aberdeen have picked up prizes after designing homes for sustainable living. St Machar Academy and Tullos Primary pupils won £500 for their schools, and enjoyed a day trip to see eco-homes at Findhorn in Moray, after coming up with imaginative designs for “green” homes. Schools in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire were invited to take part in the Schools Sustainable Housing Design Competition, which was launched by the presenter of Channel 4’s Grand Designs programme Kevin McLeod at the Sustainable Construction Conference in Aberdeen in March.
Aberdeen City Council 5th July 2007 more >>
Bootle
A new ASDA store planned for Bootle will incorporate a ground source heat pump, biomass boiler and solar panels.
Bootle Times 5th July 2007 more >>
Surrey Planning
A planning inspector has overruled a Council’s decision to refuse planning permission to a block of flats. But the inspector did accept one of the grounds for refusal, the lack of any renewable energy supply for the property, and has imposed a condition that at least 10 per cent of the supply needs must be generated on site by renewable energy.
Surrey Online 4th July 2007 more >>
Farm power
NFU Scotland is inviting all farmers in the Forth and Clyde area to a renewable energy event at which they can find out more about opportunities for producing energy on-farm, either for their own use, or to sell back to the national grid.
NFU Scotland 4th July 2007 more >>
Peak district hydro
High Peak Council has given the go-ahead to a £200,000 hydro-electricity scheme for the Torrs Historic Park. Innovative technology will harness power generated by the River Goyt weir, creating enough energy to power 70 houses each year.
Buxton Advertiser 4th July 2007 more >>
East Renfrewshire
East Renfrewshire is to launch a climate change partnership which will bring together professionals and volunteers from schools, churches, the council and its partner agencies to fight climate change by boosting recycling, energy conservation, composting and fuel efficiency.
Glasgow Evening Times 4th July 2007 more >>
Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh Labour MSP Sarah Boyack has revived her bid to give a council tax discount to people who install windmills or solar panels on their homes. The cash incentive would also apply to other green technologies or energy-saving measures like roof insulation. Businesses would qualify for a cut in their tax bill too.
Edinburgh Evening News 3rd July 2007 more >>
Local challenge
Local authorities need to raise their game, because the statutory framework [for local government to tackle climate change] is developing in light of the international, European and national contexts,” says Professor John Chesshire, chairman of the Independent Climate Change Commission of the Local Government Association (LGA).
Times 3rd July 2007 more >>
Eco-Station
A £2.5million plan to build one of the country's most eco-friendly train stations looks likely to be approved. The scheme will see Accrington station knocked down and rebuilt using "green" materials. The building would have an electricity-generating wind turbine and would use rainwater in its bathrooms. The so-called "eco-station" would also use roof solar panels to heat water.
Lancashire Telegraph 3rd July 2007 more >>
Solar church
WALES’ first solar-panelled church - St Joseph’s in Cwmaman, Aberdare - was reopened by the Archbishop of Wales Dr Barry Morgan. It is the country’s only church which generates all its own electricity.
South Wales Echo 3rd July 2007 more >>
Edinburgh Shopping Centre
As part of plans to re-develop the Fort Kinnaird shopping centre in Edinburgh rainwater harvesting will be introduced along with; a 15m wind turbine to meet part of the parks electrical requirements and solar panels to provide heating for the new washroom facilities.
Shopping Centre.co.uk 3rd July 2007
more >>
Fuel Poverty
Leading fuel poverty charities, Energy Action Scotland and National Energy Action (NEA) have warned that the legally binding dates for Government to eradicate the problem for all households in the UK will be missed.
Scottish Housing News 3rd July 2007
more >>
Britain put to shame
An island off Denmark which uses 100 per cent renewable energy and an Austrian new-town known as "solar city" after every property was built with a south facing facade to provide maximum solar energy – put British efforts to shame. Britain is 10 to 15 years behind much of Europe and the conference heard that while polls suggest overwhelming public support for alternative energy the actions of the British people did not match the good intentions.
Telegraph 1st July 2007 more >>
Eco-houses
The Code for Sustainable Homes means that designers will be encouraged to create ultra low energy houses, with renewable energy technologies and water saving features set to become standard practice.
BSRIA 1st July 2007 more >>
(See also BRE 1st May 2007 more >> )
Renewable Ice-cream
One of Scotland's leading food companies is set to produce Britain's first truly "green" ice-cream from renewable energy sources. Two years ago Mackie's installed a 45-metre high wind turbine, costing £750,000, at the family farm at Westertown near Rothienorman, to supply more than half the energy needs of its ice-cream production facility. And yesterday Maitland "Mac" Mackie, the managing director, took delivery of two further wind turbines in a £1.7 million investment which will guarantee that the business is completely carbon neutral and that Mackie's award-winning ice-cream will now be made with 100 per cent renewable energy.
Scotsman 30th June 2007 more >>
Aberdeen Press and Journal 30th June 2007 more >>
Micro-wind
Remember when everything was looking bright for micro-wind power? Rooftop turbines were the talk of the town. A flurry of innovative devices started to appear. The Tory leader decided to have one installed at his London home. The DIY chain B&Q started selling them at under £1,500 a pop. Well, that was last year. Now, after the initial rush of enthusiasm (shared, let’s be honest, by Green Futures), domestic-scale wind is facing up to a harsh dose of realism. Ask the tough question ‘do rooftop turbines work?’ and the answers sound like fudge.
Green Futures 29th June 2007 more >>
What you can do on the farm
Tim Foster from Smartest Energy, one of the UK’s leading independent energy trading operations, says the best option is to limit the amount of energy you use in the first place. However, he believes that there ‘hasn’t been a better time’ to develop a self-generation project to supply you with the energy you do use.
Farmers’ Guardian 29th June 2007 more >>
Huge growth in ‘home-brew’ biogas expected.
Farmers’ Guardian 29th June 2007 more >>
Solar Glasgow
Rutherglen & Cambuslang Housing Association has started installing solar panels in over 130 properties in south east Glasgow.
Scottish Housing News 29th June 2007 more >>
MSPs energy challenge MSPs from five Scottish political parties are taking on a home energy challenge to reduce emissions from their own properties. Jack McConnell, Rob Gibson, Robin Harper, Jim Hume and Mary Scanlon have pledged to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. The aim is for the politicians to try to make their homes "climate-friendly". The competition is being run by Friends of the Earth Scotland and the winner will get 500 for their chosen charity.
BBC 29th June 2007 more >>
Scotsman 30th June 2007 more >>
Royal CHP
Success has been achieved in reducing carbon emissions on gas and electricity by 1,000 tonnes, or 12 per cent during the year, through lower energy consumption and the introduction of a new combined heat and power plant at Windsor Castle.
Independent 29th June 2007 more >>