week ending 30 May 2008
Fuel Poverty
Data on people with low incomes could be shared with energy companies to help people pay their fuel bills. The government wants to share details so extra cash from suppliers, as well as existing grants, can be better targeted at the elderly and vulnerable. The initiative is part of a package of measures that energy regulator Ofgem hopes will alleviate fuel poverty. But campaigners say the plans do not go far enough, and that poorer families will continue to face a fuel crisis.
BBC 30th May 2008 more >>
Clackmannanshire
CLACKMANNANSHIRE Council has graduated from the fifth phase of the Carbon Trust’s carbon management programme. It aims to reduce emissions by 15 per cent – or 6987 tonnes – by 2013. Over the last few years it has committed to lowering energy use in many of our public buildings and housing stock. “Although great progress has been made, there is a long way to go and a corporate approach is now required to take forward the more complex issues of travel plans, sustainability issues, micro generation and renewable energy solutions.”
Stirling Observer 30th May 2008 more >>
Skills
PRINCESS Anne officially opened Deeside College’s new Construction Skills Centre yesterday, praising its green credentials. The £3.6m centre was built to accommodate the increased demand for construction trade skills and is the latest in a series of significant investments at the college. Students are taught new construction techniques and renewable energy technologies including solar power.
Daily Post 29th May 2008 more >>
Bradford
Plans have been submitted for a new £1.25 million zero-carbon community centre in Bradford.
Bradford Telegraph & Argus 29th May 2008 more >>
Scunthorpe
Waste gases from landfill are being used to generate electricity for 2,000 houses - and the number looks set to increase. Winterton landfill site is the only electricity-generating site in the region and one of just five across Yorkshire and the Humber. But Yorkshire Electricity spokesman Jon Bird said the site could be used as a successful model for further methane generators in future.
Scunthorpe Telegraph 29th May 2008 more >>
Huntingdonshire
On June 4 there is a “Power 2 the People” renewable energy event at the Priory Centre in St Neots where visitors will be able to find out about generating heat and electricity at home with solar water heating, biomass heating, wind turbines and ground source pumps.
Cambridge News 29th May 2008 more >>
Norwich
Grants covering 100 per cent of the installation cost of renewables and energy efficiency measures are being investigated by the Green Party. In his keynote speech to the Institute of Domestic Heating and Environmental Engineers Dr Rupert Read, a Green city councillor in Norwich and European Parliament candidate, said his party was advocating Government carbon emissions reduction targets of 60 per cent by 2025 and 90 per cent by 2050, and was reviewing measures to help bring this about.
H&V News 29th May 2008 more >>
Milton Keynes
The council has delayed its decision on whether five wind turbines will be erected at a city school, contravening its own planning rules.
MKNews 28th May 2008 more >>
Eco-audit
If you are wondering whether your lifestyle is as green as it seems, it might be time for an eco-audit.
Independent 28th May 2008 more >>
Durham
A FORMER pit village in Durham is likely to get a £1.2m community centre that will have a near zero carbon footprint.
Northern Echo 28th May 2008 more >>
Proven Open Day
Proven Energy Mill would like to invite BIFM members to their premises at Wardhead Park, Stewarton, KA3 5LH on the afternoon of 24th June 2008 at 3.45pm for a presentation on “Small scale wind energy and the Facilities Manager’’. This will be followed by a tour of the plant and refreshments and discussions thereafter, finishing at approximately 5.30pm.
British Institute of Facilities Management 27th May 2008 more >>
Eco-leisure
Proposals to build a multi-million pound eco-friendly luxury leisure spa in a Devon town will go before planners next week. Some of the latest recycling techniques including water harvesting, solar panels, heat pumps, wind turbines and scores of new trees and plants will also be featured.
Exeter Express and Echo 27th May 2008 more >>
Plymouth Herald 28th May 2008 more >>
Northern Ireland Solar
The installation of photovoltaic panels in schools is not a new concept. What is new is that Northern Ireland Electricity took the initiative and had the vision to use a large number of installations to create a virtual user network – a virtual power station is the concept this scheme uses. The linking of 41 schools via a website provides an excellent teaching, demonstration and dissemination resource, which benefits the school children, teachers and the wider community. The project also developed local capacity building to strengthen the fledgling renewable energy installation industry, which should bring longer term benefits to the local economy.
Energy Institute 27th May 2008 more >>
Solar Aid
The Sunrise Festival makes its claim to be the first major UK music fest to go really green powering itself 100% with renewable energy. This week Sunrise organisers announced a new partnership with SolarAid a new charity that helps poor communities in developing countries use solar power to fight poverty and climate change. SolarAid carries out microsolar projects – training solar entrepreneurs to build and sell small solar lanterns, radios and solar chargers for mobile phones – and macrosolar projects, such as installing solar panels on schools and health clinics in Africa.
New Consumer 27th May 2008 more >>
Zero-carbon Science Park
Bristol Science Park (SPark) – the RDAs largest single investment – has carbon-saving design embedded. It is working towards creating a zero-carbon science park with on-site, and potentially off-site, renewable energy generation.
Bristol Evening Post 27th May 2008 more >>
Low-carbon building technology
The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) has announced funding to help businesses meet the growing global demand for environmentally friendly buildings. Over three years, £30 million will be allocated to the Low Impact Buildings Innovation Platform, to support collaborative projects involving industry, academics and research organisations to develop products and services in the low-carbon building technology sector.
Leicester Mercury 27th May 2008 more >>
Asda Turbine
Proposals for a massive 417ft wind turbine in Northampton are likely to be approved by planners, despite objections from residents. The turbine, which would generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 1,250 homes and prevent the release of more than 5,000 tonnes of CO2, would be built in the car park of the Asda distribution centre in Brackmills.
Northampton Chronicle 27th May 2008 more >>
South Wales Innovation
Community energy charity Aman Awel Tawe (AAT) is in with a chance of picking up a share of a £1 million award for using innovative ways to tackle climate change.The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (Nesta) has named the Amman Valley-based company on its 100-strong nationwide shortlist for its Big Green Challenge prize fund. AAT aims to cut carbon dioxide emissions with its RE-New Project by developing small wind turbines and energy efficiency improvements in schools across South Wales.
Swansea Evening Post 27th May 2008 more >>
Irish Incubator
Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) has today announced the expansion of its Incubator Programme for emerging green businesses in the sustainable energy sector which encourages business development and helps bridge financial gaps for new and existing businesses in the area of sustainable energy. SEI has identified five specific areas to be prioritised within the programme. The five areas are Bioenergy, Ocean and Wind Energy, Microgeneration, Energy Efficiency and Hydrogen and Fuel Cells.
Irish Examiner 26th May 2008 more >>
EnviroSolutions 27th May 2008 more >>
Skills
A TRAINING college has announced plans for an ambitious £9million extension. We will provide training in the use and applications of sustainable development and renewable energy, such as solar panels and ground source heat pumps
Essex Echo 26th May 2008 more >>
Feed-in Tariffs
Gordon Brown is planning to use a massive expansion of green energy to win back voters angry at spiralling fuel prices. They will be offered guaranteed prices for generating their own power that could fund loan schemes to pay for energy-saving technology under plans being finalised by ministers. The plans are expected to be contained in a major offensive to promote domestic solar and wind power, as well as promoting energy conservation, that will be launched by the Prime Minister next month. Senior ministers believe the programme will help win over hard-pressed families by offering energy-saving and renewable power packages to cut their fuel bills for good. Under the plans, ministers will agree to a key demand of environmentalists to back so-called “fee-in-tariffs”, which offer householders guaranteed premium prices if they sell surplus renewable power back to the national grid.
Independent 26th May 2008 more >>
Micro-CHP
The COGEN Europe conference last week was an almost surreal event. In attendance, all the major players in the CHP industry complaining for almost two days about how unfair the market was to large scale CHP and bemoaning the lack of financial support (aka subsidies) to make the industry viable. Tacked on at the end of the conference, a concession to the micro CHP interests with a “workshop” on micro CHP; but the micro CHP industry was not whingeing about subsidies, just asking to be allowed to play on the same field as other microgeneration technologies, even if the field was tilted rather steeply against them.
Microchp 25th May 2008 more >>
Solar Advance
Japanese electronics conglomerate Sony Corp said on Sunday it has developed dye-sensitized solar cells with an energy conversion efficiency of 10 percent, a level seen necessary for commercial use. Dye-sensitized solar cells, which use photosensitive dye and do not require costly and large-scale production equipment, are seen as a promising next-generation solar cell variety and potential threat to silicon-based solar cells.
Reuters 25th May 2008 more >>
Altrincham School
THE hi-tech design of the new Navigation Primary School in Altrincham has earned regional recognition. The whole building is naturally ventilated and designed with high profile energy saving measures, such as a wind turbine that re-uses rain water saved on the roof.
This is Cheshire 24th May 2008 more >>
Crain’s Manchester Business 27th May 2008 more >>
Windy River Cottage
Famous for its television series River Cottage is currently going through a thorough revamp, both in its buildings, its marketing and its shops across the country. Green technology was used in the shape of wind turbines for onsite micro generation using a Proven WT2500 wind turbine on an 11m mast. Wind speeds in the area were measured for the turbine which resulted in a wind speed of 7m/s (10agl), predicting an output of 6,000-7,000kWh/ annum.
Building 4th Feb 2008 more >>