week ending 13 June 2008
Micropower Conference Wednesday 4th June 2008 more >>
Northumberland
Responses suggested that energy efficiency should be a focus of future planning policy, so the strategy now includes a policy that requires energy use during construction to be minimised and buildings to be energy efficient, with 10% renewable energy included, in line with national policy.
Northumberland National Park 12th June 2008 more >>
Tesco Turbines
Tesco is planning to enhance its green credentials by installing another set of wind turbines in York.
York Press 12th June 2008 more >>
Welsh Plan
Wales should strive to leave the national grid by producing enough of its own electricity from clean locally run sources, AMs have been told.Plaid AM Janet Ryder said Welsh communities should follow the example of Woking, in Surrey, where there had been a big push towards more renewable electricity.
South Wales Evening Post 12th June 2008 more >>
Woking
RESIDENTS will be increasingly drawn into a number of radical projects aimed at making the town more environmentally friendly. Woking is the driving force behind a number of innovative environmental projects, including photovoltaic cells on the Albion canopy, sustainable energy fuel cells and combined heat and power.
Get Surrey 12th June 2008 more >>
Sussex School
Ringmer Community College in East Sussex won the award for being the best sustainable school in the region. Judges praised the many eco aspects of the college including its wind turbine, solar panels and recycling schemes.
Banbury Guardian 12th June 2008 more >>
North Devon
The North Devon Council approved guidance to help developers cut the carbon emissions of new buildings. In 2006 the Council approved a policy which stated any major development must be able to generate at least 15 per cent of the energy it is predicted to use through renewable sources on site. The supplementary planning document, called Guidance on the Use of On-site Renewable Technologies, gives examples on the types of renewable energies that can be used, such as biomass heating, heat pumps, wind turbines, and solar panels. It gives developers an indication of how much extra it may cost to incorporate them into their designs. It will generally increase overall building costs by no more than two or three per cent.
North Devon Gazette 12th June 2008 more >>
Micropower
Householders need to be given a compelling economic reason to install renewables in large numbers, according to a recently published report examining the growth potential of microgeneration technologies. The report, completed by Element Energy, was commissioned by a consortium whose members include the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, the Micropower Council, Ceres Power and suppliers British Gas and E.on.
H&V News 12th June 2008 more >>
Dublin Efficiency
The annual heating bill for an average Irish house could drop to 100 within 8 years, if targets for energy efficiency in homes are increased. This is according to a speaker, who will give a keynote address at an upcoming European construction conference, which is due to take place in Dublin later this month.
Enviro Solutions 12th June 2008 more >>
Hillingdon School
The new school will incorporate a wind turbine and photo voltaic panels to generate power.
London Borough of Hillingdon 11th June 2008 more >>
Edinburgh School
A new £5m school for young people with moderate learning difficulties opening today in Edinburgh (Wednesday, 11 June) will share a brand new state of the art £2m sports facility with neighbouring Currie Community High school. At today’s special event the first school wind turbine in Edinburgh will also be opened at Currie Community High School.
Edinburgh City Council 11th June 2008 more >>
Edinburgh Evening News 12th June 2008 more >>
Edinburgh Evening News 12th June 2008 more >>
Norfolk School Not Green Enough
A new hall for a village primary school could be threatened by planners who say the plans are not green enough. Ellingham Primary School, near Bungay, has saved up for years to build a hall which will give them enough space for concerts and performances. But South Norfolk Council’s conservation architect has criticised the plans because they are not environmentally friendly - despite the fact that the school is one of a handful of eco-schools in Norfolk and even has its own wind turbine.
East Anglian Daily Press 11th June 2008 more >>
Basingstoke Festival
A FREE festival with a green theme is coming to Basingstoke this weekend. Central to the festival will be an environmentally-friendly circus big top, which will be powered by solar and wind power.
Basingstoke Gazette 11th June 2008 more >>
Devon Hydro
LYNTON and Lynmouth could again be at the forefront of creating electricity from the power of nature and continue a relationship which began in Victorian times. The council commissioned a study by consultants Renewable Power to look at generating electricity using the steep and fast flowing East and West Lyn Rivers.
North Devon Gazette 11th June 2008 more >>
European Tax Incentives
The Commission said it would report in the autumn on the possible use of tax incentives, including reduced VAT rates, to encourage energy savings.
Daily Mirror 11th June 2008 more >>
Zero Carbon
Developers have no choice but to embrace eco-friendly construction in order to meet the Government’s ambitious target for all new homes to be carbon-free by 2016: those who fail to rise to the challenge will be refused planning permission, warns housing minister Caroline Flint. But can developers deliver the sort of green homes that buyers want - homes that have design flair, homes that are glamorous, value-for-money, aspirational and satisfying to live in?
Evening Standard 11th June 2008 more >>
Green Drinks?
Britain’s leading soft drinks companies from Britvic to Coca-Cola have teamed up to commit to a series of green goals in the latest move by industry to meet consumers’ environmental concerns. The BSDA said that to meet its climate change objectives it would need to improve manufacturing energy efficiency via the use of renewable energy sources.
Telegraph 11th June 2008 more >>
North East Micro Push
SOME of the poorest households in the area could be ‘greened’ under a new scheme using micro energy technology. PLANS to turn homes into mini power stations in order to slash UK carbon emissions and lift the lowest paid out of fuel poverty received a mixed reaction on Teesside. An increase in home-based “microgeneration” energy devices, such as the solar panels and small wind turbines favoured by the Labour and Tory leaders, as well as ground source heat pumps, could be the carbon equivalent of taking every lorry and bus off UK roads, an independent report for the government by Element Energy consultants said.
Newcastle Evening Gazette 10th June 2008 more >>
Peterborough College
Resembling the Hobbits’ mythical Shire home, a recently completed artists impression gives the first glimpse of Peterborough based New College Stamford’s vision for a greener future. As part of plans to create a £50 million eco-friendly complex, the college’s main building would be hidden under a dome of grass.
Green Builder 10th June 2008 more >>
Scottish Lib-Dems
Liberal Democrat’s are optimistic that we can drive proposals to boost microgeneration through in parliament. More must be more done by government both in Edinburgh and London. The Scottish Government must make installing micro-generation units easier and more attractive to the public. Ministers must overcome their reticence to making meaningful changes in local tax and planning legislation. The Liberal Democrats believe that 100 per cent of Scotland’s electricity can be supplied renewably by 2050, so there needs to be a bigger uptake in the use of micro-power, with all new homes and public-sector projects to produce a fifth of their energy through micro-generation. Moreover, we support the introduction of a local tax rebate so that the cost of micro-generation can be reduced, making this policy more cost-effective for the public, so increasing its appeal.
Scotsman 10th June 2008 more >>
St Albans
AS a community with one of the worst carbon footprints in the country, the St Albans district is aiming to reduce its carbon output by 60 per cent by 2025. The council signed up to the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change in 2006. It is looking at installing renewable energy measures on council-owned buildings, and a rebate on wind turbine installations.
Herts Advertiser 10th June 2008 more >>
Fuel Poverty
It will cost £9.2 billion to eliminate fuel poverty for all but the poorest households, the study by the Centre for Sustainable Energy and the Association for the Conservation of Energy found. The figure covers identifying fuel-poor households and installing energy-efficiency measures, but does not include homes that are not currently in fuel poverty but will be if energy prices significantly increase. The study looked at the cost of measures such as loft and cavity wall insulation, heating systems and renewable energy to help households control their energy bills. But even these were not enough to lift some households with very low incomes out of fuel poverty. The study also found the measures were not being installed quickly enough to meet the Government’s target of eradicating fuel poverty in vulnerable homes by 2010 and in all homes by 2016.
Express 10th June 2008 more >>
Scotsman 11th June 2008 more >>
Concentrator Photovoltaics
IBM says it has developed more efficient photovoltaic cells - the technology that converts light directly into electricity - that could reduce the cost of producing solar electric power.
Computer Weekly 9th June 2008 more >>
Training & Skills
A UK’s first ever centre for low carbon technology in buildings has been launched at London South Bank University (LSBU). The Centre for Effiicient and Renewable Energy in Buildings will be the first of its kind and will provide teaching in sustainable energy technology and building design for university students, academics and those working within the industry.
H&V News 9th June 2008 more >>
Thin film solar
Fresh from securing $20m in funding from investment giant Morgan Stanley, UK thin film solar cell specialist G24 Innovations (G24i) has revealed plans to significantly bolster its manufacturing capacity.
Business Green 10th June 2008 more >>
Biomass Grants
Small and medium-sized businesses producing biomass fuel for use in heat and electricity generation can apply for grants of up to £200,000 from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, environment minister Phil Woolas, has today announced.
Business Green 9th June 2008 more >>
NFU 9th June 2008 more >>
Building 10th June 2008 more >>
Worcester
The Duckworth Trust has moved to the Pump House Environment Centre in Waterworks Road, Worcester, which has been renovated into a very green building indeed. It includes sustainable energy through small-scale wind turbines, sheep’s wool insulation in floors and roof spaces, and energy-efficient light bulbs. As well as the
Worcester News 9th June 2008 more >>
Renewable Chips
McCain Foods is to host a reception for Malcolm Wicks, Minister for Energy, at its Whittlesey site to celebrate the successful installation of three, 125-metre-high wind turbines used to power the UK’s largest chip factory. The Minister will be present on Tuesday to celebrate the sixth month anniversary and will also view the new anaerobic lagoon, learning how McCain became the first major UK food manufacturer to power a facility of this size using alternative energy. The two initiatives provide up to 70% of the annual energy requirements required to operate the plant, demonstrating that companies can be environmentally responsible while saving money at the same time.
Wisbech Standard 9th June 2008 more >>
Pellet Production
A YORKSHIRE alternative-energy firm is set to expand after winning £5m of investment from a leading venture capitalist. Land Energy, a producer of wood pellets, based in Helmsley, intends to use the money to develop its production plants around the UK.
Yorkshire Post 9th June 2008 more >>
Wear Valley
Eastgate will be the only Renewable Energy Village to feature all five forms of land-based renewable energy available in the UK – hydro, solar, wind, biomass and geothermal and will generate sufficient ‘clean’ electricity to offset the energy consumption of the whole of Weardale.
Wear Valley Council 8th June 2008 more >>
2007 saw an increased interest in the take up of renewable technologies in rural Weardale, which leads the way amongst areas in the North East region. Thirteen solar thermal panels, six wind turbines and one ground source heat pump were installed in domestic dwellings, partly assisted by the governments Low Carbon Buildings Programme grant with additional funding from Wear Valley District Council.
Wear Valley Council 8th June 2008 more >>
BT Plans
BT intends to meet the 80 per cent reduction target through a continued combination of energy efficiency, on-site renewable generation (aiming for 25 per cent of its UK electricity to come from dedicated wind turbines by 2016) and purchased low-carbon electricity.
Enviro Solutions 8th June 2008 more >>
Fuel Poverty
Fuel-poverty stricken communities in East Anglia are set to benefit from £1m of funding - but last night Age Concern said the plans were “missing the mark completely”. The East of England Development Agency announced yesterday it will receive the money as part of the government’s Low Carbon Buildings Programme to spend on “green” solutions for fuel poverty. The money will be used to help communities which struggle to pay their fuel bills by funding low carbon energy sources such as solar panels and domestic wind turbines.
East Anglian Daily Press 7th June 2008 more >>
Microgeneration Report
It has been a very interesting week with lots in the news. The biggest event was the eagerly awaited arrival of report on the potential for micro generation in the UK. The report which actual has the title “The Growth Potential for Micro generation in England, Wales and Scotland” had been commissioned by the UK government department for business, energy and regulatory reform duly arrived and according to some elements of the press suggests that the use of solar and wind and other forms of micro generation could generate as much electricity as five nuclear power stations! The report did get a lot of press mostly just echoing or at least headlining similar claims.
Microgenerator 7th June 2008 more >>
B&Q Eco Store
B&Q will open a two-floor, 150,000 sq ft flagship eco-store in New Malden, Surrey, in November. It will be the retailer’s second green store and represents a significant advance on the first – a 78,000 sq ft shop that opened in Halifax in April.
Retail Week 6th June 2008 more >>
Off gas grid solutions
YORKSHIRE Forward has welcomed the announcement of an additional £500,000 of funding for the Community Energy Solutions project which aims to reduce fuel poverty across the region. Community Energy Solutions was established two years ago. They are working with 25 communities that currently do not have access to mains gas supplies in urban and rural areas. The aim is to connect homes to supplies at little or no cost to the household. Where that is not possible, they are offered a renewable energy solution - locally manufactured ground source heat pumps.
Cranswick Today 6th June 2008 more >>
German feed-in tariffs
Germany legislators voted for steeper cuts to subsidized prices for electricity generated from solar panels and wind turbines, after almost a decade of state aid made its renewable-energy industry one of the world’s strongest.
Bloomberg 6th June 2008 more >>
Ambitious Amsterdam
Urban windmills and solar panels on house roofs form part of Amsterdam’s plans to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent by 2025, officials of the Dutch capital said Thursday. Announcing the city’s ambition to become a world exporter of renewable energy technology, mayor Job Cohen said it would strive to ensure a fifth of all energy consumed was “green” in 17 years’ time. “The competition between cities is fierce. I am sure that those cities who don’t start work on renewable energy now will be out of the running within a few years.”
AFP 6th June 2008 more >>