Small wind makes it to Italy
A small wind turbine on an industrial estate just outside Macerata.
week ending 26 September 2008
Proven Wind
Proven Energy: the East Kilbride-based maker of small wind turbines has been named as one of Europe’s “hottest” clean technology firms by investors. Proven – which has 90 staff in Scotland, India and the United States – featured on Library House’s Cleantech 100 list.
Scotsman 26th Sept 2008 more >>
Conservative View
Last week a leaked government document revealed that Labour ministers are lobbying the EU to allow Britain to meet up to half of its 2020 emissions reductions targets by buying credits from the developing world. By paying others to make carbon reductions for us, Labour are selling Britain short. There are many thousands of new and well-paid jobs that could be created in the UK with a major national push on energy efficiency, microgeneration and renewable energy technologies. We will be passing on the opportunity to lead the world in the conversion to a low-carbon economy.
Guardian 25th Sept 2008 more >>
There are areas where the Conservatives could make a difference. The first is on what is known as the ‘low-carbon’ or ‘green’ economy. UK manufacturing has the opportunity to be a world leader in environmental technologies – whether wind turbines or energy efficient boilers.
Birmingham Post 25th Sept 2008 more >>
Basingstoke Wind
A 15-METRE-HIGH wind turbine could be built beside a Basingstoke secondary school. Hampshire County Council has applied for planning permission to install the electricity generator in the grounds of Everest Community College, which moved to its new state-of-the-art home last September.
This is Hampshire 25th Sept 2008 more >>
What makes an eco-town?
Cutting-edge principles for the agencies involved in developing proposals for eco-towns have been published by BioRegional and CABE. The report, What makes an eco-town?, defines an eco-town as a place designed to make it easy for residents to reduce their ecological footprint by two thirds and their carbon dioxide emissions by 80 per cent below 1990 levels.
Local Government News 25th Sept 2008 more >>
Small Wind
The Carbon Trust commissioned research from the Met Office and Entec to determine: The overall UK carbon prize associated with small-scale wind energy; and How small wind turbines can best be sited to save most carbon. The following two reports describe the outcomes of the research.
Carbon Trust 25th September 2008 more >>
Small-scale Wind: Policy Insights and Practical Guidance more >>
Small-scale Wind: Technical Report. more >>
Micro-CHP deal
Disenco Energy plc, leader in technology for the development and manufacture of highly-efficient, energy-saving micro-combined heat and power (m-CHP) appliances for homes and small businesses, today announces that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Centrica, one of the world’s leading energy providers. It is anticipated that British Gas will work with Disenco to bring the product into field trials by early 2009 followed by commercialization before the end of that year.
Market Watch 25th Sept 2008 more >>
Urban Wind
Wind turbines are a waste of time and money for any householder that lives in a built-up or suburban area, according to a leading consumer watchdog.
Telegraph 25th Sept 2008 more >>
Community Energy
CORE, the community renewable energy group, has formed the first community owned energy supply company in the UK, which is due to begin its first delivery to 80 houses and a school in Middleton, Teesdale.
Newcastle Evening Gazette 24th Sept 2008 more >>
Welsh Advice
A RENEWABLE energy specialist is launching a new advice service aimed at commercial and residential property owners in North Wales. Stuart Galloway, North Wales director of Stiebel Eltron, is offering a “one stop shop” advice centre giving guidance on a range of issues, from complying with legislation to applying for “green” grants, and from taking advantage of tax breaks to advice on installation of renewable energy products.
Daily Post 24th Sept 2008 more >>
Northern Ireland – Hard to treat homes.
The Department of Social Development and NIE energy are keen to help reduce the impact of fuel poverty by exploring energy efficiency and renewable energy options for hard to treat homes. The scheme includes installation of insulation and heating systems and is aimed at low income households with solid fuel, electric or no heating, situated in rural or coastal locations.
Moyle District Council 24th Sept 2008 more >>
Green Construction
Green building has become a global phenomenon, with just over half (53%) of those quizzed about their expectations of future work saying they thought over 60% of the projects they worked on in the next five years would have a strong green element.
Edie 24th Sept 2008 more >>
Baxi Revolution
Heating manufacturer Baxi is calling for a shake-up of the home heating industry with business and the government working to bring about a green energy revolution. In a report published today, Baxi says there has been “painfully slow progress” by industry and the government in bringing about a roll-out of green energy technologies across the UK’s existing housing stock. Its report ‘Sustainable Home Heating; It’s time for a step change’ Baxi outlines the heating technologies it believes can and should be rolled out across the UK’s housing stock in the next decade in order for the UK government to meet its carbon reduction targets.
Heating and Ventilating 23rd Sept 2008 more >>
24Dash 23rd Sept 2008 more >>
Baxi Press Release 23rd Sept 2008 more >>
Heating our Homes Sustainably: It’s time for a step change. Baxi September 2008 more >>
Manchester School
TOILETS powered by rainwater, temperature-controlled automatic windows and a wind turbine are helping a school go green. - welcome to Manchester’s newest school. A £5m rebuild has made Rolls Crescent Community Primary School, in Hulme, one of the region’s most eco-friendly schools.
Manchester Evening News 23rd Sept 2008 more >>
Sustainable Building
Sustainability is now so embedded, so much a part of construction, that it will not be affected by a downturn.
Building 22nd Sept 2008 more >>
Croydon
Deputy Council leader, Dudley Mead, went blue collar last week as he tried out his bricklaying skills at Croydon Council’s new eco house building programme. Coun Mead visited the site on Tuesday and was joined by contractor Osborne Homes Division which is helping the council develop the schemes. The first phase will see 32 three, four- and five-bed family homes built to meet robust eco standards, the homes will be equipped with environmentally friendly features such solar panels, wind turbines and rainwater retaining devices.
Green Building 22nd Sept 2008 more >>
Eco-Quakers
A historic home for Quaker worship for almost 340 years has been converted into a fully carbon-neutral retreat house. Worfolk Cottage, in Staintondale, officially re-opened after becoming one of the first such developments within the North York Moors National Park.
Scarborough Evening News 22nd Sept 2008 more >>
Small Wind
The number of small wind turbines in the UK is set to almost double by 2009 to 27,866 installations, but renewable energy trade association the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) says the government needs to do more to back the burgeoning sector and make the planning process easier.
Greenbang 22nd Sept 2008 more >>
eGov Monitor 22nd Sept 2008 more >>
Scottish Efficiency
A new WWF Scotland report, Carbon Countdown for homes: How to make Scotland’s existing homes low carbon, sets out the key measures required for the Scottish Government to make all existing homes in Scotland low carbon by 2050. It makes the case for a retrofit strategy for Scotland’s existing homes that will generally raise their energy performance and progressively cut their emissions by 35% by 2020 and 80% by 2050.
WWF Scotland 22nd September 2008 more >>
Denmark
Everywhere you travel on Samso, a Danish island, you see signs of change. There are dozens of wind turbines of various sizes dotted across the landscape, houses have solar-panelled roofs, while a long line of giant turbines off the island’s southern tip swirl in the wind. Towns are linked to district heating systems that pump hot water to homes. These are either powered by rows of solar panels covering entire fields, or by generators which burn straw from local farms, or timber chips cut from the island’s woods.
Observer 21st Sept 2008 more >>
Norfolk Green Books
A children’s book shop set in rural north Norfolk has won a national green retailing award - by beating high street giant W H Smith. Norfolk Children’s Book Centre, is a green operation first and a bookshop second. They go out into the local community to spread the word, have switched heating to a super-efficient condensing boiler, and use energy-saving lighting powered from a windmill.
East Anglian Daily Press 20th Sept 2008 more >>
Eastern Advice
A leading global renewable energy specialist is launching an advice service aimed at public and private sector commercial property owners and homeowners in the Eastern region. Stiebel Eltron is offering a “one stop shop” advice centre giving guidance on a complying with legislation, applying for “green” grants, and taking advantage of tax breaks.
Peterborough Telegraph 19th Sept 2008 more >>
Hambleton
ECO-FRIENDLY technology will have to be incorporated into all major developments in a North Yorkshire district under new planning rules. Hambleton District Council is due to adopt a new strategy to promote green technology such as rainwater harvesting and solar panels and to ensure it is incorporated in buildings in major new developments.
Yorkshire Post 19th Sept 2008 more >>