week ending 4 December 2009
15% by 2020
Rooftop solar panels, wind turbines and other home energy-production devices could generate almost one sixth of Britain’s electricity supplies within ten years, according to the chief executive of National Grid. Steve Holliday, who runs the UK’s largest utility company, said that 15% of the country’s electricity production would come from so called “embedded generation” in homes and offices by 2020. “That is an enormous part of the mix,” he said ahead of a speech on the future of Britain’s energy system at Imperial College next week.
Times 4th Dec 2009 more >>
FiT Delay
A PV sector specialist from the Renewable Energy Association (REA) has hit out at the government for “delaying” a final decision on the proposed Feed-in Tariff rates. During a power seminar on the first day of the REA’s Smart Energy conference held at Wembley Stadium this week (December 1), Ray Noble claimed that the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was due to have made an announcement on the scheme last week but had put it back.
New Energy Focus 3rd Dec 2009 more >>
Computer Power
An £80m green datacentre under construction in east London will use 9MW of surplus heat created by racks of servers to power residential and business properties in the surrounding area. The 11-storey facility is being built by datacentre specialist Telehouse West and is due to open in March next year. As well as capturing waste heat for re-use, the site will also feature a solar array designed to provide the facility with 6,000kWh of power a year.
Business Green 3rd Dec 2009 more >>
Green Trading Estate
BUSINESSMAN Brian Bennett wants to create Britain’s first green trading estate in the Forest of Dean. The Dean entrepreneur is working on an ambitious £10 million vision to transform his Mitcheldean empire into an eco-friendly business village. As well as aiming to make the sprawling former Xerox site carbon neutral within three years, he is hoping to put the Forest at the forefront of the green revolution. He has set up a company, bee green energy, to attract inventors working on the next generation of eco-friendly ideas to Mitcheldean.
The Forrester 3rd Dec 2009 more >>
Nottingham plan
Plans for 39 houses on the former Breconshire Dyeworks were rejected by councillors for unsatisfactory parking arrangements, not having the right mix of house sizes and not showing how 10% of energy would come from renewable sources. The developers have now come up with new proposals which include an energy statement to explain how the renewable energy target can be met.
Nottingham Evening Post 3rd Dec 2009 more >>
Which renewable?
A PASSION for the environment is behind a new business venture for a Manchester green energy consultant. Inka Renewable Energy specialises in helping homeowners decide which renewable energy system would be best for their property.
Manchester Evening News 3rd Dec 2009 more >>
Scottish Communities receive £3.6m
Communities across Scotland have been awarded over £3.6 million from the Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) to help reduce their carbon footprint and become more energy efficient.
Scottish Government 3rd Dec 2009 more >>
Planning Portal
The Planning Portal offers a range of user-friendly tools to help guide you through the planning process, including the interactive house and terrace. You can explore the interactive semi-detached house for planning guidance on many common householder projects, including home microgeneration in England.
Telegraph 3rd Nov 2009 more >>
Solar Grants
Renewable energy manufacturers have warned of their “frustration” after the government’s flagship grant scheme for solar power ran out of money less than halfway through the financial year. Meanwhile, an announcement has been delayed on a clean energy cashback scheme – “feed-in tariffs”.
FT 3rd Dec 2009 more >>
Solar panels manufacturers have warned of their frustration after the government’s flagship grant scheme for solar panels ran out of money less than halfway through the financial year. The UK PV Association, which represents companies making and installing solar panels, warned that they were “in limbo” after the Low Carbon Building Programme Phase 2 was closed to solar applications this week. The £50m scheme had included up to £18m for hospitals, schools and other public sector buildings to install pv solar panels on their roofs. But it has been closed down due to unprecedented demand.
UK Energy News 3rd Dec 2009 more >>
Scottish AD
Plans to develop the UK’s “biggest biogas facility” in Scotland, on a site on the M74 between Glasgow and Carlisle, have been given the go-ahead by South Lanarkshire council. The project’s developer, Glasgow-based renewable energy company Proactive Energy, has invested an initial £22.5 million in developing the 5MW anaerobic digestion facility, which represents the first phase of its ‘M74 Eco-Park’.
New Energy Focus 2nd Dec 2009 more >>
Smart Meters
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) hopes that introducing smart meters will enable the mass take-up of micro-generation incentives such as the Feed-in Tariff. Smart meters would also allow energy suppliers to gauge and manage demand to cope with peaks and troughs, which is seen as being crucial in bringing online more secure, but more intermittent, sources of electricity generation such as wind.
New Energy Focus 2nd Dec 2009 more >>
Solar City Farm
Bath City Farm has installed a £50,000 renewable energy system which uses solar and thermal energy to generate green electricity and heating. The farm office is being heated using power generated from 28 solar panels on the roof. The system also uses a heat pump which sucks in air from outside before transferring it to radiators in the central heating system. The farm had previously used oil to heat its buildings.
BBC 2nd Dec 2009 more >>
Ecovision
Ecovision is a renowned UK based company in the world of renewable energy products. It offers complete service packages, as well as, supply and commission only for air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, water source heat pumps, solar water heating systems,
UK PR Wire 2nd Dec 2009 more >>
Green Home Funding
The government has unveiled £135m in funding for councils to plan and build homes and provide support for renewable energy schemes such as biomass and geothermal power plants. The funding from the Housing and Planning Delivery Grant (HPDG) will provide a direct incentive for councils to work with partners in the public and private sector to construct green homes. The cash tops up mainstream funding and councils can choose how to spend it without it being ringfenced. The news means 375 local authorities are set to receive around £350,000 each.
Building 2nd Dec 2009 more >>
Inside Housing 2nd Dec 2009 more >>
Build 3rd Dec 2009 more >>
Durham Energy Institute
At Durham University academics are taking a unique approach. They are working on high-tech solutions to energy problems, but they are also looking at people’s attitudes to energy and how it could be possible to change their behaviour towards saving it. As well as coming up with solutions to specific problems, like how energy produced by solar panels and wind turbines on people’s houses could connect to the National Grid, they are plotting what our energy future might look like, including oil, gas and coal and renewables like wind, wave and solar and even nuclear.
Newcastle Journal 2nd Dec 2009 more >>
Dorset AD
The Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has financed a demonstration facility for Clearfleau’s high-rate anaerobic digestion system. The BV Dairy, near Shaftesbury in North Dorset, is the location of the first commercial high rate liquid digestion plant in the UK dairy sector, one of five projects funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in WRAP’s Environment Transformation Fund.
Food Manufacture 1st Dec 2009 more >>
Solar Costs
Consumers hoping to install microgeneration technology on their premises could be taking advantage of an impending fall in the cost of solar panel systems. New research by the EU Energy Institute found that 90 per cent of solar panels will last up to 30 years, beating previous estimates of 20 years on which the price of the microgeneration systems is based. The group claimed that solar panels are a positive long-term investment and could offer competitive prices for 50 per cent of homes by 2020, when compared to the national grid in Europe.
Rapid 1st Dec 2009 more >>
Eco-towns
Housing Minister John Healey announced proposals for a second wave of eco-towns and pledged to double the money to a total of £10m to support councils in developing their plans. In July, Mr Healey announced that four locations had met the tough standards to become eco-towns. A further nine local authorities are considering plans to develop new communities to eco-town standards.
CLG Press Release 1st Dec 2009 more >>
Teesdale Solar
Pupils at a dale primary school have become leading lights of renewable energy after switching on new solar panels at their school. The £20,000 solar panels at Staindrop CofE Primary School will save two tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. The 24 rooftop panels are half-funded by The Co-operative with match-funding from the Government’s Low Carbon Building programme.
Teesdale Mercury 1st Dec 2009 more >>
Zero Carbon World
Mark Z Jacobson and Mark A Delucchi, writing in the November edition of Scientific American, they describe how, by 2030, the world could shift to a virtually zero carbon energy system. Their model is based only on existing technology that can already be applied on a large scale, and excludes nuclear power and fossil fuels. It calls for, globally, the building of 3.8m large wind turbines, 90,000 solar plants and a combination of geothermal, tidal and rooftop solar-PV installations globally.
Guardian 1st Dec 2009 more >>
Baxi Scottish Trial
A Baxi Ecogen micro-combined heat and power unit is being trialled by Scottish Gas and Link Housing Association. The pair have teamed up and will trial the micro-combined heat and power unit, one of the first of its kind to be installed in Scotland, in the home of a Link tenant. The Baxi Ecogen delivers renewable electricity and heat by utilising bio-natural gas.
Gas Boiler Buyability 1st Dec 2009 more >>
Micro Power Manifesto
An organisation representing the interests of microgeneration lobbyists has set out a list of proposals which will make it easier for households to install the technology. The Micropower Council s manifesto will act as part of a review of microgeneration possibilities for the government to undertake as part of its required strategy, which is due in 12 months.
Rapid 30th Nov 2009 more >>
Settle Hydro
The market town of Settle situated in the Craven District within the Yorkshire Dales, is tacking climate change in its own unique way - the Settle Hydro, a community owned hydro electric plant which can generate enough electricity to power 50 homes, saving 80 tonnes of carbon a year.
Daelnet 30th Nov 2009 more >>
Energy Centres
Sainsbury’s has teamed up with EDF to open energy centres in three stores as part of a trial to sell energy saving products. The Home Energy Centres will sell solar panels, heat pumps, and other environmentally friendly technologies.
Mad 30th Nov 2009 more >>
Heating & Ventilating 2nd Dec 2009 more >>
Panorama
Can Tesco save the world? The villagers of Fintry - 300 dwellings, a pub and an enviable leisure centre just north of Glasgow - received a proposal from a nearby wind farm six years ago. Initial frostiness was soon melted by a cunning plan. They borrowed £2.5m and bought their own wind turbine to add to the development. It earns £400,000 a year and after they have paid maintenance and interest, they are left with between £50,000 -100,000 for the village. There are a myriad of bite-size companies in Britain whose climate change battles are producing more boom than gloom.
BBC 30th Nov 2009 more >>
BBC 30th Nov 2009 more >>
Solar Radio
A radio station shortlisted for a green award for running largely on renewable energy is struggling to stay on air after its solar panels were stolen.
BBC 30th Nov 2009 more >>
Solar thermal, heat pump combo
Daikin UK is pleased to announce the launch of the Daikin Solar Thermal System for the UK market place. The Daikin Solar Thermal System will greatly complement the already successful Daikin Altherma air source heat pump product range, allowing end users to maximise the savings potential of a combined solar thermal and heat pump system – a complete solution directly from one manufacturer. The use of solar collectors is a very effective way of utilising the free energy from the sun.
ADF Online 30th Nov 2009 more >>
Sustainable Product of the Year
ZEDfactory homes are the first to be completed and certified to level six of the Code for Sustainable Homes, and all their energy consumption is balanced out by microgeneration integrated into the buildings.
Building 30th Nov 2009 more >>
Northants AD
Construction has begun on a £4 million anaerobic digestion plant in Northamptonshire which could process food waste from councils and a local branch of McDonald’s. The 1MW plant at Rothwell, near Kettering, was approved by country planners at the end of October, and preliminary work began last week. Foundation work and steelwork are set to commence next year, with the plant entering commissioning at the beginning of July.
New Energy Focus 30th Nov 2009 more >>
FiT
Small-scale renewable energy could provide 6% of Britain’s electricity needs – equivalent to more than two Sizewell B nuclear stations or the Drax coal-fired plant – by 2020 if the government improves the terms of a new deal for producers due to be launched next April, Friends of the Earth says today. The environmental campaign group used figures obtained from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and prepared by consultants Poyry and Element Energy to show that introducing a more ambitious scheme than that currently proposed would add only an average £2.37 a year to household electricity bills over the next four years – just £1.20 a year more than the government is already proposing to add to fund the scheme.
Guardian 30th Nov 2009 more >>
Which 30th Nov 2009 more >>
New Energy Focus 30th Nov 2009 more >>
Letter from SIG Sustainable Solutions: Government procrastination over the feed-in tariff levels is not only an environmental concern, but the UK economy will be denied a massive opportunity if DECC doesn’t get this scheme right. Solar energy is one of the most viable small-scale energy generation methods. However, political backing is essential for small-scale renewables to become commonplace in the UK.
Guardian 28th Nov 2009 more >>
Somerset Solar
KING Alfred School is now more energy efficient after the introduction of 20 solar panels on the new block. The 180W additions will produce about 3,060KWs of electricity per annum, saving the school about £500 to £600 a year.
This is Somerset 29th Nov 2009 more >>
Fuel Cells
Following the successful development of a fuel cell which not only works and achieves the highest electrical efficiency of any generation technology in existence, (not to mention the start of production at their Heinsberg plant in Germany last month), CFCL have now established a dealership with Neco, so you can actually go out and buy the Bluegen 2kWe fuel cell generator with a demonstrated efficiency of ~60% at the point of use. Of course, you also get to use the “waste” heat so it is really quite an amazing bit of kit. If only I had £20,000 or so to spare! Not cheap, but it actually exists, thus quashing the rumours that fuel cell technology is all vapourware!
Microchap 29th Nov 2009 more >>
Newcastle Schools
The go-ahead has been given for four new schools in Newcastle. They will incorporate biomass boilers.
Newcastle Evening Chronicle 28th Nov 2009 more >>
BBC 30th Nov 2009 more >>
Plymouth Solar
Pupils and staff at Upton Cross Primary School are celebrating having new solar panels to join the wind turbine in the school grounds. Thirty panels were fitted on Upton Cross Primary School’s roof earlier this year to meet about a third of its electricity needs and save approximately five tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
Plymouth Herald 27th Nov 2009 more >>
Rotherham School
School children in Canklow are feeling ‘top of the class’ this week after their new multi-million pound school offcially opened its doors. The school has a biomass boiler and a wind turbine is to be installed soon.
Rotherham Council 27th Nov 2009 more >>
Solar Church
PIONEERING Christians in Bungay are nearing completion on a £100,000 plan to make their church greener. Emmanuel Church is undergoing a carbon reduction project in which solar panels will be installed on the roofs of the church halls to power the buildings. The church has already been kitted out with more energy efficient convector heaters, and it is planned that the solar panels will be fitted by the spring.
Beccles and Bungay Journal 27th Nov 2009 more >>
The importance of CHP
The importance of combined heat and power (CHP) and district heating in helping secure reductions in C02 emissions, across the public sector and wider economy, has been outlined by a cross party group of leading politicians at the Combined Heat and Power (CHPA) Annual Conference. Energy Minister, Lord Hunt, reinforced the importance of CHP to Government.
Green Building Press 26th Nov 2009 more >>
Scottish Heat Pump Grants
A number of Scottish homeowners may be set to benefit from the introduction of air source heat pump green building products into their properties. New grants for the devices will be offered to some of the country’’s rural residents, with the Energy Assistance Package launched by Scottish ministers set to provide the funding.
SIG Sustainable Solutions 20th Nov 2009 more >>