week ending 14 May 2010
Sheffield Turbines
Sheffield City College has unveiled what it claims are the first “major” building-mounted wind turbines to be installed in the city. The turbines add to the college’s 260m2 of solar photovoltaic cells, which have been mounted on the south facade of the new tower building. The energy generated by both the turbines and the solar panels will be fed back into the energy distribution system for the college’s tower block.
New Energy Focus 14th May 2010 more >>
Cornwall Summit
Cornwall council and Transition Cornwall Network - which supports groups throughout Cornwall moving towards a low carbon future - are planning to bring together everyone involved in “green energy” in the region at a summit conference on June 4 to 6 2010.
New Energy Focus 14th May 2010 more >>
Dunbartonshire Hydro
Cordale Housing Association is undertaking a feasibility study in partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University to establish the potential of harnessing energy from the water, via a series of micro-hydro turbines, which would be converted into electricity and sold to the national grid.
Lennox Herald 14th May 2010 more >>
Evening Times 13th May 2010 more >>
AD Economics
In a bid to make anaerobic digestion more cost effective and to bolster confidence in one of its bi-products, the digestate, plant operators are now able to undertake “rigorous” testing to meet a written standard which proves their digestate is safe to be spread on land.
New Energy Focus 14th May 2010 more >>
Croydon Biomass
Low carbon heating company, Remeha, has installed two 360kW biomass boilers to work in unison with five gas eco boilers in the 82m high Altitude 25 tower in Croydon, to provide heat for the building.
New Energy Focus 14th May 2010 more >>
Solar Farms?
Fields in Gloucestershire’s rolling countryside, immortalised by Laurie Lee in Cider With Rosie, may soon be covered by thousands of solar panels. Despite the lack of guaranteed sunshine, the solar farms will make a guaranteed profit because of a generous subsidy funded through increases in household energy bills. The rate of installation of solar panels will increase five-fold in Britain this year because of this feed-in tariff, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. Ecotricity, a renewable energy company based in Stroud, is planning dozens of solar farms and is considering sites near its headquarters.
Times 14th May 2010 more >>
Zero Carbon House
HOLSWORTHY architects Trewin Design Partnership (TDP) has developed a prototype code 6 “zero carbon” house suitable for volume production in the affordable housing sector. From 2016 the government’s code for sustainable homes will require all new houses to meet its code 6 zero carbon requirements, the toughest level, but even large national housebuilders are finding it difficult to develop houses which will meet these standards and sell at an affordable price. TDP’s prototype could provide the answer.
North Devon Journal 13th May 2010 more >>
Wood Supplies
Brites, made from virgin sawdust by Balcas, is a natural and sustainable ful, which has taken the UK and Irish market by storm. It is already helping many homes and businesses significantly reduce their carbon and CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Following the success which brites has received in the Irish market over the last three years, and widespread interest from the Scottish market, Balcas has invested £26 million to set up a manufacturing plant in Invergordon, Scotland.
Plumbing Park 13th May 2010 more >>
Solarwall
YORKSHIRE-based renewable energy specialist Solarwall is to open the region’s first energy centre. The resource centre, which is based in Clifton in York, has been created to educate and promote the economic and environmental benefits of renewable technologies to homeowners, businesses and local authorities.
Business Desk 13th May 2010 more >>
Becosolar
Designer and installer of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, Becosolar, has revealed it plans to launch its Solrif integrated 120w solar PV panel, which it claims is the most cost effective system for integrated PV systems, at this year’s Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) exhibition in June.
New Energy Focus 13th May 2010 more >>
Microgeneration Skills
British Gas sees Conservative and Liberal Democrat plans to help households finance renewable power generation and heating equipment as a key moment in the expansion of the market for solar panels, combined heat and power boilers and other new technologies. Today it opens its first Green Skills training centre in Tredegar, South Wales, which could train up to 1,300 people each year in green energy-related skills for British Gas and other companies.
Telegraph 13th May 2010 more >>
British Gas has today opened a new training centre in Wales that aims to provide people with the right skills to work in the rapidly expanding renewable energy sector. The British Gas Green Skills Training Centre opened this morning in Tredegar, South Wales. Backed by the Welsh Assembly Government, it will offer training and qualifications for 1,300 would-be energy efficiency assessors and installers of new green technologies every year.
Green Wise Business 13th May 2010 more >>
Solar Course
NICEIC, the UK’s electrical contracting industry’s independent voluntary body, has announced details of a new solar photovoltaic (PV) course it has developed to support its Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) for installers. The body hopes the course will provide electrical contractors with knowledge and skills about the energy generating technology and will cover the majority of small scale systems currently being installed in the UK. Those taking the course will be given an overview of the design, installation, commission and service of solar PV systems.
New Energy Focus 13th May 2010 more >>
North West Climate Challenge
Applications to the first round of the Northwest Regional Development Agency’s Rural Carbon Challenge Fund must be made by 1 June. The European Regional Development Fund-backed scheme can offer grants ranging between £200,000 and £500,000 for projects including Installing renewable energy systems in community buildings; setting up or expanding a rural renewable energy business; Providing training and support for people designing and installing micro-renewable installations, such as fitters, plumbers and heating engineers; Providing training and information to encourage community groups and charities to take part in renewable energy projects; Exploring the feasibility of carrying out renewable energy projects locally; Demonstration of best practice.
Green Grant Machine 13th May 2010 more >>
Pressure Power
There’s enough pressure in the world’s gas pipelines to make every nuclear power station redundant.” That’s the bold claim of Andrew Mercer, setting out the rationale behind his Bath-based renewables company, 2OC. Founded in 2005, it aims to harvest clean electricity and heat from the waste energy produced by gas pressure reduction stations (PRSs), of which there are 12,500 in Britain.
Green Wise Business 12th May 2010 more >>
Hull Police
A new Hull police station would generate a proportion of its own energy needs. It may even have green roofs, and helical wind turbines in the car park and solar panels, feeding back any extra energy back into the National Grid, and generating extra income for the police.
Yorkshire Post 12th May 2010 more >>
Whalley goes green
Could Whalley become a green community? A group of Whalley residents think it can. With the help of the Energy Saving Trust they are looking for Whalley residents who want to reduce the carbon footprint of the village. The group, Whalley Going Green, wants to encourage people to reduce energy use from fossil fuels by using insulation, solar thermal panels to produce hot water, solar pv to produce electricity, as well as ground and air source heat pumps for home heating.
Cliteroe Advertiser 12th May 2010 more >>
Now AD is opposed
RESIDENTS of Kinawley and Florencecourt have joined forces with their neighbours in Cavan to voice their objections to plans to build an Anaerobic Digestion plant on their doorsteps.
Fermanagh Herald 12th May 2010 more >>
Olympics
THE proposed mini wind farm for the 2012 Olympics in East London is only going to generate enough electricity to run 310 computers, according to London Assembly members. An environmental impact assessment reveals the wind farm is likely to generate no energy at all at night, while if there are high winds it will have to be turned off because of noise.
East London Advertiser 12th May 2010 more >>
Coalition Plans
Include the establishment of a smart grid and the roll-out of smart meters; the full establishment of feed-in tariff systems in electricity – as well as the maintenance of banded ROCs; Measures to promote a huge increase in energy from waste through anaerobic digestion; The creation of a green investment bank; - The provision of home energy improvement paid for by the savings from lower energy bills.
Click Green 12th May 2010 more >>
‘Green measures’ to be brought foward by the new Government include A ‘pay as you save scheme’ that allows people to take out a loan for home improvements and pay it back gradually through savings on the fuel bill.
Telegraph 12th May 2010 more >>
Stellar Solar
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has given one of the clearest signals to date that it expects renewable to dominate the global energy complex over the coming decades, with the release of new figures that predict solar energy could account for between 20 and 25 per cent of electricity production worldwide by 2050. The agency today released two new road maps for the solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) sectors at the Mediterranean Solar Plan Conference in Valencia, predicting that both technologies will enjoy stellar growth over the next four decades.
Business Green 11th May 2010 more >>
Low Carbon Economy 11th May 2010 more >>
New Energy Focus 12th May 2010 more >>
Scottish Hydro
SCOTLAND’S HYDRO-electric potential and the number of green jobs expected to be generated will today be discussed at a major seminar in Pitlochry. More than 100 delegates will arrive at the Atholl Palace Hotel for the Scottish Renewables annual hydro conference, which will look at the resurgence in micro-hydro and the eligibility for a new feed-in tariff and will explore how Scotland can harness its full capacity. A Scottish Government study states there could be 1.2 gigawatts of potential new hydro capacity in more than 7000 schemes across Scotland.
Dundee Courier 12th May 2010 more >>
Ener-G
SALFORD-based renewable energy group ENER-G has launched a new sustainable technologies division specialising in the design, installation and maintenance of heat pumps.
Business Desk 11th May 2010 more >>
New Energy Focus 13th May 2010 more >>
Railway Renewables
A pioneering renewable energy passenger information system has been installed at the town’s railway station. The environmentally-friendly wind and solar-powered display board is the first of its kind on the UK railway network.
Hull Daily Mail 11th May 2010 more >>
Clay Country
Rural communities in West Cornwall and Clay Country are being encouraged to become more energy efficient through two new projects to help locals lead more sustainable and climate-friendly lives. Sustainable energy community officers have been appointed to help groups develop a range of projects that will help local communities react to the environmental challenges, and stimulate interest in community-owned renewable energy opportunities.
Western Morning News 11th May 2010 more >>
Oxford Hydro
A £1M hydroelectric generator could be built on the River Thames to provide electricity for 200 homes. Community group Abingdon Carbon Cutters has unveiled its plan to build the power plant at Abbey Meadow between the Mill Stream and the Thames, close to the weir. The group says the generator could be built in the next two years, which would make it one of the first projects of its type along the Thames.
Oxford Mail 11th May 2010 more >>
Transition Towns
Community groups in Devon have united in their fight to cut energy bills and insulate their homes in an environmentally friendly way. More than 200 households in Totnes and Dartington came together to become Transition Streets, part of the Transition Towns Totnes (TTT) network which encourages a more sustainable lifestyle. Householders who decide to fit solar-PV will receive grants and loans according to their income. It is expected that TS householders’ solar-PV investment may be recouped within five to seven years depending on their grant level as a result of the new Feed-In Tariff (FIT).
Western Morning News 11th May 2010 more >>
ZEDPavillion
The ZEDpavilion shows how to build super energy efficient family homes or flats over a two storey commercial street frontage that is designed to recreate the lively mix of medium density shops, showrooms and office space that makes the pedestrian prioritised arts quarter of old Shanghai so desirable today.
Footprint 10th May 2010 more >>
National Trust
In keeping with the National Trust’s aims to reduce carbon emissions and reduce dependency on fossil fuels, Trevean Farm hopes to point the way forward, reducing energy consumption and external farm inputs, and investing in renewable energy technologies such as the recently installed Solar Borehole Pump System which will provide water for the whole farm.
South West Farmer 10th May 2010 more >>
Ampair
Ampair Energy Limited is pleased to announce that the Sigma Sustainable Energy Fund II has committed £1.5m to Ampair Energy Limited. Ampair is a new company based in Dorset, which recently acquired the business and assets of Boost Energy Systems Limited, a company that designs and produces wind turbines, currently ranging from 100W to 6kW. Ampair wind turbines have been manufactured in the UK since 1973 and the latest model, the Ampair 6000, is a 6kW device which has been designed for worldwide use in grid-tied applications, commercial off-grid applications and rural electrification. Customers who have bought Ampair turbines include Shell, Cable and Wireless and Scottish and Southern Energy, who have purchased two of the first batch of Ampair 6000 turbines to be produced.
ADF Online 10th May 2010 more >>
Micropower could supply 40%
Microgeneration has a unique role to play in solving the energy and environmental challenges faced by the European Union. According to Micropower Europe, an organisation promoting sustainable energy technologies for the built environment, it could even supply up to 40% of the UK’s electricity demand by 2050.
Renewable Energy Magazine 10th May 2010 more >>
Micropower Europe says these technologies encourage energy efficient behaviour by raising energy consciousness among consumers. In households where microgeneration information is displayed, energy consumption drops by as much as 20%. 88% of consumers who installed microgeneration systems found that household behaviour was significantly altered to reduce energy consumption after installation.
Energy Matters 10th May 2010 more >>
FHM gets MCS
Frank Haslam Milan Ltd is looking forward to helping householders achieve a cleaner, greener future after successfully completing the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) to install micro power technology. FHM has received MCS accreditation to install solar photovoltaic systems, heat pumps and solar thermal water heating systems. The MCS accreditation means FHM can now install the micro power technologies on their new build sites and retrofit projects after successfully completing the rigorous assessment earlier this year.
24 Dash 10th May 2010 more >>
RHI cost concern
A proposed subsidy for green central heating will lead to a sharp rise in energy bills, threaten the manufacturing recovery and drive companies abroad, consumer watchdogs and business groups say. The renewable heat incentive, due to be introduced next April, will benefit anyone who installs renewable heating devices such as biomass boilers, solar-thermal water heaters or ground-source heat pumps. But such equipment is expensive and suitable only for owner-occupiers. However, the bills of all energy consumers will go up to pay for the subsidy. Businesses and consumer groups are concerned that interventions in the energy market are forcing up bills.
Times 10th May 2010 more >>
District Heating
Focusing on the potential for the next government to deliver on combined heat and power (CHP) and district heating networks, the Combined Heat and Power Association (CHPA) has highlighted five areas of action required to boost the sector.
New Energy Focus 10th May 2010 more >>
The energy services division of energy provider GDF SUEZ has announced the acquisition of the Utilicom Group, which comprises companies such as a geothermal heating provider and heat and power firm, to create “the largest district energy company in the UK”.
New Energy Focus 10th May 2010 more >>
Wood Supplies
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) needs to provide support to enable the woodfuel supply chain to meet increased demand as a result of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), according to RegenSW.
New Energy Focus 10th May 2010 more >>
Affordable Housing in Devon
PLANS to build a small affordable housing cluster in Branscombe are to be submitted in the hope of attracting Government funding from a £12million pot. The housing will use sustainable materials wherever possible, as well as renewable energy supplies, ensuring any new affordable homes are cost-effective to live in.
Devon24 9th May 2010 more >>
Selby AD
The technology for the facility, located at Selby Renewable Energy Park, will be supplied by Entec Biogas.
National Non-Food Crops Centre 8th May 2010 more >>
Eco-cottages
AN ECO-FRIENDLY developer has unveiled a £3m project for seven farm cottages.
Preston Farm Group (PFG), which specialises in eco-friendly developments on rural land, has planning permission for the project at Preston Farm, Eaglescliffe. The cottages will feature the latest sustainability features, including energy-efficient underfloor heating, solar-heated water, wood-burning stoves and rainwater harvesting, while used bathwater will be re-filtered to flush toilets.
Darlington & Stockton Times 7th May 2010 more >>
Evening Gazette 7th May 2010 more >>
Windy Sheffield
SHEFFIELD has taken a major step forward in becoming recognised as a home to sustainable development following the installation of the first large scale, building-mounted wind turbines in the city centre.
Business Desk 7th May 2010 more >>
Seaton Heat Pump
Renewable energy heating systems have been installed at Branscombe Village Hall, near Seaton, as part of the £240,000 redevelopment of the community building. The transformed hall is officially reopening this weekend following the installation of ground source heat pumps, capturing heat from the soil to heat the building, and 34 solar panels on the roof, to generate electricity.
EDF Energy 26th April 2010 more >>