week ending 9 July 2010
Bolton Vegetable Oil Plant
A GREEN power plant which could supply 85,000 households with electricity is being proposed for Blackrod. Company Blue-NG wants to build the “green” plant on land off Dark Lane. The Combined Heat and intelligent Power (CHiP) Centre will use vegetable oil to create enough energy to power the equivalent of three quarters of all Bolton households.
Bolton News 9th July 2010 more >>
Baxi Micro-CHP
More than 90% of fuel used in Baxi Ecogen will make heat or electricity for use in the home.
You Tube 9th July 2010 more >>
Coalition Ambition
Sarah Rhodes of the Office for Renewable Energy Deployment (ORED) says there may be some changes to the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) going forward. “We are very pleased with the levels of uptake of the FiTs and we may look to increase the system and raise the limit for the FiT.” On the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), she reaffirmed that the government is yet to make a decision on the scheme, but claimed that it is “very firmly within the ambition of my department”.
New Energy Focus 8th July 2010 more >>
Speaking at the first conference of the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (ADBA) in Birmingham, Diana Linskey, deputy head of waste policy at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pointed to public spending pressures but indicated ministers are still keen to see AD projects move ahead. She confirmed that one of the big commitments by ministers on the environment was “to a huge increase in energy from waste through AD”.
New Energy Focus 8th July 2010 more >>
AD’s Bright Future
Anaerobic digestion had its very first trade show and conference this week with a two day event in Birmingham which saw Lord Redesdale, chairman of the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association, point to a bright future for the sector.
New Energy Focus 8th July 2010 more >>
Lytham Solar School
A secondary school in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, is proving its dedication to being sustainable by installing 99 solar panels on its roof to generate green energy. Saint Bede’s Catholic High School, in Talbot Road, had the final panels fitted last month and it is anticipated that they will generate more than 14,000 kWh of electricity and save seven tonnes of carbon being emitted each year.
EDF Energy 8th July 2010 more >>
Dorset School
A Dorset school which already has facilities such as the solar-heated swimming pool, has ambitious plans for installing green energy micro-generation systems and in May the school won planning permission to install a 9m wind turbine to take advantage of their windy location. Plans are also afoot to install solar panels on the roof of the south facing schoolhouse and to replace the school’s oil boiler with a carbon-neutral pellet boiler. They expect to be able to produce half the power they need and will sell extra energy generated during the holidays back to the National Grid, while the measures will help them towards their goal of becoming carbon neutral.
This is Dorset 8th July 2010 more >>
Grangemouth (not CHP) plan
RESIDENTS fear a proposed multi-million pound biomass plant – and incinerator – will bring more problems than benefits. Leith-based Forth Energy plans to build a renewable energy plant at Grangemouth docks near the Asda superstore. The plant, one of four proposed builds at Scottish ports in a £1.7 billion investment, will cover 15 acres of dockland and be situated 200 metres away from the nearest houses
Falkirk Herald 7th July 2010 more >>
Huhne at LGA
The heart of the Energy Bill which I will be introducing later this year will be the Green Deal – a mechanism to make it easy for individuals and businesses to save energy, reduce emissions and cut their costs. Energy efficiency has traditionally been the Cinderella at the energy policy ball, but it is absolutely key area. Our Green Deal aims to make home insulation affordable to all. The aim is that householders will save money by insulating their home. The process will be simplified for customers and the work paid for upfront. Householders will then pay back over time on their energy bills from the energy savings they make. We have already announced an extension of the CERT – the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target, refocusing on domestic energy efficiency so that 3.5 million extra homes will be helped with loft and wall insulation. It is frankly ridiculous that the 1976 Local Government Act prevents councils from selling electricity from local wind turbines, or from anaerobic digestion. I want to see this repealed. By the end of the year, I hope local authorities will be able to sell electricity from renewables – generating revenue to help local services and keep Council Tax down.
DECC 7th July 2010 more >>
End to LA electricity sale ban
Energy minister Chris Huhne is today (July 7) set to announce plans to overturn a “ridiculous” ban on local authorities from selling renewable electricity to the National Grid in a move which could encourage more councils to develop renewable energy schemes. more >>
Waitrose Biomass
Waitrose is planning to make a new food store it is building in the Isle of Wight the first of its retail outlets to be fully powered by biomass.
Green Wise 7th July 2010 more >>
Yorkshire Footprint
THE carbon footprint of every Yorkshire council has been revealed for the first time – exposing a huge gulf in the levels of emissions being released into the atmosphere. Ministers urged councils to save taxpayers’ money by cutting down on the amount of energy they waste after revealing details of carbon emissions produced by local authorities in powering and heating buildings and from travel. The data also shows that Sheffield generated 6,000 KWh of energy from either wind or solar power, while across the region councils produced a more impressive 4,877,127KWh from biomass.
Yorkshire Post 7th July 2010 more >>
Granton-sur-mer
AMBITIOUS plans to create an open-air swimming pool and community arts facility in Granton are facing collapse after designers admitted they were struggling to attract financial backing. Ross McEwen, the project manager with Art in Architecture, said: “It’s a chicken and egg scenario, as without funding we can’t get the land, but without an agreement on the land we can’t get the funding. “ Under the proposals, the pool would be created from four sea containers, sunk into waste ground, lined and filled with solar-heated sea water.
Scotsman 7th July 2010 more >>
Local Revolution
Huhne urges councils to lead community renewables revolution Energy and climate change secretary announces plan to repeal legislation banning local authorities from selling energy. The move to encourage councils to install renewable energy systems that are large enough to feed power to the grid forms part of the coalition government’s strategy to increase the roll out of community-scale projects, and follows proposals to offer financial incentives to communities that take part ownership of renewable energy projects.
Business Green 7th July 2010 more >>
The renewable energy industry has welcomed the decision by the Government to let local councils sell green electricity to the grid. Currently there is a ban on councils selling renewable electricity to the National Grid. The move to overturn the ban, contained in the1976 Local Government Act, was announced by Energy Secretary, Chris Huhne, today. It means councils in England will be able to sell electricity generated from local wind turbines and anaerobic digestion to top up budgets under pressure from swinging public sector cuts.
Green Wise 7th July 2010 more >>
AD plan welcomed
The Renewable Energy Association (REA) has welcomed the apparent “willingness” of the coalition government to take action to boost the uptake of anaerobic digestion following a meeting with industry.
New Energy Focus 6th July 2010 more >>
Solar Revolution
Ulrich Beck: The Deepwater Horizon disaster should make us look to the sun, and start a revolution in how we meet our energy needs. “Deserts into solar power” should be our slogan now.
Guardian 6th July 2010 more >>
Halifax Renewables
A FIRM expanding rapidly into the lucrative renewable energy market is urging more people to take up money-making incentives from the Government. Guests were invited to St Peg’s Mill, Thornhill Beck Lane in Brighouse, by the owners of Q-Gen and Evoco Energy, to hear how renewable technologies such as solar panels, air-source and ground-source heat pumps and wind turbines, could earn people thousands of pounds every year for up to 23 years if the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) goes ahead.
Halifax Courier 6th July 2010 more >>
Scouse Grid
LIVERPOOL is to be at the forefront of the latest developments in energy technology. The city has been chosen as the first in the country to trial a SmartGrid. It is hoped the SmartGrid technology will improve the reliability and quality of electricity supplies as well as helping to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
Liverpool Echo 6th July 2010 more >>
West Country Awards
Two Westcountry schools that have drastically cut their carbon emissions have triumphed in the 10th annual Ashden Awards. Okehampton College in Devon and St Columb Minor primary school in Newquay, Cornwall, other finalists in the UK, including businesses, local authorities and charities. All had made significant carbon savings through the use of renewable energy or energy efficiency measures.
Western Morning News 6th July 2010 more >>
Droitwich Village Hall
MAJOR work costing more than £500,000 to transform Cutnall Green Memorial Hall is now nearing completion. The facility will also benefit from renewable energy from solar panels and air to water converters.
Droitwich Advertiser 6th July 2010 more >>
Transition Homes
Transition Town Totnes Building and Housing Group is holding an exhibition on plans for developing low-cost sustainable homes in the Totnes and Dartington area. The group’s plans meet the need for homes that are inexpensive and require very little energy. The homes will be built from local and natural materials, which reduce the need for oil-based products and provide local employment.
Western Morning News 6th July 2010 more >>
GSHP
Specialist construction firm Strata GRD, based in Bolton, has received bank funding for a hi-tech drilling machine to enable it to tap into the renewable energy sector. Strata has secured a £250,000 asset finance and loan deal from Yorkshire Bank to buy the German machine, which is used to install energy-efficient ground-source heating systems in sustainable housing.
Manchester Evening News 6th July 2010 more >>
From fossil to renewables
BUILDING work has begun on a housing development in Royston, Barnsley, as part of a scheme to boost demand for homes in former coalfield areas. The works will see 22 new homes built by South Yorkshire Housing Association on land off Cross Lane. Each of the new houses will have a raft of “green” features, such as photovoltaic tiles to generate renewable energy and rainwater harvesting to conserve water
Yorkshire 6th July 2010 more >>
Newquay Zoo
Newquay Zoo has won a Sustainable City Award for Resource Conservation after the installation of high quality, roof mounted solar PV panels from Becosolar on the south-facing roof of the Monkey House. As part of its commitment towards renewable energy, Newquay Zoo installed 53 Sharp Nu-180 panels from Becosolar to generate green energy to provide electricity to the zoo, as well as solar thermal panels to heat water in the Caf Lemur restaurant.
ADF Online 6th July 2010 more >>
Small-scale in South West
The South West has seen a huge increase in the number of small-scale renewable energy projects, but a significant lack of large-scale schemes being developed in the past year, according to figures released by Regen SW.
New Energy Focus 5th July 2010 more >>
Feed-in Guide
Feed-in tariffs are now up and running and many people are keen to take advantage of the potential returns. This is a guide to how to qualify and apply to receive these payments.
You Gen 5th July 2010 more >>
Turbines Removed
Social landlord Incommunities has removed four of its five eco-friendly wind turbines from high-rise blocks in Bradford. The first was taken down from the roof of the Manchester Road flats in February. That was followed by another three – and now just one remains in place. The housing group is adamant it is still committed to using alternative energy and says the turbines have been taken down so maintenance can be carried out.
Telegraph and Argus 5th July 2010 more >>
Warwick Efficiency
The University of Warwick has formally opened a new high-tech facility marking a £10.6 million investment in energy efficient technology which local businesses can share in. The Science City Cleanroom for Energy Efficient Semiconductors is part of project funded by Advantage West Midlands (AWM) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the Birmingham Science City Energy Efficiency & Demand project.
Birmingham Post 5th July 2010 more >>
St Albans Solar
A HATFIELD couple became the 100th social housing tenants in the borough to celebrate the installation of panels by renewable energy supplier Eaga, which funds them in exchange for the surplus electricity they generate.
St Albans Review 4th July 2010 more >>
Grimsby Training
The Grimsby Institute plumbing department, in partnership with the Faculty Of Engineering, is in the planning stages of a state-of-the-art Renewable Energy Centre. This will allow expansion of the current portfolio of short courses and also meet the requirements of forthcoming new apprenticeship programmes, which include units on renewable technologies. The planned 300 sq m facility will house examples of biomass boilers, solid fuel stoves, biofuel boilers, unvented hot water, solar hot water, micro combined heat and power appliances, rainwater harvesting, grey water recycling, underfloor heating and mechanical heat recovery units. The engineering side will house examples of wind turbine technology, solar PV, and other state-of-the-art technologies.
Grimsby Telegraph 3rd July 2010 more >>
Exeter Biomass CHP
COUNCIL planners have given the final all-clear for a pioneering renewable energy plant which will power the Skypark and Cranbrook developments near Exeter. The £20million energy centre is due to be built at the planned business park to the east of the city and will also supply heat to the new community, helping to curb carbon dioxide emissions from homes and businesses.
Exeter Express & Echo 3rd July 2010 more >>
Inverter Shortage
The introduction of ‘Feed-in Tariffs’, that pay homeowners for electricity fed into the grid, has led to a rise in demand for solar panels. But householders who have installed the expensive technology are unable to start generating electricity because of a shortage of “inverters”.
Telegraph 3rd July 2010 more >>
A-rated Windows
In order to meet the increasing demand for ‘greener’ construction products, Schueco UK Limited is now offering a Green Guide ‘A’ rated option across its range of AWS aluminium commercial casement and tilt/turn windows. The ‘A’ commercial window rating is arrived at by measuring the environmental impact of a product in thirteen category areas: these include the extraction of the raw material needed to make it, its implications for climate change and the way in which it may be disposed of at the end of its life.
ADF Online 2nd July 2010 more >>