week ending 17 June 2011
Midland Co-op goes AD
Midlands Co-operative Society has claimed an industry first by diverting all its food waste from landfill. The society officially rolled out its Zero Waste to Landfill project to its 172 food stores last week. Through the project, all food waste is sent to an anaerobic digestion plant, which turns it into renewable energy.
Waste Management World 17th June 2011 more >>
Jesmond Solar
Jesmond residents who are generating solar energy and exporting it from their homes to the national grid will be telling other home-owners how to do it at a “Go Solar” event at Cafe 1901 on St George’s Terrace tomorrow (Saturday 18th June). Members of eco-group Transition Jesmond, which aims to expand the use of renewable power in Jesmond, hope to convince other locals of the environmental and financial benefits of solar electricity.
Jesmond Local 17th June 2011 more >>
Energy Inefficiency
The government has today reiterated the financial case for increased investment in domestic energy efficiency, claiming poorly insulated lofts and walls are costing homeowners an average of £100 a year in increased energy bills. Only 57 per cent of the country’s lofts have been properly insulated, and only 58 per cent of cavity walls have been filled, according to figures published today by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
Business Green 17th June 2011 more >>
RHI
From July, the Renewable Heat Incentive comes into force and Heat Pump Guide, the UK’s leading resource for exhaust, ground and air source heat pumps, says the launch of the Renewable Heat Incentive is an ideal way to encourage more and more homeowners and businesses to switch to using renewable energy.
Market Wire 17th June 2011 more >>
Kent Solar
A HUGE solar energy park is set for the banks of the River Medway. Tonbridge and Malling council has given planning permission to waste recovery and energy company Biossence to construct the park across 26 acres of land off Bull Lane in Eccles.
Waste Management World 17th June 2011 more >>
Hydrogen
A new £7.5 million demonstrator programme in the UK will help to speed up the adoption of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, and bring them into everyday use. The new funding was revealed at a showcase demonstration of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies at City Hall in London.
Renewable Energy Focus 17th June 2011 more >>
AD Boost
A major part of the UK Government’s review of food waste, which was published on 14 June 2011, put a large emphasis on converting food waste to renewable energy, through anaerobic digestion (AD). In the report, the Government has committed to increasing the amount of energy generated through AD and will set up a new loan fund to help stimulate investment in additional AD infrastructure.
Supply Chain Analysis 17th June 2011 more >>
Short-sighted solar policy
Labour’s environment spokesman in Reading says the Coalition Government’s decision to cut feed-in tariffs for solar power projects is short-sighted. Lead councillor for the environment and climate change Paul Gittings fears it will have serious implications for the future of renewable energy projects in local communities
Get Reading 17th June 2011 more >>
Solar PV Service
Mansell Renewables has launched a one-stop service for the design, funding, installation and maintenance of roof-mounted photovoltaic panels to existing homes and properties for the generation of electricity utilising solar power. The company said in a statement that installation and the service are free of charge to a landlord and end user or tenant in return for Mansell Renewables collecting The Department of Energy and Climate Change’s feed-in tariff.
Electrical Times 17th June 2011 more >>
Solar Bristol
Bristol’s new National Composites Centre (NCC) has had 600 solar panels fitted to make use of clean, renewable energy. The centre, which will design and manufacture composite technologies, will generate enough electricity to help power its operations and offset its environmental impact. The use of renewable energies reflects NCC’s core work of developing lightweight composite materials which make a range of industries more efficient and less carbon emitting, such as aerospace, automotive, wind turbines, construction, wave energy and marine.
Edie 17th June 2011 more >>
E3 Tower
Star of Intersolar Europe 2011 in Munich was a demonstration of the Schueco E3 Tower that networks all of the generators of solar electricity and heat, creating self-sufficient ‘Energy Buildings’.
Building Talk 17th June 2011 more >>
Solar Future
Solar energy will survive the cuts. Ultimately, the solar energy sector should take comfort from the apparent widespread acceptance of its technology, which means that planning authorities will almost certainly continue to see applications despite the changes. Smaller schemes, such as those that might fit on top of an office building, are unaffected by the changes anyway. Bids to build them will no doubt continue to come in unabated. Indeed, Cornwall County Council told us this week that it was already experiencing a rise in applications for small schemes, no doubt prompted by the consultation on the tariff cut. Larger solar farms, on the other hand, may not be so common for a while. But with the cost of the equipment coming down fast, the decline is only likely to be temporary.
Planning Resource 17th June 2011 more >>
Scottish RHI
The Scottish government has confirmed it will support Westminster’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) when it launches in the autumn, ensuring that the ambitious incentive scheme is available UK-wide. Scottish energy minister Fergus Ewing announced today that he had reached agreement with his UK counterpart, Greg Barker, on the proposed scheme, and Scotland would offer the same level of incentives to businesses and households generating renewable heat, as will be available in the rest of the UK.
Business Green 16th June 2011 more >>
Gloucester Solar
Nearly 200 solar panels are to be installed on the roof of a community centre in Gloucester. The installation at City Works is expected to generate 40,000 kWh of electricity a year, equivalent to 12 average-sized family homes. The £130,000 project is to be funded via the Berkshire-based Solar Co-op which aims to develop renewable energy.
BBC 16th June 2011 more >>
Hartlepool going solar
A COUNCIL is doing its bit for the environment by turning to solar power. Hartlepool Borough Council is installing solar panels on one of its main buildings, Bryan Hanson House. The scheme has been funded with money received from the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership.
Northern Echo 16th June 2011 more >>
Peterlee Mail 16th June 2011 more >>
Solar Derry
THE University of Ulster’s Student Village in Londonderry is set to harness the power of the sun with an application lodged with the planners to install a number of solar energy panels on the roofs of student apartments there.
Londonderry Sentinel 16th June 2011 more >>
Bosch Solar Farm
Bosch Solar Energy AG has built a 5 MW solar farm in Trefullock, southern England.
Renewable Energy Focus 16th June 2011 more >>
King’s Cross Station
Work on the Kings Cross PV solar installation began recently and is expected to be completed over a 12 month period. The Kings Cross project is one of the biggest solar PV systems in the UK. The PV cells are integrated into nearly 1,400 glass laminate units that will form part of the new glass roofing structure over the platforms and concourses. The area of roof that will be covered with the solar PV glass laminate is approximately 2,300 square metres.
IB Times 16th June 2011 more >>
AD Increase
Anaerobic Digestion (AD) developers have rushed to take advantage of the higher rate of feed-in tariffs announced by the government last week, doubling the number of accredited plants from two to four since the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) confirmed incentives would increase from the start of August.
Business Green 15th June 2011 more >>
Bangladesh
The number of households in electricity-starved Bangladesh using solar panels has crossed the one million mark -- the fastest expansion of solar use in the world, officials said Wednesday.
AFP 15th June 2011 more >>
FiT cuts welcomed
While most people in the solar industry have openly criticised the government’s reduction in Feed-in-Tarrif (FiT) payments to large scale solar projects, SummitSkills, the sector skills council for building services engineering (BSE), has welcomed the benefits the cuts will bring to small scale domestic installations, confirming that funds will be diverted away from field sized solar power plants.
Connecting Industry 15th June 2011 more >>
Building Talk 15th June 2011 more >>
Solar Coke
Firefly Solar, a designer and manufacturer of off-grid, portable and permanent solar powered generators, has won a contract from Coca-Cola Enterprises to supply six of its Cygnus generators to power the company’s Event Recycling programme at outdoor events in Great Britain and France.
Connecting Industry 15th June 2011 more >>
Cornish hopes dashed
Any hopes Cornwall Council or the solar power industry might have been entertaining of a reprieve in the government’s review of the Feed-in Tariff have now been dashed.
BBC 15th June 2011 more >>
Solar Advice
LIKE many other households we have been looking at the benefits and costs of installing solar panels to generate electricity. During the last few weeks we have learned a lot about the whole process and would like to pass on a few “health warnings” to your readers.
Hunts Post 15th June 2011 more >>
Hull’s Micro Wind Revolution
PLANS were being unveiled today for Hull’s first micro-turbine wind farm development. British manufacturer quietrevolution is looking to install about 15 of its turbines on land at Priory Park. The move comes just days after city council chief executive Nicola Yates mapped out her vision of Hull becoming the greenest city in Britain. Steve Allen, quietrevolution’s UK business development manager, said: “We think we have got a great product. It’s a great location and the country needs more green energy.
This is Hull & East Riding 15th June 2011 more >>
AD Plan
Anaerobic digestion (AD) deployment could reach between three and five TeraWatt hours (TWh) by 2020, according to estimates laid out by the government. Following consultation with members of the industry, the coalition has published its AD strategy, aimed at identifying and overcoming the barriers to its deployment. Included in the plan is guidance on the costs and benefits of AD to developers, evidence on the value of digestates, details on the provision of training for AD operators and examples of best practice.
Low Carbon Economy 15th June 2011 more >>
Fuel Poverty
Following energy price increases announced by Scottish Power last week, and similar anticipated rises from the rest of the ‘big six’, by the time we reach winter there is a real danger UK fuel poverty levels will dramatically rise. In order to prevent this Labour has proposed that it should be illegal to rent energy rated F and G rated properties after 2016 and that the extra support in the ECO should focus support on fuel poor houses. By improving the energy efficiency of their properties, fuel poor households can drastically reduce their energy use making their bills easier to meet.
Business Green 14th June 2011 more >>
Solar Roofing
Redland’s Solar PV is now available to over 3.6 million social housing properties after it was awarded a place on a new framework designed to deliver the benefits of solar power to the social housing sector. This framework is a triumph of collaboration and represents a significant step forward in the drive to improve the energy efficiency of the UK’s housing stock. It is also, of course, a major opportunity for Redland’s solar PV range.
Roofing Cladding & Insulation 14th June 2011 more >>
Regulation
NAPIT (The National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers), has given its full backing to the growing popularity for renewable energy technologies like solar heating and wind turbines to be installed in domestic properties. The government approved register holder already operates a Microgeneration Certification Scheme designed to cover all the regulations and working practices and provide the complete solution for green energy installers in an efficient and cost effective way.
Connecting Industry 14th June 2011 more >>
Solar Advice for Farmers
FARMERS interested in introducing renewable energy into their businesses have been given some advice on solar energy. Eleven farmers from all over the South East attended a solar PV fact finding day at West Ilsley in Berkshire to hear from a range of speakers about solar photovoltaic (PV) energy and its possible application to their farms. The meeting was organised by a partnership between the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) and Masstock Farm Consultancy (MFC), with funding provided by the Rural Business and Advice Training Network (RBAT).
Farmers Guardian 14th June 2011 more >>
Shameful Cuts
You report that “subsidies for large-scale photovoltaic installations are to be cut drastically”. However, the most devastating impact of the government’s actions will be on “community-scale” solar – which is poorly understood but crucial to building a modern green electricity infrastructure. As you state: “The government said its review of feed-in tariffs (FITs) for renewable energy would divert funds from field-sized ... solar power plants to panels on house roofs.” The Renewable Energy Association campaigned alongside Friends of the Earth for the FIT legislation to ensure that diverse people and groups can invest easily in renewable power, including solar. Solar projects in schools, farms, businesses and local councils were beginning to flourish.
Guardian 14th June 2011 more >>
Brighton Solar Scheme
Dozens of public buildings in Brighton and Hove will have solar panels on the roof under plans approved by the new Green administration. The cabinet members of Brighton and Hove City Council approved the £2.6 million solar power scheme at a meeting last week. They aim to repay the borrowing costs of the scheme by earning money from the national grid feed-in tariff.
Brighton & Hove News 13th June 2011 more >>
Solar Cars?
Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMUK), in partnership with British Gas, has started building a ground-mounted solar array capable of supplying approximately 5% of the annual electricity demand at its plant in Burnaston, Derbyshire. The proposed solar array, consisting of 17,000 solar panels, will be located within the perimeter fence of the Toyota plant on land designated for industrial use.
Industrial Plant & Equipment 13th June 2011 more >>
FiT Farce
DECC minister Greg Barker’s fast track solar feed in tariff consultation was one that Sir Humphrey Appleby would be proud of. “Government is about principles. And the principle is, never act on principle,” Sir Humphrey said, and it looks to everybody like Barker’s taken those words as a manual on how to run a review. From the very start, this review screamed farce and last Thursday’s announcement confirmed it, leaving everyone - industry, green NGOs, community groups - feeling like they’ve been stitched up, with a clear sense that any green principles this minister had would never be acted upon.
Business Green 13th June 2011 more >>
Guardian 14th June 2011 more >>
Waste Plans
A new report will today argue that investing £1bn in waste technologies, such as recycling and district heating infrastructure, could create four times more jobs and save higher levels of carbon emissions than if the same amount was invested in onshore wind. The Environmental Services Association (ESA) will launch a report today quantifying the economic growth potential of the waste management sector and comparing its impact on jobs and carbon emissions with that of wind farms.
Business Green 13th June 2011 more >>
Solar Reprieve?
Ministers plan an abrupt change of policy in an effort to rescue tens of thousands of jobs and billions of pounds of investment promised by Britain’s solar energy industry, which are threatened by Treasury cuts. Financial Mail can reveal that the Department has been working on plans to revive large solar farms by including them in the Renewable Obligation project - another environmental subsidy scheme.
This is Money 11th June 2011 more >>
Unpermitted Development
Is Eric getting himself into a bit of a pickle? It seems so, as the Communities Secretary drags his heels on the Prime Minister’s aim of encouraging electricity generation on a small, household scale. This latest embarrassment concerns the Green Energy Act. This began life as a Private Member’s Bill piloted through Parliament by Peter Ainsworth, who was made shadow environment secretary by David Cameron to prove that the Tories were going green, and is now, after quitting Westminster, chairing the Big Lottery Fund. His Act laid down in law that families would not need planning permission to install rooftop windmills or air-source heat pumps. The Government was legally bound to lay an order implementing it before Parliament by July 12 last year. But nearly 11 months later, Mr Pickles still shows no sign of doing so.
Telegraph 10th June 2011 more >>