week ending 3 August 2012
Highlights: Publicity campaign for Green Deal planned after all; Good Energy looking at 110MW of solar and wind; Turbines could pay Aberdeen City Council’s electricity bill, solar still a good deal despit FiT cut; community wind farm in Western Isles; Homeowners in a Doncaster suburb are in line to receive a free energy efficiency make-over worth up to £9,500; Cambourne Parish Council to install photovoltaic (PV) panels on seven community buildings.
Solar Scheme
Green investment specialist Abundance Generation has officially launched its latest crowd-funding project, designed to raise between £500,000 and £2m to support the rollout of free solar installations in the south of England. As revealed last month Abundance has teamed up with solar installer Padero South Downs plc to issue debentures that will allow people to invest as little as £5 in the company’s solar projects, securing expected returns of between 6 and 7.8 per cent over the 20-year life of the investment.
Business Green 3rd Aug 2012 more >>
Solar Portal 3rd Aug 2012 more >>
Green Deal Publicity
The government looks set to undertake a partial U-turn and launch a national communications campaign to promote its new Green Deal energy efficiency scheme when it launches in the autumn.
Business Green 3rd August 2012 more >>
Solar Investment
THE chance to own part of a unique community solar power station has proved irresistible, with more than £4m invested in just six weeks. A share offer for the solar farm on the Oxfordshire/Wiltshire border closed at midnight on Tuesday with applications coming in until the last minute. Directors have now announced that the offer was fully subscribed though final figures will not be known for some days.
Swindon Advertiser 3rd Aug 2012 more >>
Energy Efficiency News 2nd Aug 2012 more >>
Sunderland Solar
TWO pals brought the power of the sun to a pensioners’ charity. Lee Steabler and Shaun Lavender were best buddies during their time at Farringdon School, but lost touch for more than 25 years. But a chance meeting at a friend’s night out led to them becoming business partners in a green energy scheme. Now the pair are helping to slash fuel bills at Age UK in Sunderland.
Sunderland Echo 3rd Aug 2012 more >>
Skegness Solar
PLANS for a 55 acre solar park in Croft have won the parish council’s cautious support, provided public fears about its visibility are mitigated against. Croft Parish Council held an extraordinary meeting last Monday to discuss Juwi Renewable Energy’s application to install 42,000 solar panels on farmland in the village.
Skegness Standard 3rd Aug 2012 more >>
NI Solar
Northern Ireland’s Department of Enteprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) has published its responses to a consultation over the Northern Ireland Renewable Obligation (NIRO). DETI had initially recommended that domestic solar PV (0-10kW) should receive 5ROCs. However, in light of the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s analysis over solar PV cost reduction, DETI is keeping support for the technology at 4ROCs – an amount significantly higher than the current 16p/kWh FiT rate available to the rest of the UK.
Solar Portal 2nd Aug 2012 more >>
Green Deal Legal Action
Some of the companies that are expected to deliver the government’s flagship energy efficiency loan scheme when it launches later this year are considering taking legal action against the government over fears the policy will exclude them from the market, BusinessGreen has learnt.
Business Green 2nd Aug 2012 more >>
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has called on the government to appoint a single body to closely monitor the progress of its forthcoming Green Deal energy efficiency financing scheme, after launching a report warning of anti-competitive practices in the insulation sector.
Business Green 2nd Aug 2012 more >>
Solar Surge
Businesses and homeowners rushing to install solar panels ahead of the latest cut to the government’s feed-in tariff subsidy scheme caused a surge in demand in recent weeks, according to new government figures.
Business Green 2nd Aug 2012 more >>
Nottinghamshire Eco Homes
House-hunters are being offered a unique opportunity to receive free solar energy ‘for life’ when they reserve one of the final three properties available at Oak Tree Court in Tollerton, Nottinghamshire. The exclusive, gated development of five-bedroom eco homes offers homebuyers significant savings through energy-saving technologies. These include air source heat pumps that quietly absorb heat from the outside atmosphere even in very cold weather, using this to provide 75% of the energy needed for heating and hot water.
Industry Today 2nd Aug 2012 more >>
Solar Liquidation
A solar panel sales company has been ordered into liquidation after an investigation found it had engaged in serious mis-selling practices. Solar Energy Savings Limited (Solar) marketed and sold solar panel systems to the public, however, an investigation found that the company used high pressure sales tactics, misrepresentation and other illegal or irregular sales practices.
Edie 2nd Aug 2012 more >>
Good Generation
The UK’s largest renewable electricity supplier, Good Energy, has announced that is investigating the possibility of installing 110MW worth of large-scale solar and onshore wind projects across the UK to help the company generate more of its own renewable electricity.
Solar Portal 2nd Aug 2012 more >>
Solar Suffolk
One year ago, 7,000 solar panels were installed on the roof of Promens Packaging’s plant in Beccles by Lightsource Renewable Energy, which leased the roof space from the firm and installed the PV panels free of charge. In return, Promens has benefited from substantial savings on its energy costs because it has been able to run a significant part of its operations on the much cheaper ‘green’ electricity it buys from Lightsource.
Eastern Daily Press 2nd Aug 2012 more >>
Solar Portal 1st Aug 2012 more >>
Solar Tool
German solar giant, Centrosolar, has launched an English-language version of its Centrocheck solar planning tool for the UK solar market. The online portal is designed to help UK installers create fully-customised system designs as well as providing homeowners an easy way to evaluate the solar potential of their property.
Solar Portal 2nd Aug 2012 more >>
Turbine to pay Aberdeen’s Electricity Bill
EIGHT industrial-sized wind turbines are on the cards for Aberdeen – to cut council energy bills. Aberdeen City Council chiefs are to investigate building the structures, the Evening Express can reveal today. The eight wind turbines would be spread across three sites in Aberdeen near Nigg Bay, Bridge of Don and Peterculter. A study will look at the size of the turbines needed to cover Aberdeen City Council’s £6.5 million-a-year electricity bill.
Evening Express 2nd April 2012 more >>
FiT Changes
Andrew Lee, general manager at Sharp Solar, has welcomed the recent government announcement of further cuts to Feed-in-Tariffs (FiTs). He said, “We welcome the government’s decision to work towards creating a more stable Feed-in-Tariff for the solar industry. The 16p rate, which will take effect on 1st August, still offers opportunities for both investors and homeowners to take advantage of a cost effective form of renewable energy while bringing much needed certainty and stability to the market. This is a chance for the industry as a whole to turn a corner and work towards driving growth in the UK.
Energy Management 2nd April 2012 more >>
Homeowners who install solar panels will be paid less for the electricity they generate from today - 16p/kWh down from 21p/kWh. The Feed-in tariff pays homeowners who have solar panels, hydroelectric systems, micro combined heat and power systems, anaerobic digesters or wind turbines. These changes only affect solar panels and also include the length of time consumers will get the FIT for is being reduced from 25 years to 20 years
Which 1st Aug 2012 more >>
Solar firms have stressed that households and businesses will still be able to generate good rates of return from solar PV installations, despite the latest wave of cuts to feed-in tariff incentives coming into effect from today. Small-scale systems with less than 4kW of capacity that are installed from today will receive 16p/kWh through the feed-in incentive scheme, rather than the previous 21p/kWh rate.
Business Green 1st Aug 2012 more >>
The UK’s solar industry maintained it has a sunny outlook on Wednesday despite dull summer weather and fresh cuts to the feed-in tariff subsidy for solar panels. From today, anyone installing solar panels will receive 16p per kilowatt hour of electricity generated, compared with 21p previously, and will receive the subsidy for 20 years instead of the 25-year duration that was formerly available.
Guardian 1st Aug 2012 more >>
As the tariffs are coming down, so is the price of a fully installed solar PV system. Over the last three years we have seen the price of PV modules reduce by a factor of 4. Additional components are also reducing in price – inverters and solar mounting systems have benefitted from manufacturing improvements and a more competitive wholesale market in the UK. On top of that, the installation companies themselves are much more experienced and streamlined at delivering projects than a couple of years back. Add this all together and installed costs have come down by more than half. Which is pretty much what the feed-in tariff has done as well.
Solar Portal 1st Aug 2012 more >>
Edie 1st Aug 2012 more >>
Carbon Neutral Farming
A farm which initially considered all renewable energy options, but he dismissed wind power due to insufficient wind at the site. Instead, consultant and project management firm Butler Sherborn Energy was called in to help appraise investment options in solar PV and woodchip biomass for electricity and heat production respectively. He decided to install 50kW of solar PV on a new monopitch barn and two sets of 10kW arrays on a new “energy centre”, which also houses a 200kW ETA Hack biomass boiler, all designed and built by renewables specialist Fair Energy. The boiler feeds a district heating system that supplies all existing buildings and with capacity for future development.
Farmers Weekly 1st Aug 2012 more >>
Kingspan Turbines
Owners of a West Yorkshire beef cattle farm have cut their electricity bills and started generating an additional income for their retirement with the help of a Kingspan Wind turbine.
Building Talk 1st Aug 2012 more >>
Mitsubishi goes solar
MITSUBISHI Motors in the UK has completed the installation of a solar electric generating system on the roof of its headquarters in Cirencester. The installation of the 50kWp Photo Voltaic (PV) solar electric generating system is made up of 196 Mitsubishi Electric solar panels which are expected to generate 40,050 kilo Watt hours of energy, and will save 17.2 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.
Car Dealer 1st Aug 2012 more >>
Community Turbines
The first community-owned wind turbine project on the Western Isles has taken a step forward with the installation of a 900KW device. The Horshader Community Development will benefit South Shawbost, Dalmore and Dalbeg on the west side of Lewis. The project secured more than £1.8m from the Co-op Bank and grants from Community Energy Scotland, Big Lottery, local council and Scottish government.
BBC 1st Aug 2012 more >>
Stornoway Gazette 30th July 2012 more >>
Cornish Efficiency
Cornwall council is pioneering a new way to save energy costs by buying on behalf of families and businesses across the region. Cornwall Together is a collective purchasing scheme that aims to save households and businesses up to £3.7m in energy costs. Conceived by the Eden Project, the scheme was launched earlier this month and is thought to be the first time an entire county has united to cut the cost of buying energy.
Guardian 31st July 2012 more >>
Green Deal
Research published in June 2012 showed almost 80% of residents were actively willing to pay a charge for energy efficiency improvements to their home. These findings, published by the Gentoo Group, will be of real interest to a sector that is grappling with understanding and gaining interest in the Green Deal. Through the research over 1,200 residents were asked if they would like to take up energy saving measures (called Energy Saving Bundles or ESB in the research) in return for a small weekly charge. Like the Green Deal, customers pay for the work done with the expected savings on energy bills.
24 Dash 31st July 2012 more >>
Cambourne goes solar
Kier has been awarded a contract worth £400,000 with Cambourne Parish Council to install photovoltaic (PV) panels on seven community buildings. The project will help the council to reduce the carbon footprint of the village and save money on energy bills. Originally the tender was for just three buildings across the parish, but the council later extended this to eight upon realising the benefits of solar energy. The buildings receiving the panels includes District Council offices, a community centre, a cricket pavilion, a maintenance building, a wildlife centre, a school, a library and a leisure centre.
BDaily 30th July 2012 more >>
Energy Management 30th July 2012 more >>
24 Dash 30th July 2012 more >>
Doncaster Efficiency
Homeowners in a Doncaster suburb are in line to receive a free energy efficiency make-over worth up to £9,500, which could see them save hundreds on their annual energy bills while bringing many of the most vulnerable households out of fuel poverty. 200 of the homes receiving the work are private houses, with a further 125 council homes receiving the makeover.
Anesco 30th July 2012 more >>
Good Energy
Independent energy supplier Good Energy will cut gas prices 5 per cent for dual fuel customers from 1 August. The firm has 6,700 gas customers. Good Energy made the announcement as trading of its ordinary shares started this morning on the AIM. In a statement Good Energy said it now administered the feed in tariff (Fit) scheme for 40,000 generators. The firm said it would continue to provide services directly to generators “and potentially on an outsourced basis to utilities”. Good Energy said it was also looking at load shifting and local tariffs ahead of potential demand side trading opportunities.
Utility Week 30th July 2012 more >>
Business Green 30th July 2012 more >>
Solar Loans
Electronics giants Sharp and Hitachi have today unveiled an innovative finance deal to provide loans to homeowners and businesses, in a bid to boost sales of solar photovoltaics in the wake of deep cuts to feed-in tariffs. Sharp Solar and Hitachi Capital will offer UK customers a series of financing options, which are expected to be rolled out across Europe over the coming months. Businesses and homeowners installing solar PV panels using Sharp-certified installers will be able to apply for loans from Hitachi Capital.
Business Green 30th July 2012 more >>
Heating & Ventilating.net 1st Aug 2012 more >>
Engensa will this week formally launch its new SolarLoan scheme, offering homeowners the chance to deploy solar panels at no upfront cost. The offer, which will be available to homeowners to the south of Birmingham from August 1 before then being rolled out nationwide from October, provides households with an unsecured 10-year consumer loan worth up to £50,000 at an APR of 7.9 per cent.
Business Green 30th July 2012 more >>
Incoherent Policy
THE NFU said it is ‘frustrated’ at the lack of coherence in the Government’s renewable energy plans, following two recent policy announcements. The final consultation response setting out future Feed-in Tariff (FiT) levels for anaerobic digestion (AD), small hydro and wind power was published on July 20, to draw a line under the uncertainty that has plagued the scheme since Government concerns about its budget emerged in 2011.
Farmers Guardian 30th July 2012 more >>
Local Authority Guidance
New guidance has been published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to help local authorities to improve the energy efficiency of their residential housing. Issued under the Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA), the new guidance asks local authorities to publish a report on their plans to achieve improved energy efficiency by 31 March 2013. Local authorities will be required to identify practicable and cost-effective measures which will lead to a significant energy reduction in all residential accommodation in their area.
Heating & Ventilating.net 30th July 2012 more >>
Green Electrician
Cheshire-based solar installer, the Green Electrician, has announced the launch of a new renewable heat division, expanding on its previous offerings of energy efficiency services as well as solar PV solutions. The new division aims to offer a whole range of renewable heat solutions, ranging from biomass boilers to ground source heat pumps.
Solar Portal 30th July 2012 more >>
Green Home Company
As the changes to the Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) take effect on 1st August, there has never been a better time for businesses to install a solar PV system and ‘go green’, according to Andy Pyke, director of commercial sales, The Green Home Company Commercial Division, part of the GML Group.
Energy Management 30th July 2012 more >>
Small Hydro
POWER is going with the flow in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. The two megawatt £6.1 million Allt Fionn Hydroelectric Scheme has been opened by Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker.
Stirling Observer 27th July 2012 more >>
Small Wind
The 2010 launch of Britain’s feed-in tariff program has pushed the country ahead of the U.S. in the installation of small wind turbine capacity in 2011 and the same is expected for 2012. The remarkable admission is contained in the American Wind Energy Association’s annual report on the status of the small turbine industry in the U.S. for 2011 and in data tracking the performance of the British program.
Renewable Energy World 27th Aug 2012 more >>
Community Wind
There are signs of a new movement stirring into action. The bulk of activity is in Scotland, which began with a community-owned wind project in 2004 when a group in Fintry secured ownership of a 2.5MW turbine at the 35MW Earlsburn wind farm. This came online in 2008 and at the time was the biggest community-owned renewable-energy asset in the UK. Today, 56.58MW of community-owned projects exist in Scotland, according to the government-funded advisory body the Energy Saving Trust. Another 21MW is under construction, approximately 260MW approved and 154MW going through the permitting process. So, by 2020, there could be almost 500MW of community wind.
Windpower Monthly 27th July 2012 more >>
Solar Surge
New figures released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) show that install rates are continuing to climb ahead of the next round of feed-in tariff cuts, due on August 1. The UK solar industry installed 18MW of capacity in the week ending July 22, equating to 3,995 installations less than 50kWp. The increase in installations is in anticipation of the FiT rate being slashed from 21p to 16p under the newly-introduced degression model.
Solar Portal 27th July 2012 more >>