week ending 8 February 2013
Cameron’s Efficiency Boost
The government’s energy efficiency strategy could be about to receive a £1bn boost as Prime Minister David Cameron looks to make good on his pledge this week to make the UK the most energy efficient economy in Europe. In a little reported speech on Monday, Cameron declared that he remained fully committed to leading the “greenest government ever”, and argued that the “economies in Europe that will prosper, are those that are the greenest and the most energy efficient”.
Business Green 8th Feb 2013 more >>
Efficiency Loans
Fears the government’s Green Deal energy efficiency scheme will be undercut by cheaper loans from established lenders look set to materialise, after Nationwide Building Society today launched a new energy efficiency loan offer boasting interest rates from 2.29 per cent. The building society said its new Green Additional Borrowing service would allow existing mortgage customers to take out loans of between £5,000 and £20,000 to undertake approved energy efficiency measures.
Business Green 8th Feb 2013 more >>
Energy Co-operative
Gen Community’s first solar PV installations on households in fuel poverty took place in Newport, South Wales on 31 January 2013. Generation Community (Gen Community), was founded to develop low carbon energy projects, and is inviting people to become members the Society by investing between £500 and £20,000 into the share offer. Gen Community’s launched the solar share offer last year. The initiative will help to alleviate fuel poverty in 240 homes of the highest areas of fuel poverty in the UK – Newport, Wales. Cathy, retired and from Scarborough, investing in the Newport Solar Share Offer said: “I’m in Greenpeace and have never bought a share in my life before. My roof is not south facing, but I want to contribute. Given the low returns on offer at the banks, I am happy to make an investment.”
Co-operative News 8th Feb 2013 more >>
Generation (Gen) Community, supported by The Co-operative Enterprise Hub, aims to tackle fuel poverty in South Wales through community-owned renewable energy. Its community share issue is generating funds needed to install solar panels on homes in the Newport area. The scheme, which is set to close on February 25, has already raised more than £200,000 and saw its first panels installed at the end of January.
Telegraph 6th Feb 2013 more >>
Rhondda Solar
Despite the arctic conditions of the last few weeks, social enterprise Empower Community and contractor Nationwide Solar have started installing photovoltaic panels on up to 1,000 houses owned and operated by social landlord RCT Homes. Believed to be the largest domestic solar power project to be announced in the UK since Feed-in Tariffs were cut last year, the deal also breaks new ground with the arrangement of an insurance-backed solution to meet the requirements of the Council of Mortgage Lenders guidelines for lenders to housing associations. Overall, profits from the scheme will be shared with RCT Homes and the wider Rhondda Cynon Taff community and ownership of the assets will revert to RCT Homes at the end of the 20-year FiT period.
24 Dash 7th Feb 2013 more >>
Solar Roadshow
Greg Barker’s Speech: In the coming weeks events just like this one will be travelling the length and breadth of the UK to promote the deployment of Solar PV. We will journey to Glasgow, Swansea, Liverpool, Leicester and Exeter to get the message out there that solar PV is not only exciting, but it is affordable, bankable and ready to go - wherever you are.
Solar Portal 7th Feb 2013 more >>
Solar panel installers will be required to adhere to stringent new standards over the coming months, designed to ensure they are up to date with the latest technology developments. Climate Change Minister Greg Barker today unveiled the new guide to installing solar photovoltaics, and a major update to the MIS 3002 standard for solar PV contractors, which individuals must follow in order to gain the certifications necessary to offer customers feed-in tariff incentives.
Business Green 7th Feb 2013 more >>
The long-awaited update to the MCS’s guide to installing PV systems has been published today to mark the launch of the Restarting the Market Roadshows.
Solar Portal 7th Feb 2013 more >>
LED Lighting
Once thought to be too costly for commercial buildings, LED lighting is increasingly popping up in warehouses and commercial facilities as part of energy retrofit projects. Atlas Box, a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of protective packaging for electronics and heavy equipment, has embarked on a plan to reduce energy consumption by 55 per cent in two facilities by installing LED lighting systems.
Business Green 7th Feb 2013 more >>
Problems in Peterborough
A solar power scheme sited on the roof of a former factory site in Peterborough is not working properly, it has been revealed. Although the scheme on top of the former Freemans factory in Ivatt Way, Westward, was installed more than a year ago, technicians have not been able to make it work
Peterborough Telegraph 7th Feb 2013 more >>
Biomass Support
Energy Minister Fergus Ewing today announced future support levels for biomass, as well as confirming levels of support for solar power. In October the Scottish Government launched a consultation on the levels of the renewables obligation – the support mechanism for renewable energy - for biomass and solar energy. Today Mr Ewing announced the Scottish Government response to that consultation. Wood fuelled biomass stations with an installed capacity greater than 15MW will only receive support under the renewables obligation if they operate as combined heat and power (CHP) stations.
Scottish Government 7th Feb 2013 more >>
Conservatory Tax
The proposed legal action against Communities Secretary Eric Pickles over his controversial decision to block regulations designed to significantly improve building energy efficiency has received a boost, after it emerged some of the research used to justify the decision also highlights the benefits associated with the axed rules. The Association for the Conservation of Energy announced this week that it was seeking a judicial review against Pickles over his decision late last year to scrap the so-called “Consequential Improvement” regulation, which would have required households or businesses undertaking building extensions to also undertake energy efficiency improvements.
Business Green 7th Feb 2013 more >>
Business Green 4th Feb 2013 more >>
Small Wind
Green energy company, Ecotricity, is trialling 6kW vertical-axis turbine that it says may be 40 per cent more efficient than similar sized models
Business Green 6th Feb 2013 more >>
Western Daily Press 6th Feb 2013 more >>
Energy Efficiency
The European Commission yesterday confirmed State Aid approval for the UK government’s flagship Green Deal programme, potentially paving the way for Green Investment Bank funding for the high profile energy efficiency scheme. In a statement, the Commission said that up to £600m of public support could be provided to the Green Deal under State Aid rules, after officials ruled the scheme could make a “significant contribution” to the EU’s common objective of improving energy efficiency.
Business Green 6th Feb 2013 more >>
Lincolnshire Solar Farm
New solar energy could be making its way to old farm lands after an application was approved by planners. Lark Energy Ltd have applied to North Kesteven District Council’s planning committee to turn land at Grange Farm, on Asgarby Road in Burton Pedwardine, into a solar farm with enough panels to power over 3,000 homes. The 56,500 panels would be set at a 30C angle to the ground, placed in 88 rows and would generate 15MW of electricity, which would be powered back into the National Grid. A security fence measuring 2.25 metres would be built around the perimeter. The land has been deemed unsuitable for farming due to poor soil quality but it was noted that it could be used for grazing sheep.
Sleaford Standard 6th Feb 2013 more >>
Plymouth Savings
Solar panels could be installed on Plymouth City Council buildings as part of an energy efficiency scheme due to be considered by the Devon authority. If approved, the project is estimated to be complete within the next four years and could generate sufficient savings to prevent a planned increase in council tax of £13 per household bill. The first action for the programme would be to install solar panels on 14 more council buildings, on the top of the four that already have PV units, saving the authority an estimated £7,000 to £11,000 annually. The council also plans to replace around 28,000 sodium street lamps with higher efficiency LED lights, decreasing the Council’s street lighting expenses by 70%.
Solar Portal 5th Feb 2013 more >>
CHP
A new set of guidelines has been published by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to support the delivery of decentralised energy schemes in the capital. The ‘District Heating Manual for London’ provides practical guidance for developers, network designers and planners with the aim of creating a consistent framework for delivering efficient, interconnecting, district heating networks. It is also designed to help guide local planning authorities. The document, developed in collaboration with Arup, supports a range of initiatives provided by City Hall to promote the Mayor’s target to achieve 25 per cent of London’s energy supply from decentralised energy sources by 2025.
Mayor of London 5th Dec 2013 more >>
Fen Farm Solar
After 12 months of operation, Ecotricity’s 1MW solar park at Fen Farm has outperformed its original yield expectations despite enduring the wettest weather ever in to hit England. The 5,157 solar modules installed across 1.95 hectares generated 4% more electricity than originally predicted – producing enough carbon-free electricity to power around 250 homes.
Solar Portal 4th Feb 2013 more >>
Milford Haven goes Solar
The Port of Milford Haven is seeking competitive proposals for the development, construction and start-up of a 5MW solar photovoltaic (PV) energy plant, after the scheme was given planning approval by Pembrokeshire County Council.
New Civil Engineer 4th Feb 2013 more >>
Quantum Leap
AN ELECTRICAL contractor in Perth is capitalising on the popularity of renewable energy by moving into the corporate and domestic markets for solar panels. Quantum Energy expects to more than treble its turnover to £2 million in the year ahead from £600,000 after increasing its workforce from three to 17 to cope with demand for its services.
Scotsman 3rd Feb 2013 more >>
Private Rented Efficiency
HOMES in the private rented sector in Scotland are more than three times as likely to be rated “poor” in terms of energy efficiency as in the public sector, according to figures from Energy Action Scotland. The call for more help for private tenants comes at the launch of the Warm Homes Campaign – which aims to increase the numbers of people whose homes are well insulated and thereby reduce fuel poverty.
Scotsman 2nd Feb 2013 more >>