week ending 17 May 2013
European Efficiency
Green campaigners have welcomed a move by the European Commission to close a loophole in the Energy Efficiency Directive, which could now force the UK to redouble its efforts to save energy equivalent to 30 million tonnes of oil by 2020. An EU Commission document, seen by BusinessGreen, shows the UK has failed to secure an exemption from the directive that would have allowed it to achieve just half of the 1.5 per cent energy savings stipulated by the law by the end of the decade.
Business Green 16th May 2013 more >>
Solar cheaper than nuclear
At 2013 prices, solar PV in mid-latitude countries is now cheaper than new nuclear. Put in the UK context, the proposed EdF power station at Hinkley is now more expensive per unit of electricity generated than solar farms in the south of England.
Carbon Commentary 16th May 2013 more >>
Solar London?
Solar installations in London are lagging behind other parts of the country - and it has nothing to do with the grim weather. New analysis by consultancy WSP has found London boroughs make up 23 of the 25 lowest ranking local authorities for solar installations and the entire bottom 10 in the national league table. Inner city boroughs Westminster, Tower Hamlets, the City of London, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Southwark are all found in the bottom five.
Business Green 16th May 2013 more >>
Energy Live News 16th May 2013 more >>
Community Energy?
THE leader of the Scottish Government review of landownership yesterday pledged to examine ways of redistributing the cash wealthy lairds make from wind farms to benefit the less-advantaged. Alison Elliot, chair of the Land Reform Review Group (LRRG), said the issue would be investigated amid concerns that aristo crats are benefiting from the renewables revolution while the poor grapple with fuel poverty
Scotsman 16th May 2013 more >>
Local Authorities & Efficiency
Nearly a third of councils are not complying with their legal duties on monitoring their buildings’ energy use under laws designed to encourage councils to improve their estates. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive from the EU requires public authorities to have up-to-date Display Energy Certificates (DEC) in all their buildings over 1,000m2. The government has allocated local authorities £1.9m each year to fulfil these duties. But Freedom of Information requests by the Property and Energy Professionals Association (PEPA) have revealed that 30% of councils in England and Wales admitted they were not compliant with the directive. While 58% said they were compliant, a further 12% did not answer the question.
Building 16th May 2013 more >>
Community Wind
PLANNERS in Barrow have recommended councillors grant proposals to ‘re-power’ a five-turbine windfarm near Ulverston. The community co-operative which runs Furness Windfarm at Harlock Hill, between Marton and Pennington, wants to replace the ageing turbines with modern machines which have a greater capacity to generate electricity.
Westmorland Gazette 15th May 2013 more >>
Solar Farming
Jeremy Leggett: In opposing a solar farm near his home in Suffolk, Griff Rhys-Jones makes the point that the government is struggling with its energy policy, and has made a “willy nilly” decision to allow such developments. I feel like saying to Griff, look we need lots of solar, and it’s got to be near someone.
Guardian 15th May 2013 more >>
British actor and comedian Griff Rhys Jones has strongly opposed plans to build a 38.4 hectare solar farm in Tattingstone, Suffolk.
Solar Portal 16th May 2013 more >>
Community Offshore Turbines?
Environmental campaigners are calling for the community to be given the chance to own wind farm turbines. Groups and individuals had until Saturday to register interest in the E.On proposals for the Rampion wind farm with the Planning Inspectorate. The proposal for up to 175 turbines off the coast of Brighton and Hove would produce enough electricity to power two-thirds of the homes in Sussex.
Argus 14th May 2013 more >>
Green Deal
The government has today confirmed nearly 19,000 households have taken out Green Deal assessments since the scheme launched at the end of January, raising hopes that take-up of the energy efficiency financing initiative is gathering pace. The new figures show that as of the end of April 18,861 official Green Deal assessments had been undertaken, up from 9,294 at the end of March.
Business Green 14th May 2013 more >>
Solar Portal 14th May 2013 more >>
Negawatts or ESFiTs
The idea that the best way to provide energy is simply to avoid unnecessary use in the first place has been around for some time. Back in 1989, Amory Lovins coined the term “negawatts” (energy saved by cutting out waste) to emphasise the contrast with megawatts of power or heat that needs to be generated if that waste is not eradicated. The negawatts idea has had a revival in the form of proposals for an (electrical) energy efficiency feed-in tariff or an energy saving FiT (ESFIT), whereby householders and businesses would be paid for avoiding the use of energy through energy efficiency measures, better energy management and so on.
IGov 14th May 2013 more >>
The Association for the Conservation of Energy (ACE), Green Alliance, WWF UK, the Oxford Environmental Change Institute and The Co-Operative have written a letter to Ed Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change; expressing concern at the current direction of Government policy on electricity demand reduction and recommending the creation of a feed-in-tariff for electricity efficiency.
E2Bpulse 3rd May 2013 more >>
Solar Redditch
A LOGISTICS company is embracing new technologies and challenging conventional usage of lighting and heating across its Redditch-based offices and warehouses. Oakland International is looking forward to seeing considerable energy and CO2 savings, through another solar panel installation, expected to generate around 114,059 kWh of electricity a year - enough to run all of its lighting for nearly two years.
Kidderminster Shuttle 13th May 2013 more >>
Scottish Efficiency
HOLYROOD ministers are coming under fierce criticism from the energy conservation sector for backtracking on a commitment to higher standards for new buildings. In 2007 the government appointed an expert panel under Lynne Sullivan that produced a report, A Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy for Scotland, the findings of which were endorsed by ministers. But the panel is now being reconvened due to the economic climate, with the possibility of amendments being made. Andrew Warren, director of the Association for the Conservation of Energy, has written to Finance Secretary John Swinney and Local Government and Planning Minister Derek Mackay, expressing his concerns.
Herald 13th May 2013 more >>
Editorial view.
Herald 13th May 2013 more >>
Small Wind Push
Gaia Wind is on the brink of signing a series of deals with turbine installers including VG Energy, after an exclusive contract with installer Myriad Wind ended. The Scottish turbine manufacturer, recently named as the UK’s eighth fastest growing company by the Sunday Times, has unveiled plans to double the size of its UK sales and distribution market and is currently talking to around 10 installers around the UK about entering partnership agreements.
Business Green 13th May 2013 more >>
Community Wind
THE result of Scotland’s first venture between a community and a wind-farm developer opens today, after locals contributed almost £1 million. The people of Neilston in East Renfrewshire bought a 28% share in the £15.6m wind farm with partners Carbon Free Developments.
Herald 13th May 2013 more >>
Neilston’s four Nordex turbines will generate 10MW of electricity. The local community owns a 28% stake in the scheme, which was developed by Carbon Free.
ReNews 10th May 2013 more >>
A community energy project Bedlinog Wind, in South Wales – despite the scheme having both financial backing from Tegni, the developers who paid for the initial reports, and support from the local community, the scheme has been met with closed doors and circular arguments at a planning level. Much of these revolve around the visual impact – even though this scheme is about as small as you can go, I have been told, if it is to be commercially viable. In terms of visual impact it is a remarkably small scheme, something which Bedlinog Wind has been trying to point out to the local authority.
FoE 13th May 2013 more >>
Community Hydro
Friends of Taff Bargoed in South Wales has found itself in what has become an all too familiar situation for community energy generation projects. Despite being backed by all relevant parties and confirmed to be viable and potentially lucrative, the project is being held up by financing issues.
FoE 13th May 2013 more >>
Self-Sufficient Farmhouse
A fully self-sufficient ‘eco farmhouse’ has been unwrapped by Mark Waghorn Architects in Moniaive, Dumfries & Galloway. Built for the Gourlay family, who have been tending land in the Cairn Valley for three generations, the custom built home is intended to embody a range of green business methods which they have introduced on their farms. Solar energy, wind power and bore holes combine to make the home fully energy efficient and a raft of energy saving features have also been built into the design including a ventilated glazed area linked to the laundry for clothes drying and a naturally cooled food store and a wood burning kachelofen masonry heater used for heating.
Urban Realm 13th May 2013 more >>
Inhabitat 13th May 2013 more >>
Dunbar Community Turbine Rejected
A PROPOSAL for a Dunbar community wind turbine which developers claimed would generate £200,000 per year for local projects has been rejected by councillors. But one councillor fears the decision could be overturned on appeal to the Scottish Government. Dunbar Community Energy Company (DCECo) applied to East Lothian Council to erect a 56.3-metre-high turbine on Blackcastle Hill, south of Innerwick, about 200 metres south-west of existing telecommunications masts. DCECo - a trading subsidiary of charity Sustaining Dunbar - claimed the project, which would cost about £1.7 million, would generate up to £4 million in its 20-year lifetime, with projects able to apply for grants from that money.
East Lothian Courier 12th May 2013 more >>
Solar Price Rise
Farmers thinking of installing solar PV systems could face a significant hike in capital costs, following EU proposals to impose anti-dumping duties on imported Chinese panels.
Farmers Weekly 10th May 2013 more >>
With average levies on Chinese goods likely to be set at 47 per cent this year, companies interested in installing solar panels would be wise to move quickly. The EU is currently mulling whether to impose tariffs on Chinese solar technologies, but while many within the industry remain hopeful that a negotiated settlement between Brussels and Beijing could still be secured they are also warning there is a real risk that solar panel prices could increase before the end of the year.
Business Green 16th May 2013 more >>
Crowdfunding
SunFunder - the crowdfunding organisation has just secured $20,000 (£13,000) from 146 individual investors around the world to invest in SunnyMoney’s programme to provide 1,200 solar lights for people without electricity in Zambia’s copper belt. To date, it has empowered 22,757 people in developing countries through its online platform, which can secure investment from multiple sources in a matter of days. And they are not alone – Kiva, Microplace and Mosaic are also demonstrating that crowdfunding can attract energy investment to the world’s poorer communities.
Guardian 10th May 2013 more >>
Solar Boom & Bust
It seems that the UK market is still characterized by a ‘boom and bust’ trend. Many experts and market players are calling for updated FiT policies to stimulate new market growth. The real question should be: How can the UK market really move past the ‘boom and bust’ stage?
Your Industry News 10th May 2013 more >>