week ending 2 August 2013
Scottish Interest Free Loans
Scottish homes could soon find it much easier to improve their energy efficiency under a new £3m scheme to be unveiled today. Interest-free loans of up to £10,000 will be available for home owners to adopt a range of renewable heat and electricity technologies, such as heat pumps, solar panels, micro-wind turbines, or biomass boilers. The funding will be directly targeted at homes in fuel poverty, allowing households to access subsidy schemes, such as the feed-in tariff for renewable electricity generation or the Renewable Heat Premium Payment, and then use the new income to pay off the loans.
Business Green 2nd Aug 2013 more >>
BBC 2nd August 2013 more >>
Scottish Government 2nd Aug 2013 more >>
Solar Storage
Residential PV storage capacity could hit 2.5GW by 2017 as domestic solar generators increasingly look to consume the power they produce, a report claims. Research by analyst firm IHS predicts a boom in domestic solar storage in the coming years as self-consumption replaces feed-in tariff maximisation as the main motivation for installing residential PV systems. This shift is already underway in Germany, where in May a government-backed subsidy was introduced to cover the upfront cost of installing a small-scale PV storage system. Storage systems allow PV energy to be stored at times of peak production and consumed at times of peak demand when grid electricity costs are highest.
Solar Portal 2nd Aug 2013 more >>
Despite all the benefits energy storage provides to the grid and generators and its integral part in the future of solar PV in the UK, it is not yet a financially viable investment for any distinct part of the value chain. A varied range of solutions and opportunities designed to encourage the adoption of domestic scale energy storage are being used around the world for the UK government to understand and learn from. Ongoing research hopes to identify additional policy options and suitability in the UK market. Domestic scale PV accounts for 1.5GW of the 2.5GW currently installed in the UK and it is expected to remain the main driver of growth in this sector. Due to the intermittent nature of solar PV, energy storage needs to form part of the predicted potential of 20GW by 2020.
Solar Portal 30th July 2013 more >>
Solar Appeal
Britain’s former chief scientist has challenged governments around the world to find a way of creating a ready flow of cheap solar power over the next 10 years to fight global warming. Writing in the Financial Times today, Sir David King and co-author Richard Layard, the former founder-director of the London School of Economics’ Centre for Economic Performance, warn a collective scientific effort of similar proportions to putting a man on the moon is needed to tackle climate change.
Business Green 2nd Aug 2013 more >>
Green Deal
Davey is bullish, pointing out that the public response to the programme has actually been unexpectedly strong, with over 44,000 assessments undertaken, “probably more than most people expected”, a figure he says demonstrates demand. With four-fifths of those who have carried out assessments telling the Department of Energy & Climate Change researchers that they either have or will undertake some form of retrofit work, he says it is merely a matter of time before this translates into actual work on the ground. “I’ve had my assessment,” he says, to exemplify the problem, “but I haven’t acted on it yet, because I’ve been a bit busy. But I’m going to act on it.” So is he confident of meeting the 10,000-home target? “I think so, yes,” he says - but implies it might not be met directly through the Green Deal finance package itself. “Seventy-eight per cent have either had work done, are in the process of getting the work done, or intend to get the work done. that doesn’t mean they’re all going to go down the Green Deal finance route.
Building 2nd Aug 2013 more >>
Solar for new W.Mids Houses
KIDDERMINSTER renewable energy company Eco2Solar has secured a hat-trick of contracts with Mansell Construction to install solar PV on 101 new homes throughout the West Midlands. Eco2Solar has been appointed to install a series of solar energy systems on new homes at the Edgbaston Square development, Marlfields in Redditch and Eastern Gateway in West Bromwich. One of the biggest projects is at Marlfields in Redditch for Redditch Co-operative Homes, part of the Accord Group. The renewable energy firm will install solar energy systems on 79 sustainable Norwegian timber-frame houses at Marlfields.
Kidderminster Shuttle 1st Aug 2013 more >>
RHI & Stroud
The largest single grant for any authority in the UK has been awarded to Stroud District Council to spend on renewable energy. The local authority has been given nearly £900,000 to install 400 air source heat pumps into its council homes as part of the Social Landlords Renewable Heat Premium Payment competition.
H&V News 1st Aug 2013 more >>
Solar Conservation
Solarcentury’s plans to transform its solar farms into wildlife sanctuaries have taken a step forward, after the developer said it was ready to start planting seeds around its solar panels.
Business Green 1st Aug 2013 more >>
Solar Portal 31st July 2013 more >>
Solar FiT
Ofgem has confirmed solar subsidies will remain at the same level until the end of the year. A release issued by the regulator yesterday confirms that feed-in tariff payments will remain unchanged betwen 1 October and 1 January 2014, after the threshold needed to trigger automatic drops was not reached during the last quarter.
Business Green 1st Aug 2013 more >>
Solar Farming
Large scale solar farms have been a rare sight in the English countryside but interest is now beginning to spread rapidly from the south coast up to the Midlands and North of England. Farmers Weekly has been looking at the pros and cons for northern farmers.
Farmers Weekly 31st July 2013 more >>
Building Standards
461. That is the number of days between the end of the government’s consultation on changes to Part L of the Building Regulations and its announcement this week on what those changes will be. It is thought to be one of the longest periods of time a government department has taken to respond to a formal call for views. So now the dust has almost settled - DCLG is due to publish the detailed changes next week - what do the new regulations mean for government’s ambitions on zero carbon homes? Although the delay has been deeply unhelpful (we’d been expecting the outcome in April this year), the target for all new homes to be zero carbon from 2016 is still achievable. The UK has a remarkably innovative construction industry, capable of adapting and adhering to changes within short spaces of time, but the decision to implement these changes from April 2014 is a prudent one given all the delays. An interesting contribution is the publication yesterday of the Greater London Authority’s consultation on sustainable design and construction standards for London . This could, if agreed, require a 40 per cent improvement over Part L 2010 for both homes and non domestic buildings.
Business Green 2nd Aug 2013 more >>
The government has announced long-awaited changes to energy efficiency rules for new buildings, putting the construction industry on track to deliver zero carbon homes by 2016. Communities Minister Baroness Hanham today confirmed a six per cent carbon reduction target for new build homes and a nine per cent cut for non-domestic buildings, compared to 2010 levels. The changes are due to come into force on 6 April 2014.
Business Green 30th July 2013 more >>
Business Green 29th July 2013 more >>
Business Green 26th July 2013 more >>
The government has this week finally unveiled long-awaited changes to building energy efficiency standards, insisting the UK is still on track to deliver “zero carbon homes” by 2016. But with just one part of the zero carbon building jigsaw unveiled this week, energy efficiency and construction firms fear the wait for policy certainty is not over yet.
Business Green 31st July 2013 more >>
Green Investment Bank
The Green Investment Bank (GIB) has been open for business in the Capital for a year. In that time the bank has committed £635 million to green projects. In the Saughton Mains area of the city is a scheme which the bank could help to extend across the city. Over the last six months a pilot programme has taken place in Saughton Mains with new low energy light bulbs.
Edinburgh Evening News 30th July 2013 more >>
Welsh Insulation
The Welsh government’s fuel poverty scheme provided free home energy improvements to nearly 5,000 homes last year, new figures have revealed. The statistics show that the Nest scheme has delivered an average benefit of over £500 per year for each household affected. The Nest scheme, which was launched in April 2011, has seen £19.5 million in investment from the Welsh government over 2012/13. For 2013-14, the focus of Nest will be on leveraging ECO funding into the scheme; improving the range of options available to rural communities, including Biomass as a solution for properties that are off the gas mains; and improving engagement with socially excluded groups.
24 Dash 30th July 2013 more >>
Solar Farming in Scotland
Interest from developers for land suitable for setting up solar photo-voltaic sites on this side of the Border had rocketed in recent months. “The market here has recently started to heat up, and we have noted a wave of activity in developers looking for sites,” he said.
Scotsman 30th July 2013 more >>
Solar Schools
The newly-formed ‘Power Your Future’ programme is aiming to install 5MW of solar on school roofs across the UK. The programme, set up by Engynious and Winch Energy, is capable of installing solar on up to170 schools.
Solar Portal 30th July 2013 more >>
Low Carbon Economy 24th July 2013 more >>
Solar Leader
UK retail giant Sainsbury’s says it has now installed 100,000 solar panels at over 200 of its stores around the country. This confirms its place as Europe’s leading solar operator, and is part of the company’s wider plans to reduce operational carbon emissions by 30% absolute (and 65% relative) by 2020 compared with 2005
RTCC 29th July 2013 more >>
Fuel Poverty
Energy is increasingly unaffordable for households on low incomes due to rising energy prices and poorly insulated homes, according to a report from a committee of MPs, out today. It calls on the government to stop the rot by ploughing money into energy efficiency measures. Until recently, the government identified a household as being in fuel poverty if it spent more than a tenth of its income on energy. It set itself a target of as “as far as reasonably practical” eliminating fuel poverty by 2016. But energy prices are projected to keep rising, while government strategy on on fuel poverty isn’t due to be published until the end of the year. Without action, it looks like the situation could worsen. Government consumer body Consumer Futures suggested in a committee evidence session that 6.2 million, or more than a quarter of the country’s households could be in fuel poverty by 2016.
Carbon Brief 29th July 2013 more >>
Community Energy Fortnight
The Community Energy Fortnight is an initiative of the Community Energy Coalition. Running from 24th August – 8th September, events will be taking place right across the UK. Through these events, we aim to engage and inspire people about the wide-ranging benefits of community energy, and to generate support for our vision of community energy at scale in the UK by 2020.
Community Energy Fotnight 28th July 2013 more >>
Green Deal Dosh
A new £20 million Green Deal Communities scheme to help local authorities drive street-by-street delivery of the Green Deal has been unveiled. Under new proposals from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), local authorities in England will be able to bid for funding from a £20 million pot to help households benefit from the Green Deal on a street-by-street or area basis. Local authorities will identify target streets and areas in their regions that could most benefit from the Green Deal, and then offer incentives to households in these areas to encourage them to install energy efficiency home improvements under the Green Deal. Local authorities will propose incentives as part of their bids for funding, which will be assessed by DECC.
Sustainable Homes 29th July 2013 more >>
Liverpool Eco-Homes
A £4m housing scheme on Liverpool’s Boot Estate has transformed 74 derelict properties earmarked for demolition a decade ago into state-of-the-art eco-homes. Liverpool Mutual Homes (LMH) has overhauled the three-bedroom properties in Broad Lane and Winskill Road as part of the Ellergreen Development. The project was financed via resources from LMH, funds from the Community Energy Saving Programme - a subsidy from an energy company in return for carbon reduction savings - and a £750,000 contribution from Liverpool City Council.
Click Liverpool 26th July 2013 more >>
Angus Energy Saving
From September Angus residents looking to find ways to reduce energy consumption and manage fuel costs can request a face-to-face meeting. The new service is available thanks to a successful bid by Angus Council for a grant from Support and Connect Big Lottery Fund. The new service expands on the existing telephone energy efficiency services provided by SCARF (Save Cash and Reduce Fuel), the Government Energy Advice Centre.
Arbroath Herald 26th July 2013 more >>