Coffee Logs
Coffee could be fuelling not just office work but also a warm home if a company lauded by celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall reaches its £20,000 crowdfunding target this month. Manufacturer Bio-bean is seeking funding to commercially produce its ‘Coffee Logs’ – biomass briquettes made from waste coffee that can then be burned to generate energy. Although it won’t solve the problem of the millions of takeaway coffee cups currently going to waste, the company works with the likes of coffee shops, office blocks, transport hubs, instant coffee factories and waste management companies to produce the Coffee Logs, which it claims are clean, cheap and sustainable alternatives to imported fuels. The logs are capable of burning hotter and for longer than conventional fuels, according to Bio-bean, and can be used in a wide range of domestic appliances such as wood-burning stoves, chimneys, open fires or even BBQs and pizza ovens.
Business Green 13th May 2016 read more »
Zero Carbon Homes
The chair of the Energy and Climate Change Committee (ECCC) has warned that the UK government’s failure to build new homes that are energy efficient will see future generations dealing with our costly mistakes. New rules on Zero Carbon Homes, that were due to come into force this year, would have required new housing developments to generate as much clean energy – through renewable sources like solar panels or ground heat pumps – as they use in hot water, heating, lighting and ventilation. They would have also insulated us against climate change by making sure our homes are cosy and warm and only require minimal heating. But last year the government scrapped the rules. We know that houses built today could still be housing people a hundred years from now. We are also legally committed to cut climate-changing emissions by at least 80% by 2050. We need to be building houses that are fit for the future. We have the technology and building techniques to construct houses that generate their own power and hardly need heating. We owe it to future generations to use them.
Edie 12th May 2016 read more »
Solar in Parliament
Energy minister Andrea Leadsom has dismissed concerns over faltering domestic solar PV deployment and insisted installations under the new feed-in tariff remains “strong”. Both Leadsom and energy secretary Amber Rudd were quizzed over solar deployment during this morning’s Department of Energy and Climate Change oral and topical questions session in the House of Commons, and Leadsom responded to a question regarding deployment trends in the wake of the new FiT. She noted that the two largest of the four solar caps – standalone installs, which is massively oversubscribed, and rooftops in excess of 50kW – had breached their caps in the previous quarter. “Take up of domestic solar photovoltaic systems is strong, but was still within the cap. We do estimate that FiTs will support over 178,000 new solar PV installations at domestic scale by 2018/19,” Leadsom said. However that estimate does not appear to fit with current domestic deployment rates with a significant amount of unused capacity – 27.4MW worth – having been carried over from T1.
Solar Portal 12h May 2016 read more »
Hydrogen
Good Energy is looking into the possibility of supplying low-carbon power for the production of hydrogen, after signing a memorandum of understanding with clean fuel company ITM Power. Good Energy founder and chief executive Juliet Davenport said: “The opportunities to work with ITM power to see how we can integrate the transport, heat and electricity market are really exciting, and we think we are a great fit to supply zero carbon renewable electricity for this inspiring venture.”
Utility Week 12th My 2016 read more »
The UK Government’s vision to ensure that almost all cars on the roads by 2050 are zero-emission reached another milestone after a £2m funding pot aimed at tripling the number of hydrogen vehicles in the UK was revealed.
Edie 11th May 2016 read more »
The Orkney Islands have been chosen for the development of a new European-wide hydrogen project which builds on the existing Orkney Surf ‘n’ Turf initiative. This wider European project is called BIG HIT (Building Innovative Green Hydrogen systems in an Isolated Territory: a pilot for Europe). BIG HIT is a five-year project, involving 12 participants based across six EU countries, and starts later this month. The local authority partner in BIG HIT is Orkney Islands Council, providing local input together with the Shapinsay Development Trust (SDT), Community Energy Scotland (CES), and the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC).
Scottish Energy News 11th May 2016 read more »
Solar Scotland
Solar deployment is set to ramp up over the next decade according to the Scottish National Party’s (SNP) energy and climate change spokesman, who said Scotland represents a huge opportunity for solar. Speaking at the launch event of Solarcentury’s Sunstation yesterday evening, Callum McCaig said the re-elected SNP would be focusing on solar following a prolonged period of wind deployment. “There has clearly been a huge deployment of onshore wind in Scotland in the last decade or so and perhaps to a degree that has constrained the ability to which we can see solar coming,” he said. “But the re-elected SNP government has the target of having 100% electricity produced from renewables and clearly the broader mix that we have in that the better. That means there will be a huge opportunity for solar deployment over the next five to ten years or so.” The SNP won the Scottish elections on a manifesto which included plans to increase community energy schemes, create a government owned energy company and a Scottish Renewable Energy Bond to help the public invest in clean energy. Despite pledging to work closely with the Solar Trade Association to expand deployment, there was little mention of solar-specific plans in the manifesto. However, McCaig’s comments suggest the new minority government has big plans for the technology north of the border.
Solar Portal 11th May 2016 read more »
The Scottish National Party’s (SNP) victory in last week’s elections is “good news” for the solar industry in Scotland according to the Solar Trade Association, which contributed to some of the party’s campaign winning manifesto. In a long-predicted outcome of the Scottish elections, Nicola Sturgeon’s party stormed to victory winning 63 seats at Holyrood. Among the policies promised by the SNP during the election were a series of pledges towards solar deployment and more specifically, community energy projects. These include plans for greater control over feed-in tariff revenues; the possible creation of a government owned energy company to help grow local and community energy projects and a Scottish Renewable Energy Bond to allow savers to invest in Scotland’s renewable energy sector.
Solar Portal 9th May 2016 read more »
Microgeneration
On-site energy generation projects across the UK have more than doubled in the past four years, with businesses producing almost £100m worth of electricity in 2015 alone, a new report from supplier SmartestEnergy has revealed. The Energy Entrepreneurs Report, which tracks independent renewable energy generation across the UK, reveals that 155 new on-site energy generation projects were developed last year, with a combined capacity of 99MW. This figure boosted the total number of UK sites generating their own energy to 728, accounting for 13% of all renewables projects and 6% of capacity.
Edie 11th May 2016 read more »
100% Corporates
Global food manufacturing firm Mars signaled its green credentials on Wednesday with an announcement that its U.K. operations will be completely powered by renewable electricity. A partnership with sustainable business Eneco’s Moy wind farm in Scotland will ensure that all of the electricity for its 12 U.K. sites will be clean, with Mars committing to purchase electricity via Eneco U.K. for the next ten years.
CNBC 11th May 2016 read more »
Energy Storage
The future of the forecourt petrol station is, well, it hasn’t got one. And want to know what will be powering your home in the future? It’ll be your car. This is the vision of Nissan, the Japanese carmaker, which is the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer. The company has joined with two energy giants to map out a future in which not only is the battery-powered car mainstream it will earn money as a part-time power source. In a radical rethinking, Nissan’s new joint venture partners, Enel, the Italian energy group, and National Grid, of Britain, regard the car as a mobile energy storage facility — a battery on wheels. The idea is that if you are not using your electric car to get somewhere in an environmentally friendly way, it can be used as the ultimate localised power station. Rather than lying idle, the family electric car and its battery can fill up with cheap energy during the night-time, off-peak usage period through the home or streetside charging point. It can then be used to power the home when households are usually consuming peak-price electricity.
Times 11th May 2016 read more »
Business Green 11th May 2016 read more »
Energy Monitoring
Community Energy Scotland has launched a new energy monitoring service, available to community groups, social landlords and other interested parties. Community Energy Scotland was previously involved in two energy monitoring projects, one carried out in partnership with Hebridean Housing Partnership, and the other in partnership with Albyn Housing Association, both of which were funded through the Scottish Federation of Housing Association’s Energy Ideas Fund.
Scottish Energy News 11th May 2016 read more »
Sunstation
They say looks aren’t everything, but Solarcentury does not want to take any chances. The solar installer yesterday unveiled a new domestic solar system called Sunstation, which is being positioned as an “attractive” alternative to rooftop solar arrays that are rejected by some households on aesthetic grounds. The black solar PV unit, which is now available to installers and is priced from £5,000 for the installation of a 3kWp system, is designed to be integrated into a roof, avoiding the need for a roof-mounted solar panel array.
Business Green 11th May 2016 read more »
Zero Carbon Homes
Dozens of new homes on the UK’s largest zero carbon housing development are benefitting from new roof integrated photovoltaic (PV) panels, used to produce sustainable solar energy. The integrated PV roof tiles supplied by UK manufacturer Romag have been installed as part of the £12m Park Dale housing development in Castleford, West Yorkshire, where over 90 homes for social and intermediate rent have been built to comply with Level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.
Oil Fired Up 11th May 2016 read more »
Fuel Poverty
Following the recent elections in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, two major energy charities have published a joint report highlighting why progress to eradicate fuel poverty across the UK has slowed despite statutory commitments and current policies – notwithstanding last week’s elections to the Scottish parliament and devolved administrations in Wales and N. Ireland. The UK Fuel Poverty Monitor – produced annually by Energy Action Scotland and the National Energy Association in England – reports that huge variations and changes to relevant national and UK wide affordable warmth policies have inevitably hindered progress to eradicate fuel poverty. EAS and the NEA have produced the annual UK Fuel Poverty Monitor report since 2003. The report specifically aims to review fuel poverty policies in the four UK nations. It also provides an opportunity to identify cross-nation learning to inform policy makers and practitioners. The publication of this year’s report reviews progress on the previous recommendations that have been made since 2010 and draws this analysis together within each country and at a UK level.
Scottish Energy News 10th May 2016 read more »
Solar Procurement
Scottish solar power installer Campbell & Kennedy has been appointed to a four-year Renewables and Energy Efficiency contract with Procurement for Housing (PfH) Scotland. The framework provides a number of energy efficiency solutions such as solar PV, biomass boilers and electricity storage systems through its pre-approved suppliers. Since 2012, C&K has installed 11 megawatts of solar PV across a range of public sector clients over 20 years and will see a return of over £50 million made over the same time period. Glasgow-based Campbell & Kennedy offers PfH Scotland members solar PV, solar thermal, LED lighting and smart meters in addition to many other energy-saving solutions. The family business was appointed to a similar framework last year with PfH for England and has since been helping members with a variety of procurement needs.
Scottish Energy News 10th May 2016 read more »
Community solar farm
Southill community solar farm has secured construction finance from Solarcentury and extended its share offer to ensure that the project will go ahead in the summer. Construction of the 4.5MW solar farm will begin in July and the project expects to be generating power by September this year. The project has already received more than £970,000 of investment and is aiming to raise a further £1.4 million to add to the bank funding, loans and social impact investors that make up the £4.1 million construction costs. The projected average annual return to investors is 5 per cent over the 25-year lifetime of the solar farm. Since the solar farm was granted planning consent in July 2015, it has been pre-accredited for the Feed-in Tariff and will be one of the last community solar schemes to be guaranteed the subsidy.
Utility Week 9th May 2016 read more »
Renewable Heat
An independent report has called for new governance arrangements to fill the “vacuum” for decision making and delivery in the heat sector. The report from the Imperial College Centre for Energy Policy and Technology said there is a need for “strong city and local authority level involvement” in heat governance, although the resources to do this do not currently exist. The whole programme would also benefit from “national coordination”, the report said. For the UK to meet its carbon targets as agreed to in Paris it will have to decarbonise heat in over 20 million buildings, but there is “no one silver bullet” to do this, with a range of solutions each having a role to play. These include using the existing gas grid for hydrogen, electrification through heat pumps, and district heating networks.
Utility Week 9th May 2016 read more »
RHI
‘Disappointing’ is the message from Industrial & Commercial Energy Association (ICOM) in response to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) consultation: The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI): A reformed and refocused scheme. Ross Anderson, director of ICOM, said: “We understand that the government has to get value for money from its policies, however, the proposed changes to the non-domestic RHI give the wrong message regarding renewable energy. “Biomass boilers have been the most popular category under the non-domestic RHI, but by reducing the tariff, will not encourage a greater take up of heat pumps. This proposed reduction in tariff will reduce the biomass boiler sales and will drive end users to use fossil fuel products based on a cost decision.
Heating & Plumbing Monthly 9th May 2016 read more »
Biofuel
It is a truly green energy. Seaweed farming for biogas could become a major industry for the west coast of Scotland, according to a new report. It could be a second coming for seaweed. Many isolated islands still have the remains of kelpers’ huts from the times when seaweed was burnt to extract potash and soda, which were important chemicals in the soap and glass industry and widely used for linen bleaching. But now seaweed is set for a new and lucrative future. An independent report commissioned by the ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne, or CalMac, says seaweed power could transform communities. Experts at both MacArthur Green, the Glasgow-based environmental consultants, and University of the West of Scotland’s School of Science and Sport and School of Business and Enterprise suggested scenarios that could emerge over the next quarter of a century along the west coast. Among them was converting seaweed to biofuel.
Times 9th May 2016 read more »
Renewable Heat
A ‘Clyde-built’ industrial heat pump capable of delivering affordable, low carbon heating and hot water for 350 households in the Hillpark Drive scheme is to be installed in the city for Glasgow Housing Agency by Star Renewable Energy. Developed by a joint partnership between, Glasgow Housing Association (GHA), energy consultants WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, Glasgow-based heat pump manufacturers Star Renewable Energy and Scottish Gas, the new renewable heating technology is now expected to become default solution to providing zero-carbon, low-cost heating for existing social housing stock across the whole country.
Scottish Energy News 9th May 2016 read more »
Demand Management
They don’t sound like pioneers, but nevertheless three of Britain’s dullest companies joined forces last week for a surprisingly exciting project. United Utilities, a Warrington-based sewage company, Aggregate Industries, which is big in gravel, and Sainsbury’s, the supermarket chain beloved of the houmous-eating middle classes, have come up with something called Living Grid. It may represent a turning point for the way in which electricity is consumed in Britain. Their focus is squarely on green energy, the sort of sustainable, renewable power generated by wind and solar panels – a field in which slowly but surely Britain is becoming a global leader. A record 25 per cent of British electricity came from renewables last year, up 9 per cent from 2011. Not far behind Germany, the world No 1, with 33 per cent. Yet there’s a black shadow over all this green energy. Managing intermittent electricity that is heavily dependent on the weather poses a growing challenge for National Grid. Step forward our three flag-bearers for Living Grid. Using new technology, big companies such as these can power up at times when there is a surplus or down when there is a shortage of renewable electricity. Sainsbury’s, for example, can whack up its refrigerators by a notch, or temporarily turn them off to trim demand. United Utilities can switch on pumps to process dirty water. Aggregate Industries can sluice water from its quarries. Unlike homes and offices, these companies don’t care much about what time of day they use power. They are just as happy to do so at 4am on a windy Sunday morning as at 5.30pm on a Tuesday, when national electricity demand peaks.
Times 9th May 2016 read more »
Solar London
Sadiq Khan’s decisive victory in the London Mayoral elections means a “clean energy revolution” will soon be underway in the capital following the Labour mayor’s election pledge to be “the greenest mayor London has ever had”. Following a bitter campaign between Khan and Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith, the Labour candidate won out after attracting well over a million first preference votes. As well as his plans for affordable housing and cheaper travel around the city, Khan also pledged to deliver several key renewable energy programmes, not least the establishment of ‘Energy for Londoners’. This not-for-profit company will seek to “take a lead” on clean energy initiatives across the city as well as create a dedicated solar strategy which will see more solar deployed on London’s rooftops particularly on Transport for London (TfL) Great London Authority (GLA) land and buildings.
Solar Portal 9th May 2016 read more »
Geothermal
The country may not have the volcanoes and geysers of Iceland but thousands of Scots could soon be following the example of their northerly neighbours and harnessing the natural warmth of the Earth’s core to heat their homes. More than half of all energy used in Scotland goes towards heating, and it is also responsible for nearly half of the nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Scots stump up as much as £2.6 billion every year to warm homes and businesses, with official figures suggesting that around 845,000 households suffer from fuel poverty. Now, if a pioneering new scheme gets the go-ahead, around 700 households in one of Scotland’s most disadvantaged areas could benefit from a cheaper and greener source of warmth than they currently rely on. And the secret lies in the legacy left behind from Scotland’s coal-mining past, according to experts. In a joint effort with local councillors, scientists from the James Hutton Institute are exploring the possibility of creating a cutting-edge geothermal district heating system in North Lanarkshire by tapping the warmth of underground floodwater at the disused Kingshill Colliery at Allanton. Though commonplace across much of Scandinavia, district heating systems are a relatively novel concept in Scotland. The same applies to geothermal power. Two existing installations currently tap mine water in Scotland: Shettleston in east Glasgow and Lumphinnans in Fife. Both are small schemes, each serving fewer than 20 dwellings, and have been operating since approximately 2000.
Scotland on Sunday 8th May 2016 read more »
Sainsbury’s goes for AD
A scheme which sees a number of Sainsbury’s supermarkets powered by renewable energy generated from food waste is to be rolled out to a further six stores, after a successful first year saw green gas produce 10% of the retailer’s entire national energy consumption.
Edie 6th May 2016 read more »