News archive
Tyre turbines
Two Ecotricity turbines at the Michelin Tyre Factory Dundee.
These were thought to be amongst the first turbines to be located in a city.
Photo © Mary Henderson, Friends of the Earth Tayside
week ending 6 March 2009
Green Stimulus
The Renewable Energy Association called for £625m in “green stimulus money”. Director-general Philip Wolfe said: “Other countries have already committed huge sums to renewables as part of their stimulus packages, not just because renewables tackle the twin threats of climate change and energy security, but because they also offer the technological stimulus needed in a recession to create high-value jobs and enterprise. Greenpeace said “With the best renewable energy resources and the worst housing stock in Europe, there is no better time to turn the recession crisis into an opportunity.”
BBC 6th Mar 2009 more >>
Wind yield estimator
Gauging the right position for wind turbines takes a great deal of calculation. Too little and it will produce more emissions than it saves. Too much wind may over-stress turbines to the point that they explode dramatically. With this in mind, the Carbon Trust has developed a user-friendly online wind estimator for small-scale turbines. Launched today, the calculator is designed to help businesses and consumers work out how much power a turbine could generate and how much carbon it would save. Its data and user-friendliness have been welcomed by the wind turbine industry as an improvement on the existing wind speed database provided by the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
Guardian 5th Mar 2009 more >>
Wash Funding
The Wash Fens Local Action Group is celebrating after being awarded £2m by the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) to boost the rural economies of Boston and South Holland. Projects wills include those that help to mitigate and adapt to climate change, particularly through investment in new technologies and renewable energy sources
Lincolnshire County Council 4th Mar 2009 more >>
Where there’s muck
Community Renewable energy (CoRE) North West wants to use manure and silage to produce electricity at energy farms. They’re aiming to set up the first one at Silloth in the next 12 months. It is reckoned that the first energy plant will produce enough energy for around 2,000 homes while providing a huge boost for dairy farms. To start, a co-operative of 10 farmers will be paid for supplying the raw materials for the energy producer.
Carlisle News and Star 4th Mar 2009 more >>
Solar Car Park
Romag, the company that makes glass and plastic composites for renewable energy applications, has developed an innovative new product that will provide solar generated power for electric vehicles. Romag’s ‘PowerPark’ is a solar car parking canopy made of PowerGlaz PV panels that will be targeted for car parks at airports, stations, supermarkets, shopping centres, offices and public buildings including sports and leisure facilities.
Small Cap News 4th Mar 2009 more >>
Rotating House
A ROTATING house of the future, being built near Ashbourne, is to be featured on a prime time Channel 4 programme that looks at property construction. All electricity demand will be met from solar panels and specially-designed wind turbines set into the roof. These will feed power to storage batteries to ensure a constant supply.
Ashbourne News Telegraph 4th Mar 2009 more >>
Another Tesco Turbine
Tesco has had its green credentials blasted as a publicity stunt after it won a battle to install wind turbines in the car park of one of its stores. Two energy generating structures standing over 10 meters tall will be installed at the chain’s Church Langley store after Harlow Council planning chiefs gave the go-ahead.
Harlow Star 4th Mar 2009 more >>
West Midlands Co-operatives
An innovative initiative which supports the creation of community-owned renewable energy schemes has been set up in Shropshire, Herefordshire and parts of Worcestershire. The project ‘sharenergy’ has been backed by the Rural Regeneration Zone.
Birmingham Post 4th Mar 2009 more >>
24 Dash 3rd Mar 2009 more >>
Future Friendly
ST ENDELLION is in the running for a prestigious green, energy efficient award and could find itself winning £20,000. The climate friendly parish in Port Isaac is one of five groups in contention for the award having already beaten strong competition to get a film made about its work and for the chance to win the large cash bursary. The Future Friendly Awards is a nationwide search for people who are making a difference to their local community by championing sustainability and inspiring others to do the same. St Endellion was recognised for a range of its initiatives in energy efficient housing, promoting public transport, the use of renewable energy and waste reduction. This came about after the launch of the parish’s Climate Friendly Project Plan in 2006.
This is Cornwall 3rd Mar 2009 more >>
Future Vision
RESIDENTS of Boroughbridge and the Lower Ure Valley are being asked for their views on what should be the priority for improvements to the area over the next five years. Early ideas include: refurbishment of Boroughbridge Leisure Centre, community renewable energy projects and the creation of a multi-purpose community facility.
Yorkshire Post 3rd Mar 2009 more >>
Local Energy
One of the most effective ways of reducing your fuel bills - and your carbon footprint - is to generate your own energy, and this can apply to large organisations, small businesses or individual householders alike. Producing your own electricity or heat at a local level is known as microgeneration, and can involve anything from installing solar panels to fitting wind turbines to using bio-burners or combined heat and power units to generate local heat from local waste.
24 Dash 2nd Mar 2009 more >>
Coventry
There is also a real opportunity for redevelopment in Coventry to be an exemplar of environmental sustainability and user of renewable energy, looking at shared energy sources, which will reduce energy costs with the ultimate goal of making business more productive.
Coventry Telegraph 2nd Mar 2009 more >>
24 Dash 2nd Mar 2009 more >>
York Eco-Village
THE dream of an eco-village on the site of York’s former British Sugar factory has moved a step closer after civic leaders decided to fast-track the scheme.
York Press 2nd Mar 2009 more >>
Another Solar School
SOLAR panels will be installed at a primary school in Trowbridge after it received a £20,000 grant from the Co-operative.
Wiltshire Times 2nd Mar 2009 more >>
Tesco Turbines
PLANS for a major extension and two wind turbines at Mansfield’s Oak Tree Lane Tesco have been given the go-ahead by councilors.
Mansfield Chad 2nd Mar 2009 more >>
Citizens’ Forum
RESIDENTS from a Teesdale village are taking part in a nationwide energy survey. Cockfield is one of three venues in the country which are forming part of a consultation on saving energy and heat in people’s homes and communities Householders are being asked their views on how the UK can reduce its carbon emissions through better energy efficiency and low-carbon heating, as part of the Big Energy Shift citizens’ forums.
Northern Echo 2nd Mar 2009 more >>
Nelson
REGENERATION bosses are celebrating after work got under way on the long-awaited conversion of two rows of derelict houses. Renewable energy requirements will be met with solar panels, efficient insulation, energy meters and pipes, feeding light into enclosed spaces.
Lancashire Telegraph 2nd March 2009 more >>
Biomass Row
AN argument over an environmentally-friendly heating system, which was prevented from being installed in Edinburgh schools because of health fears, has been reignited. Newly-published guidance reveals that the Scottish Government “encourages” the use of biomass boilers in the battle against climate change, as research shows they are not in fact harmful to humans if used alongside the correct technologies.
Scotsman 2nd Mar 2009 more >>
Cooking Oil Power
ENERGY conscious residents will be able to recycle cooking oil for use in electricity generation. Used oil can be brought to one of the Bucks County Council recycling centres where it can be poured into collection tanks. It will then be processed into a usable form by a company called Living Fuels.
Bucks Free Press 1st March 2009 more >>
Green New Deal
Britain is falling far behind other big economies in launching a Green New Deal, despite Government promises to “lead the world” on this path out of the economic slump, a report reveals. The most comprehensive study yet of “green stimuli” being introduced around the world – puts Britain near the bottom of the international league. China, for example, has devoted well over a hundred times as much money to recession-beating environmental measures, despite being castigated as an international laggard in tackling pollution.
Independent on Sunday 1st March 2009 more >>
The most striking evidence that the Prime Minister is brown rather than green was his Cabinet’s decision in January to give the go-ahead to a third runway at Heathrow. Of course, there is a so-called business case for expansion, and Ed Miliband, the Climate Change Secretary, secured important environmental safeguards. But if this government means it when it says that climate change is so important, it cannot increase the capacity of British airports. As HSBC’s interest testifies, energy conservation, renewable energy and low-carbon technology are a huge growth area for the future. Britain has already missed the start of the race. Mr Brown must make sure we catch up, and fast.
Independent on Sunday 1st March 2009 more >>
The big six energy companies in Britain are investing on average only £30 per year from each customer in renewable energy projects. If this continues, the UK may miss its 2020 green targets by 50%. The findings, compiled for independent green power group Ecotricity, will be published ahead of the government’s biggest test yet on commercial confidence about wind power, the Tuesday deadline for bids on the third offshore licensing round.
Observer 1st March 2009 more >>
BRITAIN must set a clear policy and regulatory framework to encourage investment in green industries if it is not to fall further behind America and China, industry leaders have said. According to The Sunday Times’s inaugural Green Rich List, Britain is home to only 10 of the world’s top 100 entrepreneurs in new industries such as wind energy, electric cars and clean coal.
Sunday Times 1st March 2009 more >>
Solasysphon
A Belfast plumbing and heating company has made a major breakthrough by securing an order for its innovative energy-saving solar device from an international manufacturer. Willis Renewable Energy said its Solasyphon water heating system, which was launched last year, was now to be supplied to Apricus, which is headquartered in Connecticut.
Enviro Solutions 25th Feb 2009 more >>
Renewable Heat
The Country Land and Business Association has today (Wednesday, 25 February) reacted with shock and disappointment to the news that the incentive for renewable heat is to be delayed by a year.
Farming UK 25th Feb 2009 more >>
Microgen Finance
When Gary Southall decided to make the heating in his home more environmentally friendly, instead of asking his bank for the loan he needed to finance it, he approached his employer, Infinis. The renewable energy supplier gives employees a £1,500 ($2,180) grant and a £3,500 interest-free loan, repayable over 24 months, for micro-generation projects in their own homes. So happy is Mr Southall with his new, energy-efficient wood-stove that he is somewhat evangelical about his company’s perks. “If someone offers you a grant or interest-free loan to do something you’d been planning to, you’d be mad not to take them up on it,” he says.
FT 23rd Feb 2009 more >>
UK leading Micro Wind Market
The UK could become a world leader in microgeneration and small wind but it needs a helping hand to create the market. The UK is already leading the market in manufacture small wind turbines which can generate up to 50kW of power, but has one of the smallest installed capacities in Europe. Most of the small turbines made in the country are instead exported. The British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) estimates that the UK has the potential to install 600,000 of these small units by 2020, generating 1.3gW of power.
Edie 20th Feb 2009 more >>
DEA Direct 23rd Feb 2009 more >>
Tesco Turbine
FOLLOWING its surprise scheme for a super-sized supermarket on stilts, Tesco now has another plan on the horizon for its flagship Macclesfield store. The multinational has submitted designs to the town hall to build a 35ft high “green” micro wind turbine in the car park of its Hibel Road outlet.
Macclesfield Express 18th Feb 2009 more >>
Microgeneration Course
Microgeneration, biomass boilers, and solar panels could be part of the curriculum for a new course designed to teach communities to use green renewable energy systems. Community Renewable Energy (CoRE) received £10,000 from the Big Lottery’s Awards for All Fund to develop an accredited training programme on community renewables.
DEA Direct 18th Feb 2009 more >>
B&Q Saga
Retailer B&Q is to invest £150,000 in the “first ever” comprehensive study of micro wind turbines in the UK, as the future of its own line of wind turbines hangs in the balance. The news came as the company pulled the Windsave brand of micro wind turbines from its shelves after last month’s report on trials by consultancy Encraft, which questioned the effectiveness of building-mounted wind turbines.
New Energy Focus 17th Feb 2009 more >>
