News archive
North Queensferry
Is North Queensferry in Fife vying to be the microgeneration capital of Scotland?
Solar Panels have been spotted on the roof of the Prime Minister's constituency home in North Queensferry.
This is London 23rd March 2007
more >>
But apparently his attempt to install a wind turbine was refused planning permission.
Edinburgh Evening News 9th July 2007
more >>
Novelist Iain Banks, who also lives in North Queensferry has apparently bought a wind turbine for his roof.
Edinburgh Evening News 22nd May 2007
more >>
The
picture shows a third house in North Queensferry with solar panels. For
a village with a population just over 1,000 three or more installations
is not a bad start.
week ending 8 May 2009
Scottish Climate Bill
A Labour amendment for targets on greenhouse gas emissions to be set for the period between 2010 and 2019 to ensure early action was voted in. However, Lib Dem proposals for duties to make sure local councils achieved emission reductions were not supported. The next rounds of debate are set to focus on issues including whether to bring in a system of council tax rebates for people who improve the energy efficiency of their homes and businesses. And there will be a discussion about what portion of Scotland’s emissions should be cut at home, instead of relying on buying international credits for action overseas.
Scotsman 8th May 2009 more >>
Body Power
BODY heat from pupils and teachers, along with that generated by its computers, should be enough to heat Scotland’s most energy efficient school, which opened for business yesterday. Staff and pupils moved into their state-of-the-art timber primary school in Acharacle, at the west end of Loch Shiel where Moidart meets the Ardnamurchan peninsula.
Herald 8th May 2009 more >>
Cumbrian Anaerobic
RENEWABLE energy plants could help stop the decline of Cumbrian dairy farming, according to a new study by Community Renewable Energy North West (CoRE NW). The report looked at the potential impact of an anaerobic digester, which converts slurry and other agricultural materials into energy, on the livelihoods of 12 farmers who would supply and jointly own it in the Silloth area. Rob Skinner, of CoRE NW, said: “We found that on average the income of farmers involved in the plant would increase by over £15,000 a year.
Cumberland News 8th May 2009 more >>
Island Renewables
ANN McKechin, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Scotland Office visited the Isle of Lewis and hailed the potential of green renewable energy as a catalyst for economic, social and community regeneration.
Stornoway Gazette 7th May 2009 more >>
Italian solar plant
Siemens Energy, a unit of Siemens AG, has built a ground-based photovoltaic plant in Italy under contract to Ferrarelle S.p.A, the Italian bottled water company. The turnkey solar power plant, with a peak capacity of 1 MW, was constructed 50 kilometers north of Naples in the Campania region. The solar power plant was connected to the grid at the end of December 2008 and can now supply eco-friendly power to about 350 households.
Energy Business Review 7th May 2009 more >>
South Wales Wind
Chemicals manufacturer Solutia is to source electricity for its Newport site in South Wales from two large wind turbines later this year. Construction begins this month on the project, with industrial on-site wind developers Wind Direct set to build, own and operate the 2.5MW machines, which secured planning permission back in 2007.
New Energy Focus 7th May 2009 more >>
Low Carbon Economy 7th May 2009 more >>
Devon Biomass
A primary school in Devon is to cut its carbon emissions with a new £60,000 boiler system fuelled by wood pellets. Gulworthy Primary School near Tavistock has received grants from the government’s Low Carbon Buildings Programme, EDF Energy and the Co-operative Group to fund the new 45kW boiler system.
New Energy Focus 7th May 2009 more >>
Ice Cream Power
A proposal to create renewable energy from waste ice cream at the Walls factory in Gloucester has been given the go-ahead. At a council meeting on Tuesday evening Unilever, which owns Walls, got backing from planners to build an anaerobic digester at its Barnwood site.
BBC 6th May 2009 more >>
Nottingham ambition
THE city council has been accused of lacking “ambition” in its vision for Nottingham. A draft of its development strategy for the next two decades sparked a row last year when it omitted almost any reference to environmental issues. Greater Nottingham Health and Environmental Partnership (HEP) was asked by the council to examine how issues such as renewable energy, pollution and congestion could be included in the plan. But now the HEP says most of its proposals for action on the environment have been ignored. Alan Simpson, chairman of the HEP, wrote to Jane Todd, the chief executive of the city council, to complain.
Nottingham Evening Post 6th May 2009 more >>
Small wind power systems
German technical firm Inensus has outlined plans to expand into the UK to take advantage of the burgeoning small wind industry. The Goslar-based company, which makes off-grid and on grid power systems for small wind turbines, is planning to open an office in Cambridge this summer.
New Energy Focus 6th May 2009 more >>
Dairy Wind
A Shropshire dairy farmer has installed a wind turbine which he hopes will provide most of the electricity needed to power the farm. He has installed a 15-kilowatt wind turbine, which is around the height of an oak tree, and is hoping to generate 26,000 of the 38,000 kilowatts of energy his farm uses each year. This equates to a saving of more than £2,000 a year and Mr Hudson hopes to recoup his investment within seven years.
Birmingham Post 6th May 2009 more >>
Plymouth Biomass
CHILDREN at a primary school near Tavistock will be kept warm with ‘green’ energy next winter. Gulworthy Primary School is installing a biomass boiler as part of a £60,000 project. Biomass boilers generate renewable heat and hot water by burning biomass such as wood rather than fossil fuels such as natural gas.
Plymouth Herald 6th May 2009 more >>
Tory Efficiency
Investment in energy efficiency actually saves money as well as CO2. So giving every household an entitlement to £6,500 of efficiency improvements, with the cost repaid through savings in people’s fuel bills, would save money and create much-needed jobs in the construction sector. It is inexplicable that this opportunity has been missed.
Guardian 6th May 2009 more >>
RSPB Turbine
A small-scale 15kW turbine has been installed at the RSPB’s Rainham Marshes visitor centre in Purfleet, Essex, and together with a solar array already located at the site is expected to provide enough energy to meet the centre’s requirements, cutting its carbon footprint by 9,000kg a year. Nick Bruce-White, manager of the Rainham Marshes site, said that the installation of the Proven Energy turbine demonstrated both the RSPB’s commitment to tackling climate change and its support for appropriately sited renewable energy projects.
Guardian 6th May 2009 more >>
Baxi Leads the Way
At last some recognition of the benefits of micro CHP! At the Micropower Awards last week, Baxi won the award for innovation for their Ecogen micro CHP unit against all other Microgeneration technologies. So I should be deliriously happy that the industry has actually recognised that a fossil fuelled technology can make a significant contribution to the low carbon future...or should I?
Micro Chap 6th May 2009 more >>
Another Micro-CHP
ClearEdge Power has developed a micro-CHP system based on proprietary high-temperature fuel cell technology that provides low-cost, efficient heat and power generated on-site for homes and small commercial buildings.
New Energy World 6th May 2009 more >>
London Green Zones
Business in London could soon be invited to be involved in flagship low-carbon zones, designed to showcase the technologies that will be required to meet the London mayor’s ambitious carbon reduction targets. Speaking at Prince Charles’ May Day Summit last week, Boris Johnson said that the London Development Agency (LDA) would provide £3m for 10 zones, with each zone receiving at least £200,000. He added that the LDA would also be seeking additional funding for the zones from third-party investors.
Business Green 6th May 2009 more >>
Solar Wales
DEVELOPMENT of new materials and new technologies for use in photovoltaic cells capable of generating electricity from sunlight is helping to power the growth of a research centre in Denbighshire. The Centre for Solar Energy Research based at the Technium OpTIC on St Asaph Business Park is recognised by experts around the world as helping spearhead a scientific revolution in PV thin film technologies.
Daily Post 6th May 2009 more >>
National Trust
With little fuss, it has been getting on with it. It has more than 100 schemes to develop renewable energy and is reducing its dependency on oil and fossil fuels, rethinking how its woods and uplands are managed and challenging the government on coal and airport developments.
Guardian 6th May 2009 more >>
Sheffield Hydro
A renewable energy group in Sheffield is hoping to launch a hydro power scheme which will reduce the city’s carbon footprint. Sheffield Community Renewables (SCR) is looking for investors to build a wheel at Kelham Island to use water from the Don to create electricity.
BBC 5th May 2009 more >>
Salford Winner
Renewable energy company ENER-G has been named Salford’s business of the year. The company, which also won the technology category and was runner-up in the innovatiion category, was presented with the honour at the Salford Business Awards, hosted by University of Salford graduate Andy Bond.
Crains Manchester Business 5th May 2009 more >>
Savoy Power
One of the UK’s most iconic hotels is to begin recycling its leftover food in a bid to reduce its energy demands. The Savoy Hotel in London plans to send its food remains to a biomass power plant, which the BBC reported will provide electricity to ten percent of its guest rooms.
Low Carbon Economy 5th May 2009 more >>
Small wind boom
Reports from the main wind industry trade associations in Britain and America have forecast strong growth ahead in the market for small wind turbines. Both highlighted the contribution of UK manufacturers to the growing sector. The study from the AWEA said UK companies produced 7.24MW of turbines in the 0-50kW range during 2008, representing a quarter of global demand and second only to the US itself in output. The BWEA’s study said the UK was the world’s biggest exporter of turbines under 50kW in size, selling 4.7MW of turbines abroad in more than 100 countries. Manufacturers in this country saw their export market double last year, with half of all British turbines finding homes overseas in part thanks to the weaker Pound.
New Energy Focus 5th May 2009 more >>
Silicon Valleys
THE internet and green technology will bring prosperity back to the Valleys, according to the Labour AM seen as a leading candidate to succeed Rhodri Morgan as First Minister. Carwyn Jones, Counsel General in the National Assembly, last night gave party members a vision of “Silicon Valleys” where investment in a carbon-free future will create new jobs.
Western Mail 5th May 2009 more >>
Renewable Cheese
THE Fylde coast will soon be home to one of Britain’s biggest on-shore wind turbines. Dewlay Cheesemakers factory, near Garstang, has won an appeal to build the £2.4m turbine – which at 127 metres high will be almost as tall as Blackpool Tower.
Blackpool Gazette 5th May 2009 more >>
Saving the Dairy Industry
DEVELOPING renewable energy plants could make a significant contribution to halting the decline of dairy farming in Cumbria, a new report has found. The report, by Cumbrian green agency, Community Renewable Energy North West, looked at the potential impact of an anaerobic digester on the livelihoods of 12 farmers who would supply and jointly own it in the Silloth area.
NW Evening Mail 5th May 2009 more >>
New Energy Focus 5th May 2009 more >>
CERT
LOOKING to invest in energy-saving products such as loft insulation? Ask your energy supplier if they can help. Since the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target came into effect in April 2008, electricity and gas suppliers in Great Britain were obliged to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions from homes. This includes giving advice and subsidies to help people upgrade their homes with energy-saving products. The scheme has been designed to make a significant contribution to achieving UK targets to reduce harmful emissions. Suppliers must also help increase the amount of energy generated from renewable technologies, such as wind turbines, solar panels and ground source heat pumps.
Nottingham Evening Post 5th May 2009 more >>
Nottingham House
AT THE end of an ordinary red-brick terrace in The Meadows sits a very unusual kind of home. A black zinc roof and wall areas absorb natural heat and channel rainwater for indoor use. Other walls feature strips of English-grown sweet chestnut, providing an attractive yet functional cladding which is light but strong. Carefully placed gaps in the cladding also allow natural ventilation. The main frame – made from recycled timber pallets glued together – is stiff enough to carry concrete floors which store heat and help it keep cool. On the south-facing side, solar panels and solar water heaters poke out, looking like mini rain shelters.
Nottingham Evening Post 5th May 2009 more >>
Leicester School
Enough electricity to make 110,000 cups of tea a year will be generated by a wind turbine at a city primary school. The 17.5-metre-high mast at Coleman Primary School, in Crown Hills, Leicester, will complete a major project to make the site more environmentally friendly. A new carbon-neutral nursery building at the school has straw bale walls, ground source heating and solar panels. It is clad in timber and was built using recycled materials.
Leicester Mercury 5th May 2009 more >>
Welsh Farm Grants
Within Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, grant assistance will be provided for capital works that are undertaken to improve manure and slurry handling and mitigate diffuse pollution. The rest of the proposed catchment sensitive farming scheme will now become part of the targeted element of Glastir. There will also be capital grants to support the installation of micro-hydro, small scale wind turbines, solar water heating panels for dairy farms and biomass boilers for water heating.
Farmers Guardian 5th May 2009 more >>
Derry Solar
Four farm cottages, used as holiday lets are powered by solar energy, wood pellets and a small wind turbine.
Londonderry Sentinel 5th May 2009 more >>
Baxi Boost
Boiler firm Baxi has been presented with an industry award for its new Combined Heat and Power (CHP) product. The Baxi Ecogen micro-CHP won the Innovation Award at the recent Micropower Awards held in London. Baxi beat off competition from a number of other innovative microgeneration technologies and was praised by judges for its wall-hung CHP equipment.
DEA Direct 5th May 2009 more >>
Nottingham Turbine
A WIND turbine will be built at the Sutton Bonnington campus of the University of Nottingham. Planning permission for the 15-metre high turbine was granted by Rushcliffe Borough Council last week.
Nottingham Evening Post 4th May 2009 more >>
