News archive
week ending 12 February 2010
Oldham Hydro
Water company United Utilities has given a residents’ group permission to place a 50kW turbine on the north side of Dove Stone Reservoir in Saddleworth, Oldham, to generate hydro-electricity. The community-led scheme, which is thought to be the first of its kind in the UK, is being led by residents’ group Saddleworth Community Hydro, which has been working on the proposal for two years.
New Energy Focus 12th Feb 2010 more >>
Eco School
PLANS have been unveiled for a revolutionary eco-friendly primary school which will be the first of its kind in North Lincolnshire. Westcliffe Primary School is set to benefit from a £5.5-million new building thanks to a grant from the DCSF Primary Capital Programme. Solar panels and a unique ground source pump will be installed at the school making it increasingly energy efficient.
Scunthorpe Telegraph 12th Feb 2010 more >>
Dorset Cashback
DORSET County Council and the Dorset Energy Group are encouraging households and small businesses to install renewable energy systems, which will entitle them to take advantage of a new Government incentive scheme offering a ‘clean energy cashback’.
Western Gazette 12th Feb 2010 more >>
Heat Pump?
A QUESTION that the Low Carbon Energy Centre Showroom is always being asked is ‘What exactly is a heat pump?’ In broad terms it is a heat generating appliance that recovers heat from the atmosphere or from the ground. The boiler scrappage scheme allows for the replacement of the old boiler with an ‘A’ rated appliance. Although the new generation of ‘A’ rated condensing boilers are much more efficient, their replacement and associated work is still subject to 17.5% VAT. However, if a heat pump is installed in place of the old boiler, then the VAT rate for the installation drops to only 5%.
Western Gazette 12th Feb 2010 more >>
Congleton Turbine
Congleton’s green credentials could be boosted if a plan for a water turbine on the River Dane goes ahead. The town council will discuss plans for a small hydro generator at the side of Mill Weir next to Congleton Park.
Chronicle Series 11th Feb 2010 more >>
Let a thousand flowers bloom
Over the past two months the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has given winners of the Low Carbon Community Challenge (LCCC) grants of up to £500,000. Most of the projects involve small communities of 1,000 to 3,000 people planning a mix of measures such as new hydro-, wind, solar and biomass power; home insulation. The programme will coincide with the birth of electricity feed-in tariffs on April 1st. Ministers hope the new tariffs will create up to 750,000 micro-power installations by 2020. (That may be overly optimistic: in Germany, where feed-in tariffs began in 2000, there were just 290,000 micro-power installations by the end of 2006.)
Economist 11th Feb 2010 more >>
Stirling Insulation Effort
Thousands of householders across Stirling have signed up to the Scottish Government’s Home Insulation Scheme. A number of areas across Scotland were chosen to pilot the sheme - Stirling was the only place where every resident could apply for help. So far over 4 thousand householders have received energy saving advice and green home reports. On top of this 775 homes will benefit from free or discounted cavity wall or loft insulation.
Central FM 11th Feb 2010 more >>
Edinburgh CHP or not?
SCOTTISHPOWER’s controversial proposals for a gas-fired plant on the Cockenzie Power Station site were rejected by local councillors at a packed public meeting, staged by community leaders on Tuesday.
East Lothian Courier 11th Feb 2010 more >>
Lanarkshire Scrappage
LANARKSHIRE Greens have welcomed concessions given by the Scottish Government over a boiler scrappage scheme for Scotland and the start of a new home insulation programme. The Green Party had pressed Ministers to improve co-ordination between the various funds already available, including providing funding to replace old and inefficient boilers and to offer free loft and cavity wall insulation as part of a new area-based home energy programme.
East Kilbride News 12th Feb 2010 more >>
National Trust
Stately homes and historic buildings will be powered by “grow your own” green energy under plans announced by the National Trust today to halve its use of fossil fuels by 2020. The Trust is planning to install more than 50 new boilers in mansions and larger buildings over the next five years, which will be powered by wood from its estates and their local areas.
Yorkshire Evening Post 11th Feb 2010 more >>
Rapid 11th Feb 2010 more >>
Guardian 11th Feb 2010 more >>
New Energy Focus 11th Feb 2010 more >>
Low Carbon Economy 11th Feb 2010 more >>
AD unhappy with FiT
The government needs to provide anaerobic digestion with the same financial support as less efficient technologies such as wind and solar PV, according to the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (ADBA).
New Energy Focus 10th Feb 2010 more >>
Postcode Lottery
Small-scale renewables projects in Scotland are subject to a “postcode lottery” under the country’s updated planning system, planning consultants have warned.
New Energy Focus 10th Feb 2010 more >>
Carbon Trust
Dual winners of the Carbon Trust Awards 2010 have been announced after the company split their annual award into two categories; new build and refurbishment. It marks increased recognition of the importance of refurbishment by the Carbon Trust which calculates that 60% of our current non domestic building stock will still be in use by 2050.
Urban Realm 10th Feb 2010 more >>
Solar Thermal
Daikin Solar thermal collectors have been awarded Solar Keymark for solar thermal products; a certification which is mandatory for end users and organisations to access financial incentives, such as grants available through the Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP). To qualify for the LCBP grants, both the microgeneration product selected and its installer must carry the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) mark, which is designed to certify microgeneration products and services to consistently rigorous standards.
ADF Online 10th Feb 2010 more >>
Worcester at Eco Build
Worcester will be showing a selection of new products, including its Greenfloor underfloor heating system and the latest Micro CHP unit, due for its release in 2011.
Builders Merchant Journal 10th Feb 2010 more >>
Solar Surge
With electricity bills already at a premium and only likely to rise further, generating energy from sunlight has become increasingly popular with households across Europe. And when new feed-in tariffs come into force in April the number of families using solar power is expected to quadruple in the UK - and suppliers and fitters in the region are already reporting a surge in trade.
Norwich Evening News 10th Feb 2010 more >>
Pioneers Undervalued
A 100 per cent renewable electricity supplier has expressed its disappointment at the government s proposed feed-in-tariff (FiT) rate for “pioneering” generators who installed microgeneration technology before July 15th 2009. Good Energy has pledged to continue to pay its existing accredited small generators 15 pence a unit for all their electricity even though the government s rate is only 9p/kWh.
Rapid 10th Feb 2010 more >>
New Energy Focus 9th Feb 2010 more >>
English PD
The British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) is urging the Communities and Local Government office to expand its proposed size limits for free-standing domestic wind turbines as the consultation on permitted development rights for micro-renewables closes today (February 9).
New Energy Focus 9th Feb 2010 more >>
Scottish PD
The Scottish Government has launched the second stage of its consultation on permitted development rights for domestic micro-wind turbines and air source heat pumps. The second part, launched last week, sets out circumstances where it would be suitable for people to install such technologies without having to make a planning application. Some of the restrictions would include: wind turbines on a building will be permitted if height does not exceed 3m, and air source heat pumps will be permitted if not visible from the road in a conservation area.
New Energy Focus 9th Feb 2010 more >>
Eco Town Cash
60M of Government cash has been set aside to kick-start work on four eco-projects around the UK. Money will be used to build more than 600 new “green” homes in and around four eco-town sites: Whitehill-Bordon, Hampshire; St Austell in Cornwall; Rackheath, Norfolk and North West Bicester in Oxfordshire. Each home will feature smart meters to monitor energy use, water saving systems, renewable power and electric car charging points, the Department for Communities and Local Government said.
New Civil Engineer 9th Feb 2010 more >>
Low Carbon Economy 8th Feb 2010 more >>
Derby Hydro Electric
THE project team behind plans to build a hydro-electric power station on the River Derwent said it hoped to start construction in the next 12 months. Derby City Council wants to build the generator at Longbridge Weir to generate electricity which would feed into the nearby Council House. The £1.66m station plans have been on the cards for more than a year but have been held up by flooding concerns raised by the Environment Agency.
Derby Evening Telegraph 9th Feb 2010 more >>
Newcastle Eco-renovation
FROM a derelict house to one of the greenest homes on Tyneside - Number one Glebe Street in Benwell, Newcastle, has been turned into a model of green living as an “eco-house”. The property shows how old houses can be improved to save tenants cash and cut carbon emissions. An innovative air source heat pump, which works in a similar way to an air conditioning unit, but backwards, has been put in for heating the house. Solar panels on the roof will harness the sun’s rays to heat water, while sun pipes will channel light into the house and cut down the need for electricity.
Evening Chronicle 9th Feb 2010 more >>
Cornish Energy
VILLAGERS and businesses in Grampound and Ladock have won £500,000 to help install green technologies such as solar panels and underground heating systems. Just 12 communities in the UK were awarded the government cash.
This is Cornwall 9th Feb 2010 more >>
Solar Fire
SOLAR panels are to be installed at Skegness fire station under a new green scheme. Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue hope to install the environmentally-friendly power producers at the station around April/May, after setting itself a target of reducing its carbon emissions by 20 per cent by 2012
This is Skegness 9th Feb 2010 more >>
Eco Homes Sub-standard
“Ministers have said that eco-towns must be built to Code Level 4, whereas all regular homes will be Code Level 6 or zero carbon by 2016. “Ministers need to realise that they are damaging the environmental cause by encouraging sub-standard homes to be built.”
Telegraph 9th Feb 2010 more >>
Geothermal needs a higher RHI
Ryan Law, managing director of Geothermal Engineering, which is planning the UK’s first commercial-scale geothermal power plant, says that the Renewable Heat Incentive - released for consultation last week - needs to be refined to encourage a wide mix of renewable heat.
New Energy Focus 8th Feb 2010 more >>
Green Hotel
A new hotel in Copenhagen is promising to be one of the world’s greenest, as hotel chains expand their offerings outside of guest comfort alone. The Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers may not be one of the world’s prettiest hotels, but it is, in fact, the largest solar panel building installation in Northern Europe, with every centimeter of the 85 meter-tall sunny fa ade and the roof covered in panels.
Independent 8th Feb 2010 more >>
Feed-in Tariff
The government s microgeneration incentive scheme has been praised and criticised in equal measure by green experts during the week since its details were officially announced.
Raid 8th Feb 2010 more >>
The introduction of the feed-in tariff (known as Clean Energy Cashback scheme) opens a new and exciting era for microgeneration. Here we answer some of the most common questions on the new scheme. If you’ve got any more, please add a comment below and we’ll do our best to answer. The information below refers to domestic installations of less than 50kW.
Ooffoo.com 10th Feb 2010 more >>
Neville Controversy
ANGRY villagers are taking on a Premier League footballer to fight plans for his state-of-the-art eco home in Harwood. Manchester United star Gary Neville has applied for planning permission to build a futuristic zero-carbon home on his Harwood estate. But objectors have been battling against the plans since the Bury Times first revealed detailed designs two weeks ago.
This is Lancashire 8th Feb 2010 more >>
Green Think Tank
Beehives, a vegetable patch in the garden and solar panels are part of a 10-year-old’s vision for his dream green school. Daniel Halstead, from Clapham, has designed a futuristic and sustainable school with the help of a professional designer. His vision was part of his work with the British Gas Generation Green Think Tank – the UK’s first environmental think tank for schoolchildren.
South London Press 8th Feb 2010 more >>
Ashton Hayes
CHESTER’S most carbon-friendly village is celebrating after winning £500,000 as part of the Government’s new clean energy scheme. Ashton Hayes, near Chester, has been awarded grant money through the Government’s low carbon community challenge to help in its quest to become the first carbon neutral village in England. The community plan to spend the money on various renewable generation technologies which will power part of the village.
Chester First 8th Feb 2010 more >>
Practical Action
Visitors to Ecobuild 2010 will have the chance to get their hands on the latest renewable technologies at new attraction, Practical Installer. Practical Installer, brought to you in association with Plumb Center, will put the latest innovations in renewables under the spotlight dispelling the myth that renewable technologies are complicated and showing that, in some cases, they are more straightforward than traditional technologies. Look out for sessions on solar, heat pumps and water saving technologies offering installers and heating engineers the chance to see a number of installation scenarios. The experts will also be on hand to answer questions and give advice.
ADF Online 8th Feb 2010 more >>
Weardale Eco-village
A major study is to be carried out to ensure ambitious plans for an eco-village in County Durham can go ahead.The eco-village is expected to cover an area equivalent to the size of 500 football pitches and is set to feature all five forms of land-based renewable energy available in the UK - hydro, solar, wind, biomass and geothermal.
BBC 7th Feb 2010 more >>
Dundee Turbine
Scottish Parliamentary Minister Stewart Stevenson has seen at first hand the ‘green revolution’ taking place at Michelin’s Dundee factory during a visit to the Baldovie Road site. Mr Stevenson,the Minister for Transport,Infrastructure and Climate Change and MSP for Banff and Buchan, was given a guided tour of the factory this week during which he saw the environmental innovations and products that have helped shape the Dundee factory into one of the most carbon neutral in the Michelin Group. Those innovations include the factory’s two wind turbine generators, which were first unveiled and put into operation in 2006.
Dundee Messenger 7th Feb 2010 more >>
Glastonbury Solar
Worthy Farm will soon have another claim to fame – the UK’s largest private solar electricity system. Festival founder Michael Eavis will invest in 1,500 square metres of solar panels that will each year generate the same amount of power used by 40 homes.
This is Somerset 6th Feb 2010 more >>
Rapid 9th Feb 2010 more >>
Renewable Heat Incentive
A NEW scheme has been announced this week by the Renewable Energy Association, which will effectively pay people for the heat they generate themselves. Due to start in April 2011, the scheme, known as the renewable heat incentive will pay a fixed amount per year to households and businesses who install renewable heat equipment. It will be backdated to July 2009. There will also be payments for every unit of gas fed into the gas network.
Newcastle Journal 6th Feb 2010 more >>
Low Carbon Buildings Programme
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced that phase one of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP) has now been shut down after the announcement of the Feed-in Tariff scheme, more than a month earlier than the original closure date.
New Energy Focus 5th Feb 2010 more >>
Business Green 8th Feb 2010 more >>
Yorkshire and Humberside
A GREEN energy business from Sheffield, a housing association project from Rotherham and Doncaster Council have been named as finalists for the Yorkshire and the Humber Microgeneration Partnership Awards. Machon Bank-based Positive Footprint has been short listed in the Best Home Installation category of the awards for its installation of solar thermal and photovoltaic panels on a home in Sheffield which could provide enough power to meet the Fulwood home’s energy requirements.
Sheffield Star 5th Feb 2010 more >>
Good Energy
Good Energy has decided it will continue to pay our existing accredited small generators 15p a unit for all their electricity, well above the rate of 9p set by the government in its new Feed-in Tariff.
Green Energy Republic 5th Feb 2010 more >>
DECC Penny Pinching
Cathy Debenham, founder of community renewables forum YouGen, warns that early investors in renewable microgeneration technologies may decommission their systems after the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) refused to back down on offering lower Feed-in Tariff rates for ‘pioneers’.
New Energy Focus 5th Feb 2010 more >>
Scottish Permitted Development
More people will be able to generate their own green energy under new Scottish Government proposals. At present, many homeowners are able to install equipment including solar panels and ground and water source heat pumps without planning permission. But, under fresh proposals set out in a consultation launched today, there would also be scope to install wind turbines or air source heat pumps without a requirement for planning consent.
Scottish Government Press Release 5th Feb 2010 more >>
Micro Power Briefing
On the Clean Energy Cashback scheme.
Micro Power Council 1st Feb 2010 more >>
