British Gas and Adnams Bio Energy have completed the construction of an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in Suffolk, which they claim will be the first in the UK to use brewery and local food waste to produce renewable gas for injection into the national gas grid. Click here for full story

A popular grant scheme that offers the public up to £4,000 towards the cost of installing solar panels and other renewable energy devices in the home has been scrapped by the government to save money. The home renewables grant will not be replaced when it is axed at the end of this month. Click here for full story

The Microgeneration industry welcomed the Government’s root and branch review of Microgeneration policy in the UK and publication of a new Microgeneration Strategy early next year. Climate Change Minister, Greg Barker MP, launched the consultation process for the new Strategy at the Micropower Council Summer Reception in Westminster this evening (12 July). Greg Barker said: “I want to see more homes, communities and businesses generating their own energy. We can literally bring power back to the people. Microgeneration is a key part of this vision.” Click here for full story

The prize-winning inventor says his low-cost solar cell has the potential to form a major part of an energy revolutionMichael Grätzel is a man with a mission. As the inventor of a low-cost solar cell, he wants to help the world avoid an energy crisis by harnessing the power of the Sun. His translucent Grätzel cells use a combination of titanium dioxide and organic dyes to convert sunlight into electricity, providing a cheaper and more environmentally friendly source of energy than silicon solar cells. Click here for full story

It might be sunny but solar panels around Britain are failing to generate any electricity because of a shortage of parts.
The introduction of 'Feed-in Tariffs', that pay homeowners for electricity fed into the grid, has led to a rise in demand for solar panels.
But householders who have installed the expensive technology are unable to start generating electricity because of a shortage of "inverters".
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The new UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Association (UK HCFA) launched this week as the result of the merger of Fuel Cells UK and the UK Hydrogen Association. The new industry body aims to provide a common voice for the sector, advocating a positive social, political and economic environment for the development of hydrogen energy and fuel cells in the UK. Click here for full story

Thirteen businesses have been successful in winning the funding via two competitions run by the Technology Strategy Board. They will help to cement the UK as a world leader in this emerging field.The investment will fund research and development into Plastic Electronics technology which will lead to the creation of new and next generation products, such as flexible displays, and low-carbon technologies, including ultra-efficient lighting, and low-cost long-life solar cells. Click here for full story

This article was written by Mark Osborne and Emma HughesRenewable energy generator ‘A Shade Greener’ (ASG) is the first of an expected many companies to offer free solar photovoltaic installations to residents in the UK. The company, which is based in South Yorkshire, started up in October 2009 with the aim of installing 2,000 PV systems on residential rooftops in select regions, however, since the introduction of the feed-in tariff and exposure on the BBC, interest has increased dramatically. Click here for full story

SWINDON, England, July 1 (UPI) -- Small-scale hydroelectric projects provide clean energy alternatives while preserving the regional landscape in Scotland, an energy company says.
German energy company RWE received approval from the Scottish government to build a 3-megawatt hydroelectric power station driven by the fresh water of Loch Arkaig.
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British Gas unveiled an unprecedented 15 million pounds Sterling investment in solar technology for the nation's schools.The company will donate and install solar panels - worth between 20,000 and 40,000 pounds per school - in up to 750 schools.  Each school will be able to generate its own free, green electricity, cutting as much as 20% off its annual electricity bill. Click here for full story

UK service provider of renewable energy systems, Ownergy, has launched an online ‘Simple Guide to Renewable Energy Tariffs.’The guide encompasses the UK renewable energy feed-in tariff (FiT) and the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Click here for full story

The Scottish government has unveiled plans to set up a central loan fund to support sustainable cheap energy projects across the region.
Environment secretary Richard Lochhead has completed a consultation and launched a study into how energy-saving renewable projects north of the border can be funded and launched. funded and launched. Click here for full story

Intamac Systems, a provider of internet-accessed monitoring and control services, has announced that it has received a £4m investment from a syndicate of London-based investors, including Carbon Trust Investments, Chandos Fund and Seraphim Capital. Click here for full story

A huge name in the world of fast food has set up a new restaurant that is powered by wind and solar energy and will reduce power costs by 45 per cent and CO2 emissions by more than 1,201 metric tons each year. Burger King is starting the new venture in Waghausel, Germany, and has worked together with Wirsol Solar AG in order to create the eco-friendly restaurant, which could be recreated in the UK.
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A new centre for sustainable building design opens today in London, showcasing the latest technologies set to help tackle the capital’s carbon emissions. The Centre for Efficient and Renewable Energy in Buildings (CEREB) is the first teaching, research and demonstration facility of its kind to open in London. Click here for full story

….. Stobart said its new joint venture Stobart Biomass Products, alongside Cumbria-based A.W. Jenkinson, which supplies the UK renewable energy market with waste wood and other raw materials had seen improved visibility of orders over the past two months “with further viable projects identified”.
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Kingdom Housing Association is pioneering a new solar-powered house that will test new technologies aimed at improving the standards for eco-friendly and fuel-efficient affordable housing. The Fife-based HA is employing cutting-edge technology to build the new three-bedroom, highly energy efficient, detached family home on a plot of land at Station Court, Pittenweem. Click here for full story

Four Scottish farms are looking at energy saving and the use of renewable power as part of an initiative to set new standards for the sector. Energy saving and renewables are one of the areas of focus for the four participants, along with their use of fertiliser, livestock management and opportunities to lock carbon into the soil rather than releasing it into the atmosphere. The four participating farms represent arable production - the growth of crops and vegetables - as well as dairy, upland livestock and diversified farming. Click here for full story

Controversial £1.7 billion proposals by Forth Ports and Scottish & Southern Energy to build four ¬woodchip-burning power plants may be in danger of being rejected after several Scottish Government ministers appeared to speak out against them. Click here for full story

A new power plant could be built at a docks that would help dispose of 160,000 tonnes of wood and waste every year. Initial plans for a biomass combined heat and power plant have been submitted to Kent County Council by Biomass Power Plant Ridham Ltd, a joint venture formed by German energy firm subsidiary Evonik New Energies and renewable energy specialist HES Biopower. Click here for full story

This major project aims to achieve zero energy based on heat pumps while keeping comfort and indoor air quality….. Partners in this exceptional cross-border project, coordinated by Environment Application Research at Daikin Europe, are major research institutions across Europe. The net zero project is scheduled for completion in July 2010 at Herten, Germany. Click here for full story

Generating heat and electricity from waste could help Scotland meet its renewable energy target, a report said yesterday. The Scottish Government has pledged to generate 11 per cent of all heat and half of all electricity from renewable sources within ten years. The report by the Sustainable Development Commission Scotland, which advises the Scottish Government, says 17 per cent of Scotland's heating and electricity requirements can be met by treating waste to create energy. Click here for full story

Solar panel installation experts at Solar Choice believe the Government is failing consumers by neglecting to publicise vital information about the Feed-In Tariff widely enough. The UK's Feed-In Tariff came into effect in April 2010 and offers generous financial incentives to consumers opting to install solar PV panels in their homes. Yet despite this, there has been relatively little by way of information and publicity about the tariff made available to consumers. Click here for full story

Aerial mapping company Bluesky is developing ground-breaking technology to automatically pinpoint the best locations for solar panels. Using aerial remote sensing technology including aircraft mounted lasers and digital aerial photography, the 3D solar energy maps will identify homes and other buildings with roofs that may be suitable for mounting solar panels to generate renewable energy. Click here for full story

First Minister Alex Salmond should stop grandstanding on the international stage over climate change and take action at home, it was claimed. Labour leader Iain Gray accused Mr Salmond of hypocrisy as it emerged the Scottish Government’s energy efficiency action plan – which aims to boost home insulation and kickstart micro-renewable energy and smart meters – has been delayed again, this time until the autumn. Click here for full story

Several daily lorry journeys will be needed to help provide fuel for a £360 million renewable energy plant earmarked for Leith docks. Developer Forth Energy said 23 heavy goods vehicles a day would travel in and out of the biomass plant, despite the majority of the wood chip coming in by ship. Click here for full story

As detailed in the AWEA Small Wind Turbine Global Market Study, released last month by the American Wind Energy Association, 2009 was another year of big growth for small wind. Yes, the recession had an impact, but, no, the marketplace did not lose sight of the fact that electricity prices are going to go up and having a private personal supply of it is, sooner or later, going to pay off. Click here for full story

Crofters and owners of small rural enterprises are encouraged by the Scottish Crofting Foundation (SCF) to invest in small renewables despite almost “insurmountable hurdles” to succeed with small-scale renewable energy production. The SCF said opportunities are being wasted by bureaucracy and the difficulty to raise money for such projects. Click here for full story

Solar PV experts predict the UK will follow in Europe's footsteps and experience significant market growth following the introduction of the new feed-in tariffs (FITs). According to a report published in May 2010 by the European Photovoltaic Industry Association, Germany continues to dominate the European PV market with 68% market share, followed by Italy and the Czech Republic. Belgium and France both showed steady growth throughout 2009 whilst Spain's market appeared to slow because of the recession. And trailing at the bottom of the league table is the UK with installations totalling just 22 MW in 2009. However, in April, the UK Government introduced the new FITs to encourage households and businesses to install renewable energy systems such as solar PV. With this solid foundation, the UK solar PV market looks set for substantial growth. Click here for full story

Chesterfield BioGas (CBG), part of Pressure Technologies plc, is to supply Centrica with one of the UK’s first biogas upgrading plants for the production of biomethane from waste for direct injection into the national gas grid. The order, worth over £0.6 million, has resulted from a partnership between Centrica, Scotia Gas Networks and Thames Water to process the gas naturally produced by waste water at the Didcot Sewage Works. Click here for full story

Households in Scotland will be expected to separate food waste from other rubbish so it can be used to generate electricity under new SNP plans due to be brought in by 2013. Councils, as well as businesses such as supermarkets and restaurants, will have to dispose of food separately from other refuse within three years, under the ambitious Zero Waste Plan, published yesterday (9 June). The Scottish Government said that it hopes the mandatory changes in the way rubbish is collected will help cut down on the amount of waste being sent to landfill. Click here for full story

Sarah Lonsdale tests the latest eco products and sorts the fads from the finds. This week: heat pumps. Click here for full story

Bosch Thermotechnology plans to move its Worcester head office and factory to a bigger site in response to expected rising demand in the UK for energy efficient heat technologies. The European giant has submitted an outline planning application for a new UK factory and HQ to replace its existing Worcester Bosch site, which employs 1,560 people and makes boilers and other heating technologies. Click here for full story

The UK's Green Energy Supply Certification Scheme will increase confidence for green electricity consumers, but energy companies outside the scheme will still be allowed to greenwash. Click here for full story

Plans are moving forward for a wind turbine on Hackney Marshes despite proposals being scrapped for another on the Olympic Park. The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) announced on Thursday (June 3) that it will no longer be building a turbine to the north of the 2012 site in Eton Manor, Newham, which was meant to provide renewable energy for East London after the Games. Hackney Council has been considering proposals for a 120-metre-tall turbine on the East Marsh after residents voted in favour of it in a public consultation. Click here for full story

The new UK housing minister Grant Shapps this week pledged to uphold the previous Labour government’s target for all new homes to be zero-carbon by 2016. He promised that the Coalition Government will release a final definition of ‘zero-carbon’ in the next few weeks, bringing to an end years of consultation. Click here for full story

Small-scale renewable energy specialist Microgeneration Limited yesterday announced it has acquired building engineering firm HW Smith & Son in a deal designed to create a "one-stop shop" for installing renewable energy systems. The 60-strong company said the introduction of the feed-in tariff incentive scheme in April had resulted in a threefold increase in enquiries from customers interested in installing renewable energy systems such as solar panels and wind turbines and as a result it is looking to scale up to respond to the growing demand. Click here for full story

Renewable energy schemes helped boost profits for waste management group Viridor, which rose by 34.8% to £55.4m. Chief executive, Colin Drummond, said an expansion of energy-from-waste (EfW) schemes could offer major opportunities for growth with parent company Pennon, which also has major interests in South West Water, announcing a 14.2% increase in underlying profits to £189m. Click here for full story

Danish anaerobic digestion technology provider Xergi is building an anaerobic digestion plant in Scotland. The EUR8 million agreement has been entered into with Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE). The anaerobic digestion plant will be built at Barkip, North Ayrshire. It is expected to be operational for energy production in early 2011. Click here for full story

Future Capital Partners, a £6 billion alternative investment boutique, has tapped Alan Cross to serve as business development manager. In his new role, Cross is responsible for developing and strengthening relationships with key accountancy and intermediary firms among FCP’s client base in Scotland and Northern Ireland. He is also tasked with the marketing of FCP’s range of products, the most recent being Future Fuels. Launched in January, Future Fuels is an investment partnership that will fund and build a renewable transport fuel plant in the North of England. Click here for full story