www.smartenergy.co.uk News

Lack manpower to scupper ‘revolution’

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:25:53 GMT

Sunday Times says 60,000 heating engineers are interested in fitting renewable energy devices but are put off by the three-year certification process. The revolution to green the UK’s homes is being held back by a lack of qualified engineers who can fit renewable energy devices.

Solar Revolution

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:19:50 GMT

The case for solar and the impact of the solar revolution – Jeremy Leggett’s full case against George Monbiot’s anit-solar articles appears on Jeremy Leggett’s website.

Report calls for science boost

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:43:58 GMT

The profile of science in the UK must be raised to help diversify the economy and boost growth, a report endorsed by the Conservatives has urged. The report's author, entrepreneur Sir James Dyson, called for more support for science teachers and tax breaks for high-tech firms to conduct research.

New solar and wind developer

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:39:53 GMT

A new company has formed to partner with landowners, commercial property owners and managers, to build, own and operate wind and solar power generating assets on sites across the UK. Vigor Renewables has launched to take advantage of the new feed-in tariffs (FiT), which come into effect at the beginning of next month. Also known as the Clean Energy Cashback scheme, FiT guarantees an inflation-linked income for on-site renewable energy projects under five megawatts in size for a period of up to 25 years.

Feed-in time

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:38:46 GMT

Steven Harris from the Energy Saving Trust describes what he believes is the first step towards the nationwide take-up of domestic energy generation. Gordon Brown is doing it, the Tories are tweeting about it and, if the hype is to be believed, over the next few years we will all be investing massive amounts of money to lavish our homes with it.

Anaerobic digestion goes mobile

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:16:59 GMT

A mobile anaerobic digestion rig will be tested on a range of industrial effluents at a variety of food and drink manufacturing premises in Britain over the next few months. The mobile Clearfleau rig will first be moved to the site of an unnamed Somerset cheese maker for trials on whey during January and February before moving on to another site.Clearfleau director Richard Gueterbock said: “During 2010 Clearfleau is planning to undertake further on-site trials with a range of industrial effluents. These will include dairy products, effluent from food and drink processing plus brewery and distillery waste.”

Blow for home power-generation

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:46:39 GMT

Red tape is strangling a scheme designed to encourage millions of families to generate their own green electricity with home-mounted solar panels, wind turbines and heat pumps, according to the UK’s biggest manufacturer of central heating equipment. Starting next month, Britain’s 26 million households will be able to collect a fixed fee of up to 41p a kilowatt hour for electricity they generate from roof-mounted solar panels and sell on to the grid. Up to 34½p a kilowatt hour is available for home-mounted windmills.

Green buzz fails to warm home buyers

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:45:10 GMT

The British building industry wants to ease green home standards as the public balk at the 20 percent or higher costs of low-carbon homes, exhibitors told a major London conference. Low carbon homes are more airtight than their conventional counterparts, with better insulation, and rely on renewable sources of power generation such as roof-top solar panels or community-scale plants converting food and other waste into energy.

Low-energy lightbulbs: millions wasted

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:44:44 GMT

Forty-two million energy-saving lightbulbs were sent out by utilities companies in the three months before Christmas under the government's £3bn energy-efficiency scheme, even though many are unlikely to be used. Since the scheme began less than two years ago, 224m bulbs have been distributed – almost 10 for each household. According to a survey by the Energy Saving Trust last year, the average home had six unused bulbs lying in drawers.

British rivers could power 850,000 homes

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:16:04 GMT

Rivers could be harnessed to generate electricity for almost a million homes with the building of up to 26,000 controversial hydropower turbines around the country, a report will say tomorrow (8 March). The Environment Agency will reveal that the water wheels have the potential to generate enough electricity to power 850,000 homes – more than three per cent of the UK's residential electricity demand. A study commissioned by the Government body has concluded that there is vast untapped potential across the England and Wales for generating energy from rivers.

Humans MUST be to blame

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:15:00 GMT

Climate scientists have delivered a powerful riposte to their sceptical critics with a study that strengthens the case for saying global warming is largely the result of man-made emissions of greenhouse gases. The researchers found that no other possible natural phenomenon, such as volcanic eruptions or variations in the activity of the Sun, could explain the significant warming of the planet over the past half century as recorded on every continent including Antarctica.

How will Cameron keep the lights on?

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:14:20 GMT

Neither of the main parties seems to have any idea how we are to meet the looming shortfall in power. As the election approaches, two issues should transcend all others. One, obviously, is what the parties propose to do about the £178 billion deficit in government spending. But another, equally terrifying – as this column has warned for years – is what is to be done to avert the fast-looming crisis in Britain’s electricity supplies. With 40 per cent of our generating capacity due to disappear in the next few years, as 14 of our major nuclear and coal-fired power stations are forced to close, how do the parties propose to keep Britain’s lights on and our computer-dependent economy functioning?

RE strategy: Miliband challenges Cameron

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:13:42 GMT

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband threw down the gauntlet to Conservative leader David Cameron, challenging him to clarify his party's position on key climate change policies. In a precursor to the central role environmental issues are likely to play at the forthcoming election, Miliband issued an open letter to Cameron calling on him to spell out his party's stance on the UK's renewable energy strategy, and invited interested parties to add their signatures to the online document.

Not the great green rip-off

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:11:42 GMT

Monbiot has got it wrong: feed-in tariffs are not a waste of money. They work – just look at the German renewables industry ...... Thank goodness Jeremy Leggett stepped in to correct some of the inaccuracies in George Monbiot's piece. The errors, however, are even more extensive than Jeremy highlighted. It isn't often that Monbiot manages to get the politics, the details and the practicalities of an argument all wrong at the same time. He managed to do so, however, in his attack on the government's feed-in tariffs proposals for renewable energy.

FiT for purpose?

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:11:00 GMT

The debate on the UK’s new Feed-In Tariff (FiT) has been quite lively, with the Guardian’s George Monbiot arguing that, with solar PV being still very expensive, the way the FiT provided the support needed was economically regressive. It does look that way at first glance - those that could afford to invest say £10,000 in PV might get £1000 p.a. back for the electricity they generated and used, paid for by all the other consumers, who would be charged extra via their electricity bills. It’s been suggested that this would lead to a £11p.a. surcharge on bills by 2020. However, in a rebuttal to Monbiot’s analysis, Jeremy Leggett from Solar Century said ‘the average household levy in 2013, when tariff rates are all up for review, is likely to be less than £3,’ and he added ‘this is far less than the average saving from the government’s various domestic energy efficiency measures over the same period. So there is no net subsidy. The levy is not “regressive” at all’.

Toyota joins clean energy partnership

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:09:17 GMT

Toyota and the Clean Energy Partnership announced today (5 March) that Toyota has become a new international auto partner for the organisation. The move will add further impetus to CEP’s programme of advancing sustainable mobility through the development of hydrogen filling stations and a fuel supply network in Germany.

The feed-in tariff's delayed

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:04:22 GMT

Concern is growing over potential delays to the feed-in tariff intended to kickstart a domestic green power revolution.

Assessing English regional RE potential

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:35:52 GMT

New guidelines published today (5 March) will help regional authorities assess the potential for renewable and low-carbon energy in their area. The guidelines, published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) today will help English regions set themselves ambitious renewable targets in their new Regional Strategies, in line with the UK's overall target for 15% renewable energy by 2020. The document provides regional authorities with guidance on how to calculate the potential their areas have for renewables. This might include what the wind speeds are in different areas, how many houses there are with roof space - and what constraints they should then apply. The guidance provides detail on how to assess potential for large and small scale onshore wind, biomass, hydro power and solar energy.

UK schools to get A* for smarter energy

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:22:51 GMT

Two British clean technology firms have combined forces to unveil a blueprint for the eco schools of the future. PassivSystems is to work with ModCell on the creation of the ModCell Renewable Schools across the UK, targeting the Government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. The schools will be built using ModCell’s renewable, carbon capturing materials that lower heating costs by up to 85 per cent, whilst any energy used on lighting, computers and other technology will be reduced even further using the PassivEnergy energy management system. The first school is scheduled for completion in September 2010 and will be an exemplar of how Zero Carbon Schools will be delivered.

Fears over delay to feed-in tariff

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:46:24 GMT

The government will come under fire tomorrow from a renewable energy sector increasingly concerned about potential delays in the implementation of a "feed-in tariff" meant to kickstart a domestic green power revolution. David Kidney, an energy minister, will be questioned at a summit in London organised by Renewables UK [sic], formerly the British Wind Energy Association, over its failure to pass a statutory instrument needed for the introduction of the tariff.

Govt schemes set to confuse homeowners

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:44:39 GMT

The Solar Trade Association welcome the Pay as You Save Scheme. However, the STA believe that as Solar Thermal energy solutions will be reimbursed under the Renewable Heat Incentive, currently in consultaton, at 50% less than other renewable energy solutions homeowners will be unable to make decisions about renewable energy technology based on effectiveness and appropriateness alone.

Calls for All-Ireland Hydrogen Highway

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:40:49 GMT

An all-Ireland ‘Hydrogen Highway’ could help solve our future fuel shortage problems – according to a University of Ulster researcher. Professor Vladimir Molkov, Director of Ulster’s Hydrogen Safety Engineering and Research (HySAFER) Centre, says that Ireland is lagging behind its European neighbours when it comes to investing in alternative fuel sources. He warns that now is the time to act before fossil fuel reserves become depleted and proposes that a network of hydrogen refuelling stations between several major cities be created which would allow a hydrogen-fuelled bus link to service this route.

UK jobs: who’s in demand?

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:39:31 GMT

Despite the uncertainty surrounding public finances, many industries in the UK are optimistic about the recovery of the local economy. Revised GDP figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the economy expanded by 0.3% in the last three months of 2009 after contracting steadily for six quarters in a row. As Britain begins its slow journey back to health, new employment opportunities are appearing on the horizon for jobseekers with the right combination of skills and experience.... Green energy jobs are also beginning to pick up after the government announced that it would guarantee above-market prices for ‘green’ power sources.

B&Q leads govt 'green loan' scheme

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:36:46 GMT

B&Q is partnering the London Borough of Sutton in a trial of the Government's new Pay as You Save (PAYS) scheme.

Belfast’s plug-in-and-go cars

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:35:25 GMT

Electric cars could be commonplace on the streets of Belfast in the not too distant future. The city is gearing up to become one of the first places in the UK to introduce the green initiative. If a Northern Ireland bid is successful, charging points could be dotted around Belfast to pioneer plug-in cars.

Sharp's Andrew Lee on a bright UK future

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:33:23 GMT

Sharp Solar general manager Andrew Lee talks to Louise Bateman about the future of solar in the UK and explains why the UK could become a global leader in solar PV uptake and renewable energy adoption.

SolarWorld enters Qatar JV

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:22:31 GMT

SolarWorld, Germany's biggest solar company by revenue, acquired nearly a third of a Qatar-based polysilicon joint venture in a move to shift production abroad in light of rising labour costs at home. The joint venture, Qatar Solar Technologies (QST), will invest more than $500 million in the construction of a solar-grade silicon plant with a planned annual capacity of 3,600 tonnes, SolarWorld and Qatar said in a joint statement.

Govt’s ‘pay as you save’ scheme

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:37:49 GMT

A green transformation of Britain’s homes will take place over the next decade – making them more comfortable, warmer and cheaper to run – under new plans set out by the Government today (2 March). With around one quarter of UK emissions coming from energy used in homes the Warm Homes, Greener Homes Strategy is aimed at cutting emissions from the UK’s homes by 29% by 2020. The new strategy will help people make smarter use of energy in homes, making it easier to take action and reduce bills. Installing some technologies, such as solid wall insulation, could see energy bills cut by £380 a year (average between 2013 and 2020). The new strategy will also be good for jobs, with up to 65,000 jobs required in the green homes industry as a result, for example installing and manufacturing energy saving measures or providing home energy advice.

Waste heat key to UK low-carbon future

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:36:09 GMT

The UK’s plans to decarbonise its energy system by pursuing ‘clean’ electricity could face critical challenges, says a report from leading scientists. Instead, says the report from Imperial College London and the University of Surrey, the UK should take a more integrated approach including using ‘waste’ heat from power generation to meet demand and provide an efficient, flexible energy storage system.

The Modec electric vehicles

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:30:47 GMT

As shopping online increases, so has the number of carbon-emitting delivery vans. Now a pioneering West Midlands company that builds pollution-free electric vans is enabling businesses with large vehicle fleets to do their bit for the environment.

Microgen: pay as you save

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:35:25 GMT

Home owners would be forced to pay for solar panels fitted by previous occupants, under new government green plans to be unveiled this week. Under the plans, expected to be announced on Tuesday, loans for installing renewable energy would be fixed to a specific home rather than the owner. As part of the “pay as you save green loans” scheme, home owners would then be able to install solar panels and cavity wall insulation, Ed Miliband, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, is expected to say.

Time to generate your domestic power?

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:44:28 GMT

Will the government's feed in tariff scheme which guarantees a rate of payment for renewable energy sold back to the grid tempt you to install your own solar panels or wind turbine?

Welsh:German PV cooperation

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:39:55 GMT

Cardiff based Tremorfa Managed Services (TMS), which has expertise in electrical and mechanical installations, has teamed up with Parity Solar of Germany to install and maintain solar Photovoltaic installations which they design and manufacture. The collaborative agreement signed this week gives Tremorfa the exclusive rights to supply and install Parity panels in the UK.

New EC Energy and Climate DGs

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 06:38:12 GMT

The European Commission has taken a number of decisions to implement the organisational consequences of the allocation of portfolios to Commissioners. Two new Directorates-General have been created: DG Energy (ENER) and DG Climate Action (CLIM). The Energy DG consists of the departments in the former Transport and Energy DG dealing with energy issues and of the Task Force Energy which will be transferred from the External Relations DG….The Climate Action DG will be created from the relevant activities in DG Environment, the activities in the External Relations DG related to international negotiations on climate change and the activities in the Enterprise and Industry DG related to climate change.

Apocalyptic vision of Britain

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:14:34 GMT

Mass migration northwards to new towns in Scotland, Wales and northeast England may be needed to cope with climate change and water shortages in the South East, according to an apocalyptic vision set out by the Government Office for Science. Heathrow would be converted into a giant reservoir by 2035, there could be severe restrictions on flying and driving and farmers would be forced to sell their land to giant agricultural businesses. Greenhouse gas emissions would be controlled by carbon rationing for individuals, which would lead to “significant shifts in lifestyle as everyone tries to stay within budget”.

'Plug-in Car' grants for UK drivers

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 08:02:03 GMT

Pioneering motorists will receive up to £5,000 to buy an ultra-low carbon car, and the roll-out of supporting infrastructure will begin in selected regions, the Government announced. The Plug-in Car Grant will be distributed directly to the consumer at the point of purchase and will be available across the UK from January 2011, by which time a range of eligible vehicles is expected to be available. Also included in the Government’s plans is the roll-out of a £30m fund for a network of electric vehicle hubs – called Plugged-In Places – which will see charging infrastructure appearing in car parks, major supermarkets, leisure and retail centres, as well as on the street. The first Plugged-In Places were today named today as London, Milton Keynes and the North East; and between them they will be installing over 11,000 vehicle recharging points during the next three years.

Lottery windfall for six RE projects

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 08:00:14 GMT

Six Scottish renewables projects have been awarded a cumulative £2 million by the National Lottery good causes fund. Four separate wind turbines to generate community profit in the Orkney Islands, a mainland wind turbine development in Aberdeenshire and an improved electricity supply for a remote community in the Shetland Islands are to share £2,230,513.

Sharp predicts bright future for UK solar

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 07:58:48 GMT

Since the release of the feed-in tariff rates for the UK, Sharp Energy Solutions Europe has announced that it plans to significantly expand its resources in the region as the company expects a large amount of PV uptake within the next couple of years. "So far the UK solar market has lagged behind its European neighbors - but now Britain is taking the opportunity to bring about change in energy policy and simultaneously stimulate industry growth in the field of renewable energies. In our solar module factory in Wales in Wrexham, we have expanded the production capacity of initially 20 to now 280MW."

Councils to generate green power

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:49:38 GMT

Local councils will be allowed to start generating and selling electricity back to the grid, in legislation being planned to bring about a "local energy revolution". Ed Miliband, the climate change secretary, intends to help councils to become energy providers, individually or jointly, by setting up renewable energy companies. The plan is the latest attempt to shake up the energy provision and encourage sustainable sources. Councils are responsible for some 10% of UK carbon emissions and Miliband thinks they need incentives to move to lower carbon energy.

Approval recommended for pyrolysis plant

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.smartenergy.co.uk) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:45:14 GMT

The hotly-disputed waste-to-energy pyrolysis plant at Carnbroe has been recommended for approval by planning officials. Councillors on North Lanarkshire’s planning committee must now decide whether to rubber-stamp the application or take the more unusual step of voting against the expert assessment.