News

First Solar panels power Hackney estate

October 2011: Hackney Homes has installed the first solar panels as part of its Green Estate pilot in a 50 property block in Haggerston. Further information on news release here.

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London and Los Angeles Share Knowledge on Outdoor Lighting Retrofit

October 2011: As part of the C40 cities initiative, Ed Ebrahimian, Director of the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Lighting, came over to London to speak about a major public works project in Los Angeles to retrofit the city’s street lighting with energy-efficient LED (light-emitting diode) fixture – the largest LED street lighting retrofit ever undertaken globally. Further details of the talk are posted on the C40 website here which includes links to efforts currently being undertaken to increase the use of high energy efficiency LED lighting in London.

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London’s first council owned energy company

8 October 2011:  The Islington Gazette reports that “The Bunhill Energy Centre, in Central Street, Clerkenwell, is due to be ready for the start of winter next year and will provide cheaper energy for more than 700 homes in the south of the borough.” Read full article here.

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Islington council warns of deaths over fuel policy

7 October 2011: More people could die this winter in Islington as a direct result of government fuel policy, the town hall’s energy chief said in a stark warning this week. Also mentioned were the Islington’s plans for London’s first council-owned energy company, which will be set up in Central Street, Clerkenwell. Read full article in the Islington Gazette here.

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Islington Fuel Poverty Update

6 October 2011: Islington Council paper providing an update on initiatives being undertaken in the borough to help combat fuel poverty.

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Pitch Pledge for Energise Barnet!

6 October 2011: A London community energy project has been selected to put forward its proposals to an innovative new fund raising experiment for low carbon schemes. Launched by carbon campaign 10:10, Pitch Pledge Party is aimed to link 10:10 participants with donors looking to support practical carbon-cutting ideas.

Out of the many projects submitted to 10:10, Energise Barnet is one of only three schemes which will be pitching at Party, which is to be held at The Guardian’s offices on Monday 10 October. Further details of the pitch made by Energise Barnet can be found here – where you can also vote to support the project!

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LEEF Launch Event

October 2011: The launch of the London Energy Efficiency Fund (LEEF) took place on Monday 3 October to a packed audience where detail was provided of how a wide range of public sector bodies could apply to the £100m fund to invest in energy-saving measures. The presentations made at the event by fund manager Amber Infrastructure; RBS who are providing £50m of support funding; technical advisors Arup and also the GLA, are all available on the following document (1.1MB PDF). Further information on the fund is available at www.leef.co.uk.

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Proposal for new Low Carbon Capital Workstreams

October 2011: A series of papers presented to the GLA Investment and Performance Board to seek approval for the Stage 2 Investment Decision to deliver three new Low Carbon Capital Programme work streams at a total cost of £360,000.

The paper – Low Carbon Capital Stage 2 –  sets out that:

“The Low Carbon Capital Programme seeks to build on the previous Low Carbon Capital work carried out by Ernst and Young for LDA [see previous posts here and here for further information] by carrying out three enabling projects that would lead to reductions in London’s CO2 emissions through energy efficiency and decentralised energy measures with an investment potential of up to £9.1bn:

i. Heat Map+: Creating green investment opportunities, job and skills. This work stream will generate a pipeline of decentralised energy (DE) and public sector retrofitting investment opportunities (RE:FIT) through the further development of the existing GLA Heat Map.

ii. Smart City – Intelligent Energy Integration: Public sector driving low carbon solutions and demonstrators. 70% of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2050 with growing pressure on resources. Cities haveto become increasingly efficient and self-sufficient in energy. This project will specify how London’s energy infrastructure and consumers can intelligently adapt to changing demands to deliver environmental benefits and lower energy costs.

iii. Green Deal – London implementation: Making London’s size count by developing delivery models for use in London. London has over 3.2 million homes, a large-scale market opportunity, and Green Deal and the Energy Company Obligation represent the main mechanisms for retrofitting its existing housing stock. This project will identify the most appropriate role for the public sector to play and then develop and test delivery models that will maximise retrofitting activity in London whilst creating economic opportunities for London’s businesses throughout the supply chain.”

Also available to download are the Heat Map appraisal application, the outline of financials for the project and a cost benefit of Heat Map+.

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London Low Carbon Skills and Employment project

October 2011: Papers presented to the GLA Investment and Performance Board
Papers can all be downloaded at the following Board meeting agenda weblink (or individually via links below):

An outline paper for the Low Carbon Skills and Employment ESF Project is available along with a Investment Decision application
“The purpose of this paper is to seek agreement for the GLA to provide £484,000 to be matched £:£ by ESF [European Social Fund] to deliver either [sic] a £968,000 Low Carbon Skills and Employment project. The project will aim to identify suitable job opportunities arising from the growth in the low carbon economy in London and to support workless Londoners into sustained employment for a minimum of 52 out of 64 weeks in this sector.”
A more detailed Concept Paper is also provided which highlights that this “project builds upon the Retrofit Employer Accord Pilot project and aims to maximise opportunities arising from the RE:FIT, RE:NEW programmes as well as growth across the Low Carbon sector.”

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Blackfriars station to install the largest PV array in London

4 October 2011: Work is due to start to install more than 4,400 solar panels – more than 6,000 square metres of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels –  into the new roof of Blackfriars station in central London. The scheme will create the biggest solar array in London, and make the new station the world’s largest solar bridge. Further detail in an article in The Guardian and from developer Solar Century here.

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London Combined Heat and Power output falls

October 2011: DECC have just released their annual regional breakdown of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) statistics, providing further detail to the CHP chapter of DECC’s annual Digest of UK Energy Statistics, published in July of this year.
The statistics for London released indicate that:

  • 188 Good Quality CHP schemes were operational in  London as at the end of 2010
  • These schemes amount to a total electrical capacity of 185 MWe and total thermal capacity of 372MWth
  • They produced a total of 631GWh electricity and 1,680GWh heat – a total of 2,311 GWh energy
  • Unlike many other regions, London does not have many large-scale industrial CHP schemes, which have typically long operational hours. Hence the overall load factor of London CHP schemes is low – the second lowest in the UK – at only 39.8%
  • Importantly, whilst there has been a marginal increase in the number of CHP schemes operating in London (3 more in 2010) overall CHP generation capacity in London has decreased from 200MWe in 2009 to 185MWe. This is in despite an increase in overall increase in UK CHP capacity by over 500MWe.
  • Additionally, when compared to last year’s statistics, the output from CHP plant in the capital has also fallen. CHP data as at the end of 2009 shows that CHP output stood at 746 GWh electricity and 2,414 GWh heat – a total of 3,160GWh of energy (see last year’s DECC Energy Trends September 2010 for details). Hence, as compared to the statistics just released, CHP energy output has dropped a significant 27% in the capital over one year. It’s difficult to determine exactly what is happening here without access to more detailed data for London from DECC – especially in relation to those schemes which may have retired.
  • Note: there is a minor error in the latest Energy Trends article. Tables 5 & 6 suggest that 200MW CHP is operating in 2010. However, the report’s authors have clarified to energy for london that the correct capacity is 185 MWe and that:
  • in Table 5 of the article, CCGT+GTs+STs should be 80 MWe and NOT 95 MWe. This will make the total for London 185 MWe, and consistent with Tables 1+2
  • in Table 6 the London figure under the ’10 MWe and greater’ column should be 66 MWe and NOT 81MWe. This again will make the total for London 185 MWe, and consistent with Tables 1+2
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RE:NEW reaches Norbury and Upper Norwood

3 October 2011: The RE:NEW Home Energy Efficiency scheme is now operating in Norbury and Upper Norwood, where residents can arrange a free visit to receive energy efficiency advice from a home energy expert.  Further information can be found on the following news release as well as by calling Croydon RE:NEW  on 0800 652 7206.

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