Tag Archives: Renewable Energy

Sky cuts ribbon on Europe’s greenest studios

4 Jul 2011: Business Green article providing details on Sky’s new broadcasting studios in Osterley, West London, which include on site a wind turbine, natural air cooling systems and also a “a biomass-fuelled combined cooling, heat and power (CCHP) plant which will supply at least 20 per cent of the energy needed for the building’s electricity and heating systems.”

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National Renewable Energy Statistics

30 June 2011: Short article in latest issue of DECC’s Energy Trends quarterly journal, published today, providing the latest national renewable energy statistics for the UK. The analysis finds that “Renewable energy provisionally accounted for 3.3 per cent of energy consumption, as measured using the 2009 Renewable Energy Directive methodology. This is an increase of 0.3 percentage points from the 2009 position of 3.0 per cent.” The UK’s 2020 target is for 15 per cent of UK energy needs to be supplied from renewable energy sources.

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Renewable Heat Incentive Guidance

24 June 2011: Back in March, DECC announced details on the launch of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Some of the key points of the announcement included:

  • The regulations to introduce the RHI are currently going through Parliament  and are anticipated to be approved by summer 2011
  • The RHI would then be introduced “shortly thereafter” (anticipated  30 September 2011)
  • The scheme will be introduced in two phases with  non-domestic sectors targeted first – that is larger heat users in the industrial, business and public sectors. Tariffs for the various technologies within this phase (ie non-domestic scale projects) were announced in DECC’s March RHI press release.
  • Household sector support through the RHI would be introduced in October 2012, to tie in with the launch of the Green Deal however…
  • …In the meantime, up to 25,000 household installations will be supported by a £15m “RHI Premium Payment” to help people cover the purchase price of green heating systems and help encourage take-up of renewable heat technologies
  • The likely levels of support (set out in the DECC press release) for the RHI Premium Payments were: Solar Thermal – £300/unit; Air Source Heat Pumps – £850/unit; Biomass boilers – £950/unit and Ground Source Heat Pumps – £1250/unit
  • Details of the Premium Payment were originally said to have been issued in May, for a July 2011 start,  but as yet no information has appeared (the Ofgem paper released today – more of which below – simply says “Further information on the Renewable Heat Premium Payment will be available later in the year from DECC.”
  • Regulations around the October 2012 domestic/household phase of the RHI will be consulted upon next year.
  • Further details on the RHI are on DECC’s website.

Ofgem, who will administer the scheme, have today launched a detailed (two volume…) consultation on the eligibility criteria for installations wishing to apply for the RHI, including requirements such as the regular submission of heat data, meter readings and fuel data for certain bioenergy installations.

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Which guide to photovoltaics

24 June 2011: A Which? undercover report shows how some solar panel companies are using dodgy sales tactics and are giving poor advice to people looking to buy PV panels. Further information on their survey as well as  Which’s online guide on how to buy solar panels, which includes information on solar PV costs and payback times here.

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London FIT statistics

23 June 2011: Ofgem have produced a summary set of statistics on the first year of the Feed in Tariffs (FITs). The newsletter highlights regional differences in the take up of the FITs, and shows that London has the second lowest level of installed capacity of renewable energy, and also the second lowest level of registered installations, across the UK.

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Energy and Climate Questions to the Mayor

June 2011: This month the Mayor answered London Assembly questions in relation to FIT revenue of GLA based renewable schemes; the impact of the FIT review on London renewable schemes; and also City Hall’s response to its 10:10 carbon target.

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Bexley gives go ahead to large solar project

10 June 2011: News report from solarportal.co.uk that “the Business Academy Bexley has been given the green light for the installation of a 558.6kW system that will generate around 45% of the electricity used by the Academy, cutting an estimated £46,790 off its annual £104,700 electricity bill and reducing its carbon footprint by 457 tonnes a year. The unanimous decision by Bexley Council’s Planning Committee on 9 June followed its planning officer’s recommendation. Work on installing the solar farm, which will cover an area nearly three times the size of the football pitch at Wembley Stadium, is expected to start within days and to be completed by the end of July, meaning it will beat the upcoming feed-in tariff cuts.” Full details on the scheme are set out in  developers application to the Council and Bexley’s report to the Planning Committee (report item 7a) .

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Islington seeks partners for solar panel drive on council stock

31 May 2011: Islington is seeking one or more partners to install photovoltaic (PV) panels on roofs of council properties for a 25-year period, at no cost to the council or taxpayers.

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East of England renewable and low carbon energy capacity study

May 2011: Report prepared for DECC using the Government’s standard national methodology for conducting renewable energy capacity assessments to examine the potential for renewable energy generation in the East of England.

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Renewables Obligation: Guidance for generators

May 2011: Useful Ofgem overview of the generating technologies eligible under the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme. Explains how generators become accredited and sets out the information required from generators in order to issue ROCs.

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Tidal energy trial in Thames

19 May 2011: A tidal turbine is being installed in the River Thames alongside World War II ship HQS Wellington in central London. If the trial proves successful and does not adversely affect the environment, hundreds of turbines could be installed between Kent and London. Further details are on the developer’s, Nautricity, website.

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IDEA

IDEA Sustainable Energy Library – extensive series of links and case studies targeted at local authorities.

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