www.all-energy.co.uk News

Electricity market reform 'unworkable'

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:24:24 GMT

Government plans to reform the electricity market to favour low-carbon power are "unworkable" and will lead to "a train wreck" in the sector, and higher and more volatile energy prices for consumers, according to a group of the UK's leading renewable energy companies.

EMR only benefits nuclear

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:23:50 GMT

A group of Britain’s leading renewable energy firms have written to the Energy Secretary to express concerns about the planned Electricity Market Reforms. Scottish and Southern Electric (SSE), Ecotricity, Good Energy, Renewable Energy Systems, Natural Power and Fred Olsen Renewables have written to Ed Davey warning that EMR proposals will only benefit nuclear generators and dissuade long-term investment in British renewables.

Hague tells ministers ‘help green industries’

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:23:10 GMT

The government should do more to help green industries boost economic growth, stop the UK falling behind international rivals, and avoid losing its global leadership on the environment, William Hague has told cabinet colleagues, in a private letter seen by the Guardian.

French threat to UK energy

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:22:32 GMT

Yesterday (15 May), giving evidence to Parliament, the Energy Minister Charles Hendry appeared to be unable to guarantee with certainty that any of the five agreed new nuclear power plants would go ahead….. With EDF expected to make a final decision on whether to go ahead with the UK projects by the end of the year the change of [French] Government could not have come at a worse time.

Is 'hard work' only growth strategy?

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:21:52 GMT

Green businesses will be furious to hear senior ministers implying they are lazy and guilty of moaning too much.

Funding nuclear during economic crisis

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:21:13 GMT

Investing billions in new nuclear power stations would have forced a credit-rating downgrade on energy giant RWE, the company's chief executive has revealed. The head of another big six energy company, E.ON, blamed the abandonment of its nuclear plans on a lack of "financial firepower".

UK solar still viable

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:20:34 GMT

All four major trade associations representing UK solar PV—the British Photovoltaic Association (BPVA), theMicropower Council (MPC), the Renewable Energy Association (REA) and the Solar Trade Association (STA)—have joined together to clarify the current status of solar power and the Feed-in Tariff (FiT). The industry is concerned that the public may be confused about solar power and the FiT.

P&O ferry becomes wind flotel

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:19:51 GMT

P&O Ferries' ship the European Seaway is to become an accommodation vessel for the wind farm industry. The company has converted the roll-on roll-off vessel to serve technicians working offshore in the North Sea. Earlier this month the 23,000-tonne ship started a three-month charter with Centrica Renewable Energy Limited after having hull access doors, cranes and boarding ladders installed during a short refit at the Arno shipyard in Dunkerque, France.

Green motoring = £13bn govt hole

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:19:10 GMT

The drive to promote greener, more efficient motoring will blow a £13bn hole in the public finances as revenue from fuel and road taxes dries up, leading thinktanks have warned. Tax breaks for electric cars and lower fuel consumption from efficient vehicles will mean a collapse in income even as road traffic increases, the Institute for Fiscal studies has found.

Jones Lang LaSalle RE Capital team

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:17:41 GMT

Financial and professional services firm Jones Lang LaSalle has recently launched a new Renewable Energy Capital team to help raise capital and provide commercial and financial advice for UK renewable energy project developers. The team, which is part of the Jones Lang LaSalle Corporate Finance EMEA, has formed links to a number of investor groups who are currently seeking opportunities in the renewables sector.

Rampion met mast causes 999 calls

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:17:04 GMT

A meteorological mast used to survey the site of a proposed wind farm has caused people to dial 999 believing it is a ship in distress. The 110m (360ft) mast has been installed by energy company E.ON, which hopes to construct up to 195 turbines off the Brighton coast. Its red and white flashing lights have been mistaken for S.O.S. signals.

Hydrogen as alternative to petrol

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:16:18 GMT

The European Technology Initiative, "Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking" (FCH JU), is providing approx 2.3 million euro of finance for the development of new hydrogen solid-state containers on the basis of boron hydrides. These compounds absorb much more hydrogen, the tanks remain compact. The Bor4Store project is being coordinated by the Institute of Material Research at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht.[Note from Editor: Bert De Colvenaer, Executive Director of FCH JU is speaking at All-Energy on 24 May].

Severn Barrage: Peter Hain

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:15:41 GMT

Should a tidal barrage be built across the Severn estuary? Peter Hain has stepped down from the shadow cabinet to launch a campaign to build the Severn barrage. But what would its impact be on the environment? Leo Hickman investigates with help from readers.

Banks Renewables’ £4.7m community fund

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:15:04 GMT

UK clean energy developer Banks Renewables has unveiled a £4.7m community package for residents in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, which would be derived from the 76MW Middle Muir wind farm. Charities, youth groups and voluntary organisations are set to benefit from the fund, should the project be approved by planning authorities.

Nova Scotia’s tidal plans

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:14:21 GMT

The government of Nova Scotia has set a target to replace 10 per cent of the province's current power supply with tidal energy over the next decade and beyond as part of its vow to reduce fossil fuel consumption. The provincial Energy Department released a marine energy plan Monday that is aiming for 300 megawatts of power to be generated from tidal energy by around 2020.

Google's offshore wind cable moves forward

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:13:54 GMT

A proposed $5bn transmission line connecting wind farms off the East coast of the US to the mainland is on track to come online by 2017, after the Google-backed project cleared another regulatory hurdle. The Department of the Interior said on Monday there was "no overlapping competitive interest" in the areas earmarked for building the line (see map), which clears the way for an environmental review.

Onshore wind ‘buffer zones’

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:13:19 GMT

Wind Turbines (Minimum Distance from Residential Premises) Bill [HL] 2012-13 is a House of Lords Private Members’ Bill that seeks to make provision for a minimum distance between wind turbines and residential premises according to the size of the wind turbine, and for connected purposes…. It has just started on its journey having had a first reading.

RBS loan to HgCapital Private Equity

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:12:42 GMT

HgCapital LLP, a London-based private equity company, invested in a wind park and received a 36 million-pound ($58 million) Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc loan to help finance the northern England project. RBS acted as lead arranger, agent and hedging bank for the loan, HgCapital said today in a statement.

Ex-BP executive TMO Renewables CEO

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:12:09 GMT

UK-based TMO Renewables has appointed former BP executive David Weaver as chief executive officer, the advanced biofuels firm said on Tuesday. Weaver, who takes over from interim chief executive Robert Parker, was until last year chief executive at UK renewable energy firm GSS Energy and from 2000 to 2003 managing director for Northern European gas, power and renewables at BP.

Smart cities: $1 trillion by 2016

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:11:24 GMT

According to a new report from Marketsandmarkets, a marketing research company, the global smart cities market is expected to top $1 trillion by 2016. Currently, the report estimates the value of the smart cities market at $526.3 billion, with a compound annual growth rate of about 14.2 percent from 2011-2016. Over that time, the smart energy industry is expected to see the largest growth, from $22.9 billion in 2010 to $80.7 billion in 2016, a 28.7 percent compound annual growth rate.

Energy company's electric deal

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:10:30 GMT

A Larne-based renewable energy company is to build a plant to produce electricity at a Portrush landfill site. B9 Organic Energy has joined forces with Craigahulliar Energy to develop and operate the first of several landfill gas projects it plans to exploit in Northern Ireland. The plant will be constructed at the Craigahulliar landfill site and will turn gas from waste into around 850 kW of electricity, enough to power over 500 homes.

Commercialising solid oxide fuel cells

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:09:48 GMT

South Korean conglomerate SK Group said Tuesday that it has signed a contract with Denmark's Topsoe Fuel Cell to cooperate in commercializing solid oxide fuel cells. SOFCs are particularly efficient and can be used in households, buildings and factories, SK Group said. Fuel cells generate electricity by using sources such as liquefied natural gas and diesel.

Greenpeace rejects CCS

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:09:21 GMT

Environment group Greenpeace says governments are wasting public money on carbon capture and storage (CCS) research. Carbon capture and storage is the process through which emissions from power stations would be captured and then stored underground to reduce carbon pollution.

When sustainability becomes a duty

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:08:32 GMT

The head of Schneider Electric's Smart Cities initiative explains why efficiency and technology are key to making cities more liveable.

Viruses used to power tiny device

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:07:23 GMT

Scientists in the US have developed a way to generate electricity using viruses. The researchers built a generator with a postage stamp-sized electrode and based on a small film of specially engineered viruses. When a finger tapped the electrode, the viruses converted the mechanical energy into electricity.

Algal sustainability: UK could lead world

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:06:45 GMT

A new report by bioeconomy consultants NNFCC says that the U.K. can be an international leader in algal sustainability. “There has been a massive increase in interest in algae as a potential feedstock for commodity markets such as biofuels, bioenergy and bulk biobased chemicals,” said lead report author Claire Smith from the NNFCC.

ENER-G opens new Romanian HQ

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:05:50 GMT

A U.K.-based renewable energy solutions provider is expanding to Romania. Ener-G has opened a new corporate headquarters in Bucharest to meet the needs of the fast-growing markets of Central and Eastern Europe, according to a statement issued by the company.

Ferrari to launch £527,000 hybrid

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:05:23 GMT

From horsepower to battery power, Ferrari is joining the growing ranks of green carmakers by launching its first ever hybrid vehicle at the end of the year. The Italian firm, one of the most elite names in motoring, indicated that one of its glitziest products, the Enzo, will be released in a hybrid version.

Street light switch-off mapped

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:02:25 GMT

An interactive map showing where street lights are to be switched off overnight has been produced by Shropshire Council. The council approved plans to convert 70% of its street lights to "part-night lighting" in September 2011.

Award for Stewart Milne Homes

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:01:03 GMT

Stewart Milne Homes has won the Homes for Scotland award for Best Low Carbon Initiative after impressing judges with the delivery of its first low energy and low carbon homes in Portlethen and Prestonpans.

All-Energy: register to attend free of charge

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:00:46 GMT

All-Energy 2012 (Aberdeen, UK, 23-24 May) will be the largest-ever event in the exhibition and conference’s twelve show history. Information on booking space (some 80% booked/reserved) and on sponsorship is available on-line. All-Energy 2011 attracted close on 8,000 and some 580 exhibiting companies. Introductions this year in the exhibition are zones for ‘Offshore maintenance – where offshore wind meets oil and gas’, ‘Smart Energy’ (energy efficiency and energy management), and low carbon vehicles (encompassing infrastructure as well as vehicles). Sector specific trails will help visitors plan their visit. All-Energy, the UK’s largest renewable show, remains free to attend for all with a business/professional interest in renewables – and this includes exhibition, conference and Giant Networking Evening. Registration is now open online.

UK wants EU focus on new CO2 cuts

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:21:15 GMT

Europe should focus on cutting carbon emissions, rather than just repeating an existing range of EU green policy targets that expire at the end of the decade, Britain's energy and climate chief said on Monday.

Salmond hails Scots/Norwegians’ RE links

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:20:08 GMT

Scotland and Norway could make a huge contribution to Europe's green energy targets, the first minister has said. Alex Salmond highlighted the renewables links between the two countries during a visit to Norway.

Energy's copper bottom future

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:18:52 GMT

Douglas Fraser writes about North Connect, the five-company, three-country consortium that plans to put a large amount of copper across the North Sea in the form of the first of two such High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cables between Norway and the UK, with the potential for injection points across the North Sea, where it can link into the giant wind farms being built there.

Co-op Bank to lend £300m for RE

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:17:16 GMT

Co-Operative Bank Plc will provide about 300 million pounds ($482 million) in loans for U.K. renewable energy projects this year and may increase its overall lending target, its head of renewables said. The British mutual bank plans to commit the same amount of loans as last year for about 30 projects in 2012, James Sutcliffe, senior manager for renewable energy, said in an interview.

Branson launches green energy prize

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:16:05 GMT

A global green energy competition with a £400,000 prize is to be launched in Scotland's capital. Sir Richard Branson is supporting the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable business ideas and inventions. The winner will receive £400,000 to develop and create their product within two years and Sir Richard is calling on all entrepreneurs to enter the online competition.

Capturing development of hydro

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:14:57 GMT

Historic Scotland and Norwegian partners to capture development of hydro-industry …. The pioneering role of Scotland and Norway in the development of hydro-electric power is to be celebrated in a new digital partnership between the two nations announced by First Minister Alex Salmond today (14 May). The First Minister, who is undertaking trade and political engagements in Norway over two days, announced the initiative at an international renewable energy conference in Bergen.

Carbon capture leak simulated

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:13:38 GMT

Several thousand kilos of CO2 will be pumped into the seabed off west Scotland from Monday to simulate what happens if a leak occurs from a carbon capture store. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a way to lower emissions from fossil fuel power plants by stripping CO2 from smokestacks of gas and coal power plants, and then transferring it to a former oil or gas reservoir underground.

‘Create a market for renewable hydrogen’

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:12:29 GMT

Air Products has submitted evidence to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee inquiry into low carbon vehicles, calling on the UK Government to work with industry to create a market for renewable hydrogen. Air Products, the world’s largest hydrogen manufacturer and the market leader in hydrogen fuelling stations, explained in its written evidence (which has been published on the Transport Select Committee website) that current subsidies like the plug-in grant do not do enough to build up the essential infrastructure needed to support a low carbon transport system.

EMR ‘Cameron’s last chance’ to keep promise

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.all-energy.co.uk) — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:11:05 GMT

Friends of the Earth has warned that the upcoming Electricity Market Reform (EMR) is David Cameron’s last chance to keep his promise to lead the ‘greenest Government ever’. The environmental charity believes that the upcoming Energy Bill, which was included in the Queen’s Speech, is a unique opportunity to ensure that the UK’s electricity system is largely free from fossil fuels by 2030.