Low Carbon Home 102
Scottish small wind turbine manufacturer Gaia-Wind today has bagged a winning double. The company has been listed as one of the fastest growing ‘cleantech’ companies in Europe and shortlisted for the Scottish Renewables Green Energy Award for business growth.
Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London, has today called upon the European Commission to investigate whether the UK government’s proposal to drastically slash the solar Feed-in-Tariff will weaken the UK’s ability to meet legally binding EU targets on renewable energy.
After confirming plans to halve the current domestic Feed-In-Tariff (FiT) from 43p per kWh to 21p per kWh, the ministerial statement made by Greg Barker MP on the 31st October 2011 has been met with widespread pessimism, despite the ongoing consultation which will close on the 23rd December 2011. NAPIT fears that this looming deadline could jeopardise the quality levels previously delivered by the scheme.
Kingspan Renewables has announced the launch of a 6KW and 3KW wind turbine, based on the Proven Energy small wind turbine technology. Kingspan Renewables has a well established position in renewable energy products with its Thermomax and Varisol solar thermal vacuum tube collectors, along with its flat plate and heat pump products.
The European Commission is to study the UK’s planned December cuts to the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) and the likely effects on the nation’s obligationsunder its Renewable Roadmap.
Making a mark: Martyn Farrelly, spares operations director at PTS, says the opening of the 175th outlet is a big achievement
PTS is marking the fifth year of its comprehensive spares service by opening its 175th trade counter outlet.
Introduction of Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) proves popular for developers
The rate of growth in microgeneration continues to increase with the capacity and number of installations rising significantly across the UK. In contrast to ongoing cautious and gloomy economic forecasting in the national economy, the growth in micro-generation capacity has been 400% since the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) was launched in April 2010. Solar PV has led the way with an increase of 900% and wind and hydro have doubled, according to new figures released by leading energy and environmental consultancy AEA.
Two Yorkshire entrepreneurs, Philip Taylor and Gary Douglas, are planning to invest £100 million and create 14 new jobs over the next two years in a new company which aims to become one of the UK’s leading providers of renewable energy generation systems.
Oakapple Renewable Energy (OAREL) will initially be generating power through the installation of free solar panels, but longer term it aims to develop other forms of renewable energy generation including wind power and anaerobic digestion systems.
Independent energy company SmartestEnergy has paid out more to renewable generators under the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) than any other supplier during the first year of the scheme, according to newly released figures.
Ofgem statistics for the final quarter of the financial year take the total paid by SmartestEnergy during 2010/11 to £1.75m, over £200,000 more than it’s nearest competitor.
International law firm Burlingtons Legal LLP announced today that it has successfully advised Fairfield Bio Energy, a joint venture between Bio Group and British Gas, on the opening of a £5 million plant in Stockport that will turn food waste into gas for heating the home. The groundbreaking joint venture is one of the first projects being purpose-built from scratch, under the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), and the second project that Deborah Mills has been instructed by Bio Group .
Ground Heat Installations was recently named overall renewables installer of the Year at the inaugural Renewables Awards.
Councillors have been branded ‘ignorant’ after going against the advice of their own planners and refusing an application for a wind turbine.
Ardenham Energy has announce expansion plans following a £2m investment by Bridges Ventures.
Renewable energy installation is a multi-faceted operation and the role of installer has ramped up. Not only is there training to undertake, legislation to adhere to and technology to keep abreast of, but there is the added responsibility of acting as advisor to the customer.
Amid the day-to-day running of a renewables business, it can be easy to overlook the needs of the consumer and assume they come to you fully armed with a battery of energy expertise. However, they may not know which technology best suits their needs, FiTs may be getting them in a flap and they may feel confused cutting through the cowboys to find a company they can trust. This is where the you come in – it’s important to know the answers to your customer’s questions, allaying any queries they may have about investing in renewable technology.
As part of a major £61m investment, including a new 18,000 sq m educational building for its students, East Surrey College has installed 1050 Kingspan Renewables Thermomax solar thermal vacuum tubes to service its annual hot water needs, which significantly cut carbon emissions and lower energy costs.
A model of sustainability, the new landmark building in Redhill has been awarded a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good,’ with the large-scale solar thermal installation complemented by rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing, a wood chip fuelled biomass boiler and translucent cladding panels for thermal insulation and high levels of natural daylight.
A waterside property in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, has been fitted with a heat pump system from Danfoss Heat Pumps UK, which generates its energy from the River Thames. Mike and Doris Tucker had owned the character stone-built property for seven years and now, in retirement, decided to investigate ways to make the home more energy efficient and sustainable. This included replacement double glazing, improved loft insulation and a high efficiency heat pump.
Tucker, a qualified engineer, previously used LPG gas, as the property is not on mains gas. Over the past two years, with significant LPG price increases, set to continue into the future, he decided it was time to act. He found heat pump installer Geothermique during an internet research on heat pumps and local installers, and was impressed when they came to survey his property, the resulting survey results and savings projections.
Wood Energy has launched a biomass fuelled Green Heat Module. It has been specifically designed to be easily retrofitted onto large commercial and public sector buildings, making deployment of a biomass heating solution significantly simpler and much quicker than traditional complex installations.
The Green Heat Module represents the coming together of Wood Energy’s knowledge of biomass boilers and the global expertise in renewable energy within RES, giving customers a robust, turnkey route to a truly sustainable heating solution.
PTS has launched a comprehensive Renewables Brochure to help installers make the right choices when it comes to specifying energy efficient products.
Dimplex is extending choices in solar thermal water heating, with the launch of the SOLC201 flat plate collector, which it says provides a cost-effective way to start enjoying low cost, low carbon hot water.
The SOLC201 is solar keymark approved, meaning that it will be eligible for the financial incentives available under the Renewable Heat Incentive.