News 142
Romag and China-based PV manufacturers LDK Solar have today announced an alliance to share knowledge and expertise in the development of solar technologies.
Wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa has given a boost of confidence to the UK offshore wind industry by announcing plans to build a major manufacturing facility in Leith which will produce the giant wind turbines that are set to be built around the British coast.
A second phase of the Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) scheme, which gives money off renewable technologies like biomass boilers, air and ground source heat pumps and solar thermal panels, will be launched on 2nd April this year and will be worth £10m more than the existing scheme.
The Supreme Court has today rejected an appeal bid by the Department of Energy and Climate Change over cuts to the Feed-in Tariff scheme for solar PV.
Many of Ecobuild’s largest exhibitors have heralded this year’s three day exhibition as a major success.
Ploughcroft managing director Chris Hopkins visits the Renewable Energy Installer stand at Ecobuild
Ploughcroft’s managing director Chris Hopkins is calling on renewable energy installers to provide questions for him to bring up at meetings of The Green Construction Board.
George Osborne has delivered his 2012 budget with little of note for the renewable energy, or energy efficiency sector.
Secon Solar has used Ecobuild as a platform to launch its brand new logo.
On the smart new artwork, Secon’s managing director, Kevin Carling, described it as a ‘better reflection of a fast-moving industry’.
He added: “The old logo was a bit tired and we wanted to refresh our image. This is a far more vibrant logo.
“Ecobuild has been a good showcase for us. It is the major renewables show of the year which we felt we had to be at.
“We are optimistic that this is a year for solar thermal which is backed up by the conversations we have had with visitors to our stand.”
Milton Keynes-based installers Renewable Resources Ltd has completed roof-mounted PV arrays at 115 Sainsbury’s stores across the South of England.
SolarCentury chairman Jeremy Leggett has poured cold water on the case for new nuclear power stations.
In a debate on the UK’s future energy needs held as part of Ecobuild’s seminar series, Leggett outlined a three point argument for why solar PV is better placed than nuclear to plug the 25GW gap predicted to occur by 2020 as coal-fired power stations are taken offline.
He said: “As of last year, the Germans have a target to run their railways on 100 per cent renewable energy. Solar and wind back each other up very well which the Germans have done on scale and proven to its satisfaction.
Secondly, in Japan, 52 nuclear reactors have been turned off out of 54 and the lights have not gone out due to involuntary and voluntary demand management.
“Finally, our average selling price globally has come down 40 per cent whilst last year the industry grew 67 per cent when nuclear is shrinking.
“Nuclear costs $1.7 a watt to generate in China and anything up to $4 elsewhere so I don’t know how people have the nerve to talk about subsidies for renewables.”
He added: “The closer we get to grid parity, the dirtier they (the nuclear lobby) will fight.
“Our costs are coming done while their’s are going up.”
In a keynote speech on the opening day of Ecobuild, Minister of State Greg Barker re-committed the coalition to delivering the “Flagship” Green Deal programme in the Autumn.
Comedian and impressionist Alistair McGowen has cut the ribbon to open the Practical Installer zone at Ecobuild.
Plumb Center has teamed up with other renewables manufacturers to create an area for live practical demonstrations where visitors to London’s Excel Centre will be entertained by 36 installation presentations over the next three days.
“You may wonder what I’m doing here,” said McGowen. “But, this was too good an opportunity to turn down.
“This is the third year Plumb Center has organised Practical Installer and it will be a busy few days and an informative few days.
“Today more than ever we are encouraged to do our bit. Personally, I think the best way to reduce our emissions would be to get Jeremy Clarkson to stop breathing.
He added: “I am an ambassador of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) because it combines my love of the environment and wrestling. So I try and walk the walk as well as talk the talk.
“I have been a green spokesman for many years so I am thrilled to see this event generate so much innovation and interest.
“Many of the technologies are not just futuristic concepts but are real and here today and will stop us trying to kill Jeremy Clarkson.”
At a Pre-Ecobuild reception in the Houses of Parliament hosted by the BPVA, Minister of State Greg Barker once again spoke of the importance of the PV industry to be one of the major “transformational technologies” that drives Britain towards a lower Carbon Future.
He said the Government were committed to working with manufacturers and installers to build a long-term sustainable business, rather than a smaller cottage industry reliant on finite Government subsidies.
He said the Government’s targets of 1 million roofs by 2015, and 22GW of PV power by 2020 were challenging but achievable. The Government’s role would be to provide long-term certainty and transparency for the market to take informed decisions.
Opening the event, BPVA Chair Reza Shaybani spoke of the importance of Ecobuild in the PV calendar, emphasising that the Uk remains a safe an succesful place for investment and growth.
Suzi Perry will be the guest speaker at this year’s NICEIC Live South.
Ploughcroft is expanding its national team with the appointment of 25 new staff.
102 of the UK’s most prominant entrepreneurs, investors, economists, scientists, engineers, energy providers, community builders and MPs have co-signed a letter to Prime Minister David Cameron questioning the government’s support for renewables.
Leads2Trade has reacted to the recent Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) consultation by signing an agreement to provide Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) assessments throughout the UK.
This September’s Renewables Awards will be hosted by television presenter, Gabby Logan.
The Oil & Renewable Energy Show 2012 – Call for papers
Infinite Energy is pleased to announce the completion of over 200kWp of solar PV over five different sites with Space Station self storage.
Green energy supplier Ecotricity has slammed “scaremongering” from the anti-wind lobby as the company released figures that confirmed onshore wind power added less than £5 to household energy bills last year.
Solar panels on the roof of Parliament, bicycle-powered television sets, and streetlamps with mini-wind turbines were just three of the ideas put to ministers this morning by young winners of a National Geographic climate competition.
Canadian Solar today announced that it has been working with solar project developer, Lightsource Renewable Energy Limited, in the completion of four solar power plants throughout England. The new ground mounted PV plants were built in Cornwall (Bodmin), Lincolnshire (Spalding) and Somerset (Taunton), with a combined capacity of 6.4 MW.
The installation of a 46.92kW Photovoltaic system onto a terrace roof of Forest Green Rovers FC is helping the Conference League team reduce its carbon footprint and earn an annual income for the Sustainability in Sport foundation.