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Six British companies have won support for carrying out technical feasibility studies in the first phase of a major initiative to develop more energy efficient lighting for our homes.
The £1.2m research fund, from the Technology Strategy Board and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), will help the companies to become market leaders in the best ultra energy-efficient lighting, which will contribute to reduced energy consumption in our homes. The companies have been awarded up to £40,000 each to carry out work, over the next three months, to show the technical feasibility of their proposed concepts. The feasibility studies will then be assessed and the proposals with the most promising technologies will receive up to £450,000 to develop and evaluate prototypes or demonstration units, which will then be subjected to a vigorous 6-month field trial. Environment Minister Lord Henley said: “It is vital that all aspects of society think about what they can do to live more sustainable lives and help to preserve the natural resources we have. Efficient lighting can also help consumers make significant savings on their energy bills. This exciting competition gives six companies the opportunity to put Britain at the forefront of the global effort to produce new innovative and low-energy products.” The contracts have been awarded through the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI). Mark Glover, the Head of SBRI, said: “Ultra energy efficient lighting could transform Britain’s homes and energy use. The more efficient the lighting, the more money we save on our energy bills. At the end of the demonstration period, we want to see high-quality, compact ultra-efficient lighting that everyone would be happy to use at home. We have the opportunity to become a world leader in the manufacture of this technology, which would create new jobs and boost the British economy.” The six British companies awarded the feasibility study contacts are: Cambridge Consultants Ltd, Juice Technology Ltd, Marl International Ltd, PhotonStar LED Ltd, Tridonic Atco (UK) Ltd and Zeta Controls Ltd. The companies have until 9 September 2010 to submit their feasibility study reports and they will be notified of the decision regarding full development contracts in early October 2010.
The Conservative Party, have launched plans for the largest overhaul of British energy policy since the early 1980s, in order to secure our energy supplies, meet our carbon emission targets, and ensure energy is affordable. "We are setting out a Conservative programme for the long-overdue reform of British energy policy, Leader Daivd Cameron said, "together with the actions we will take to mobilise the investment required to enact those reforms and our strategy for minimising the cost to consumers". He criticised British energy policy for being out of date. "It was designed almost thirty years ago for a world in which Britain had an excess of generating capacity; in which we enjoyed the benefits of growing North Sea oil and gas production; and in which neither local pollution nor climate change were the concerns they are today." The policy paper, Rebuilding Security, sets out 12 key actions that a Conservative government would take immediately. Including: - Create a capacity guarantee in electricity and a security guarantee in gas supply, to ensure that the lights stay on and our homes stay warm
- Take decisive action to promote nuclear and renewable power, through streamlined planning, a floor price for carbon and improved infrastructure
- Make Britain more energy efficient, through our Green Deal and a new “energy internet”, that puts consumers in control of their energy usage
Greg Clark added that five more years of Gordon Brown would "only make an already precarious situation worse" in terms of the challenges we face with climate change and securing our energy supplies. "We need radical change and in this Green Paper we set out plans for the biggest overhaul of British energy policy in a generation", he said. "Our policies will deliver secure, sustainable and affordable energy for the years ahead, while boosting investment and creating jobs. Ours is a plan to turn a threat into an opportunity, demonstrating the energy leadership and values needed to get Britain back on track." You can read the Conservative Energy policy in full using the document reader below, or alternatively click here to download a copy in PDF format.
Under new plans set out by the Government today, a" green transformation "of Britain’s homes will take place over the next decade, making them more comfortable, warmer and cheaper to run. With around one quarter of UK emissions coming from energy used in homes the Warm Homes, Greener Homes Strategy is aimed at cutting emissions from the UK’s homes by 29% by 2020. The new strategy will help people make smarter use of energy in homes, making it easier to take action and reduce bills. Installing some technologies, such as solid wall insulation, could see energy bills cut by £380 a year (average between 2013 and 2020). The new strategy will also be good for jobs, with up to 65,000 jobs required in the green homes industry as a result, for example installing and manufacturing energy saving measures or providing home energy advice. The strategy will be implemented in a three stage plan: - To insulate 6 million homes by the end of 2011 - To have insulated all practical lofts and cavity walls by 2015 - To have offered up to 7 million eco upgrades by 2020; all homes to have smart meters. Ed Miliband, Energy and Climate Secretary, said: “This shows we can meet the national interest of tackling climate change and reducing our dependence on foreign energy at the same time as we help people save money. “The Warm Homes, Greener Homes Strategy will remove the deterrent of upfront costs and reduce the hassle of the move to greener living. “Making homes more energy efficient will help protect people from upward pressure on bills, tackle climate change, and make us less reliant on imported energy. “New ‘pay as you save’ green finance, a new alliance between energy companies and local authorities to help people in their communities, as well as moves to encourage landlords to stop ignoring energy wastage in their properties, will help deliver the radical transformation that’s necessary.” Communities Secretary, John Denham, said: "Local authorities are uniquely positioned to drive and shape a low carbon economy, low carbon living and influence the kind of behaviour change that will be needed to meet the UK commitment to the 34 percent cut in emissions on 1990 levels by 2020. "Councils are already making huge advances on this agenda. We want all local authorities to take the lead on reducing emissions in their area. There are obvious benefits for local people both financially and in terms of quality of life and it is crucial that local authorities maximise these and involve local people every step of the way." John Healey, Housing Minister, said: “The new measures announced today put the consumer in control of greening up their homes. More than a quarter of carbon emissions come from our homes, so it is vital people are able to make the improvements that will lead to smarter use of energy. It also puts social housing centre stage of efforts to reduce bills and carbon emissions to help the poorest first, with council and Housing Association landlords linking up with energy companies to get efficiency work done, and tenants getting the benefits of warmer, greener homes with lower bills. “Today I have also announced an additional £2.5m to provide a network of Green Show Homes across England, lived in by ordinary people and open to the public. People will be able to see first hand what a refurbished green home is like to live in, and the new technologies they can use to improve the energy efficiency of their own homes and save money on bills.
“There’s a driving force behind the green homes movement with homeowners, developers and local authorities lining up to get on board. There is a lot of momentum to change and radically re-think how we track our energy use and refurbish our homes and buildings for the future. People in their own homes will get help with costs, and there will be help for private landlords and tenants, but we’re also ready to regulate in the future if landlords will not do the green refurbishment needed.”
The government have this week proposed that "smart meters" that will save consumers money on their energy bills are to be installed in millions of homes in England, Wales and Scotland over the next decade. The meters let people monitor exactly how much energy they are using at different times, allowing them to cut their energy usage. They will also end the need for bill estimates and meter readings, with people instead charged according to exactly how much energy they have used. It is estimated the scheme may help people save £28 a year – but installing the meters will cost between £7billion and £9billion, about £340 per household. Zoe McLeod, energy expert, Consumer Focus:"Basically they're a new generation of meter with a range of additional functions. For the consumer, they'll be provided with a separate standalone display, so you'll be able to see how much energy you’re using at any given time in the home. So if you turn your television off standby, you should see the amount of energy showing that you're using on your display come down." Alongside this, the government is planning the introduction of a smart grid, which will also help save energy, reduce cost and increase reliability.
The government has announced the minimum standard for the energy efficiency of zero carbon homes, moving a step closer to all new homes being zero carbon by 2016.
Speaking yesterday at the Making Sustainable Development Happen conference, organised by Building and UKGBC, housing minister John Healey said that the new energy efficiency standards will be subject to the up coming consultation on the Code for Sustainable Homes, but it includes an energy efficiency standard of 46kWh/m2/year for semi-detached and detached homes and 39kWh/m2/year for all other homes.
Neil Jefferson, chief executive of the Zero Carbon Hub, said “The Fabric Energy Efficiency Standard is a critically important step towards the delivery of zero carbon homes from 2016.The group has agreed upon a performance level that it has judged to be stretching and appropriate for mass scale production in the UK."
Energy Advisers have revealed that the Palace of Westminster and the Bank of England are among the public buildings with the worst energy efficiency in the country.
Around 18,000 buildings, including town halls, museums, schools and job centres, are being tested to discover their energy efficiency on a sliding scale where A is the best and G is the worst.
The Palace and the Bank of England both scored a G. and together, they consume enough electricity and gas to pump out 21,356 tonnes of CO2 a year, the equivalent of more than 14,000 people flying from London to New York.
Other building's also scored badly including London's City Hall which scored an E despite opening in 2002 and being described by its architect Foster & Partners as a "virtually non-polluting public building". The Treasury's headquarters on Horse Guards Parade scored the same despite a complete office refurbishment six years ago that was supposed to "set new environmental standards in Whitehall".
In Salford, the Imperial War Museum North, designed by Daniel Libeskind and opened in 2002, scored a G, the same as its 91-year-old sister museum in London.
Gordon Brown wants at least eight new nuclear power stations to be built over the next 15 years but says the market should determine the final total, according to reports. At a summit of the EU and Mediterranean states in Paris yesterday, the prime minister called for a “renaissance of nuclear power”.
Addressing 42 leaders from the EU, North Africa and Middle East at a "Union for the Mediterranean" summit in Paris, he said that oil dependency posed a threat to economic stability and family finances and was not environmentally sustainable. He supported the creation of "sun farms" in the Sahara and across the region.
The Prime Minister will set "no upper limit" on the number of nuclear plants that will be built by private companies. That would mean nuclear, which provides about 20 per cent of Britain's electricity, could meet a bigger share after the new generation of nuclear stations come on stream over the next 15 years.
Britain has 10 nuclear power stations in use, generating 10GW of electricity, but just one of these will still be operating by 2023.The government has promised to consult on its proposals for nuclear new-build. It is expected to start inviting site nominations at the end of the year.
 BDP have recently completed their study on how Westminster Palace could cut down on their C02 emissions.
The content of their report is available on the Guardians website. Suggestions in the report include a 35m wind turbine in neighbouring Victoria Gardens, 50 3m hydro turbines in the Thames. Consideration is also been given to using water found in an aquifer 120m below ground to cool the debating chamber and provide drinking water. The Palace of Westminster uses enough electricity to power 6,500 households. It has pledged to lower carbon reductions by 16% by 2020, but the report suggests carbon savings of 29% could be achievable by 2020 if its proposals are taken up. The cost to complete this project will be in the region of £20m. Imagine all the hot air in the chamber which is just going to waste...
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors claim that homeowners would have to wait up to 208 years to recoup some of the costs on energy saving measures advised in the new Energy Performance Certificates.
The Energy Performance Certificates which are now required with all Home Information Packs for houses with three or more bedrooms list eight measures to secure a high rating of A or B against a poor rating of F or G. The RICS data shows that putting in all eight measures, including insulation, condenser boilers and double glazing, would cost £23,547. This would knock only £486 off fuel bills and would take 48 years to recoup.
RICS' Building Cost Information Service assessed how long it would take to recoup costs on all measures ranging from cavity wall insulation to solar thermal heating. Some of the measures, such as solar panels to heat water, would cost £5,000 to install but reduce average bills by only £24 a year and would therefore take about 208 years to pay back. The cost of double glazing would take 124 years to recoup in lower heating bills while underfloor insulation would take 54 years.
Jill Craig, RICS head of policy and public affairs said: “The Government needs to do a lot more than just introduce a ‘fridge style’ energy rating system to encourage people to take up energy saving measures into their homes....RICS has been calling on government to reduce the level of VAT applied to all energy saving measures and to provide an attractive grant program to aid real change. If this government is really serious about combating climate change they have to turn their big talk into even bigger actions."
The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) has carried out a comprehensive study of tidal power in the UK, including an evaluation of proposals for a Severn barrage.
The report, ‘Tidal Power in the UK’, argues that the UK’s outstanding tidal resources could provide at least 10% of the country’s electricity. It includes a series of recommendations to Government on how to develop our tidal resource, and emerging tidal technologies, to provide secure, low carbon electricity for the long term.
The study suggests that a barrage in the Severn Estuary could supply 4.4% of UK electricity supply (17 terawatt-hours) from the second greatest tidal range resource in the world, generating electricity for over 120 years. It also outlines that the UK has an excellent tidal stream resource, and is leading the world in the development of a wide range of tidal stream devices.
The final reports of the SDC commissioned work can be found here.
Greater Gabbard Offshore Winds has signed a preliminary agreement to buy wind turbines from Siemens for an undisclosed sum for its wind farm off the British coast, the German group said on Thursday.The agreement is preliminary because Greater Gabbard, a joint venture between Ireland's Airtricity and U.S. based Fluor is still finalising their project finance. "There is a global shortage of wind turbines and ever increasing competition to secure their supply. In this context, to have landed this agreement, is a major coup," Airtricity Chief Executive Eddie O'Connor said in the statement.
The deal followed UK government planning permission for a 500-megawatt wind farm off Suffolk, eastern England that could avoid emitting nearly 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year by displacing fossil fuel-fired generation.
The wind turbines will be sited around the Inner Gabbard and Galloper sandbanks. It will be the first UK offshore wind farm to be built outside territorial waters and will provide electricity for more than 415,000 homes.
Construction of the project will commence in mid2009 with completion expected by the end of 2010.
The First figures have been released on the performance of houses as part of new Home Information Packs. The average four-bedroom house is getting an E energy rating, according to a survey, featured by Building Magazine, following the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates and Home Information Packs. The Government said that the rating of houses could potentially rise to C if consumers took measures such as loft and cavity wall insulation. By carrying out basic energy efficient measures householders could save £180 on heating, £60 on lighting and £30 on hot water bills, the Communities and Local Government department said.
The top 5 recommendations given by assessors for improving energy efficiency have been: cavity wall insulation, changing to low energy lighting, putting thermostatic valves on radiators, loft insulation, and double glazing.
Home-owners could be offered tax breaks to make their homes more energy-efficient, under new schemes proposed by a Conservative group set up by David Cameron to develop policies on the environment. The Quality of Life Policy Group, chaired by former Environment Secretary John Gummer and green campaigner Zac Goldsmith, also wants Mr Cameron to clamp down on high-energy domestic appliances like plasma-screen TVs and impose limits on stand-by lights which waste electricity.
The report proposes a partial rebate on stamp duty if all cost-effective energy efficiency improvements are made when a home is sold, or shortly afterwards. It also suggests 0% stamp duty for zero-carbon homes and council tax discounts for homes built to the highest environmental standards.
Mr Goldsmith told BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show: "We can achieve massive reductions from very little investment, and from the home-owners' point of view that does pretty quickly lead to savings on your bills...."The savings aren't so big that it's going to drive people to make these changes unless they are driven by ethical concerns. That's why we need to have this stamp duty rebate. It has to be a no-brainer for ordinary people... Enough of a reduction that it becomes the obvious thing to do for all home-owners."
A solar-powered church in Wales' Cynon Valley is producing a surplus of electricity and may begin to sell some to the National Grid, it has emerged.
St Joseph's Church was kitted out with 30 solar panels as part of £750,000 restoration work at the almost derelict building.Father David Way admits he initially doubted that enough electricity for the church would be provided.But the £33,000 panels on the Victorian church are producing more power than it needs, and the extra can be sold on. Speaking to the BBC last week Father Way said that during the planning stages parishioners had wanted to make sure the church was as environmentally friendly as possible while maintaining the heritage of the building. "Cwmaman isn't the sunniest place and I was concerned we were going to spend all this money and get no return," said Fr Way...but they do work and they supply an amazing amount of electricity....We are planning to supply the National Grid which will also generate an income for the church. There are also plans to utilise rain water for the toilets and to install the most energy efficient heating.
Tesco has released its latest corporate responsibility review which outlines the key aims of becoming a "leader in the low carbon economy". These include adopting a number of measures to become climate-friendly. They have landmark plans, such as building renewables on-site, launching a £100 million climate technologies fund, and carbon labelling goods in store.
Tesco’s new climate friendly policies fall neatly in line with recently announced plans by the UK government to include supermarkets in the emissions trading scheme and encourage a carbon labelling scheme into place, which may one day be mandatory.
Tesco has pledged to cut energy usage per square foot by 50% by the beginning of next year compared to 2000 levels, to cut emissions in half by 2020, triple its recycling, and improve in-store climate communications for customers.
It backs up these pledges by putting money into new environmentally friendly refits for their stores, costing an estimated total of £500 million, as well as into research.
A separate investment of £100 million will go into developing low carbon technologies and £5 million into Tesco’s new Institute for Sustainable Consumption that has been set up with the help of Oxford University. The institute will be working out how consumer information initiatives such as carbon labelling and recycling information are going to work.
Tesco has suggested it will roll out a carbon-labelling scheme in a few years time. Meanwhile the UK government recently announced plans to develop a carbon labelling methodology within 18 months in conjunction with the major supermarkets and the Carbon Trust.
Sandtoft Roof Tiles, the solar roof tile manufacturer has pledged of support for solar energy, following the Department of Trade and Industry’s decision to cut its financial support for homeowners investing in renewable electricity. With immediate effect, Sandtoft will sell its solar electric (photovoltaic) and solar thermal systems at zero profit in order to make the renewable energy solutions as cost-effective as possible.
Although Gordon Brown increased the DTI’s budget for the grant scheme by 50 percent to almost £19million in March, the maximum grant available to homeowners looking to install a solar-energy system has been slashed from £15,000 to £2,500. The decision could result in solar systems being over 60 percent more expensive for property owners, which could undermine the growth of such solutions in the UK.
Simon Oldridge, Sandtoft’s managing director commented:
“Solar solutions perform a key role in the future of sustainable development, and as a business that is committed to inspiring a greener construction industry we have made the decision to sell our solar tiles at zero profit for the first year.”
“It is essential that the government and the construction industry work together to make renewable energy solutions a genuine possibility for real homes and developments,” he continued, “not simply one-off eco-home projects and the wealthiest of households.”
The government's energy white paper, was unveiled by the Trade and industry secretary Alistair Darling told the House of Commons outlining the need tackle environmental and energy security issues by focusing on energy efficiency.
Among the goals set by the white paper are tripling the amount of electricity from renewable sources by 2015 and cutting emissions by up to 33 million tonnes of carbon by 2020.
It hopes to achieve these aims by introducing new real-time 'smart meters' from 2008, publishing a biomass strategy, legalising the storage of natural gas underneath the North Sea and funding for the development of low carbon vehicles.
"Every action set in train by this white paper is important, and none will be easy. Nor can we become a low carbon economy in a single step," Mr Darling told the Commons."But if each of us acts we can start to deliver the low-carbon economy vital to our prosperity," he said.
The government stopped short of a full endorsement of nuclear power in a bid to avert the expected fierce debate between policymakers and environmentalists.Instead ministers framed nuclear power stations as an environmentally-friendly energy source but avoided making concrete decisions on the issue, launching a new consultation.
Just hours after Mr Darling announced his Energy White Paper yesterday, BP, the oil giant halted work on a £1bn-plus carbon capture and storage facility in Scotland, blaming delays in state subsidies. BP's decision is an embarrassment for the minister, whose White Paper is designed to underline the Government's commitment to take a global lead in cutting greenhouse gases.
Announcements in the White Paper include: - A requirement for new meters to come with a real-time display from 2008 and a short term offer of free displays from energy suppliers for households to 2010. In addition, the Government is encouraging the introduction of smart meters, also with displays, in the household sector and for small firms and expects everyone to have a smart meter within 10 years, whilst requiring smart meters for all but the smallest of businesses in the next five years.
- A consultation setting out how the energy efficiency of consumer electronics will need to improve is published.
- A consultation to double energy suppliers' current obligation to deliver energy efficiency measures to customers through a new 'Carbon Emission Reduction Target'.
- A 'Distributed Generation' Report is published including simplification of energy market and licensing arrangements for localised energy by the end of 2008 and clearer export tariffs from all six major energy suppliers for microgenerators to sell excess electricity.
- Legislation to band the Renewables Obligation to benefit offshore wind, wave, tidal and other emerging technologies. The cap on the amount of co-firing generation qualifying for support will be removed.
- Publication of a Biomass Strategy as well as a response to 'Creating Value from Renewable Materials' - a 2 year progress report on the Strategy for Non - Food Crops and Uses.
- Detail on the competition announced in the Budget to build the world's first end-to-end Carbon Capture and Storage plant, which will deliver at least 300MW capacity, 90% CO2 saving, and be up and running between 2011 and 2014.
- Legislation to allow the storage of natural gas under the seabed and unloading of Liquefied Natural Gas at sea.
- A three month deadline within which DTI will make consent decisions on large scale energy projects, pending more radical reforms set out in the Planning White Paper.
- A new energy market information and analysis service from this autumn.
- A Low Carbon Transport Innovation Strategy is published backed by funding of £20m for public procurement of low carbon vehicles, an up to £30m R&D 'Innovation Platform' and £5m additional funding for the Energy Technologies Institute.
Foster + Partners has revealed plans for the world's first zero-carbon, zero-waste city in Abu Dhabi. The project is a new 6 million square meter sustainable development that uses the traditional planning principals of a walled city, together with existing technologies, to achieve a zero carbon and zero waste community.
The initiative has been driven by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, and will be a centre for the development of new ideas for energy production. Masdar responds to the urban identity of Abu Dhabi while offering a sustainable urban blueprint for the future. Due to be launched at Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2007, it is an ambitious project that will attract the highest levels of international expertise and commerce, providing a mixed-use, high-density city.
Norman Foster said:
“The environmental ambitions of the Masdar Initiative – zero carbon and waste free – are a world first. They have provided us with a challenging design brief that promises to question conventional urban wisdom at a fundamental level. Masdar promises to set new benchmarks for the sustainable city of the future.”
The city itself is car free,with a maximum distance of 200m to the nearest transport link and amenities, the compact network of streets encourages walking and is complemented by a personalised rapid transport system. The shaded walkways and narrow streets will create a pedestrian-friendly environment in the context of Abu Dhabi’s extreme climate. With expansion carefully planned, the surrounding land will contain wind, photovoltaic farms, research fields and plantations, so that the city will be entirely self-sustaining.
 Haringey Council in North London , have used a spy plane to photograph residents wasting energy. It is the first local authority in the UK to compile a heat map which can pinpoint how much energy is escaping from each property.
Speaking to thisislondon.co.uk Councillor Isidoros Diakides, Labour's executive member for housing, said: "This single study will play a key role in helping us address three of the biggest issues currently facing Haringey - climate change, fuel poverty and housing waiting lists."
But the move was criticised by Justin Hinchcliffe, of Haringey Conservatives.He said: "Given that the council cannot even keep the streets clean, we're amazed that they've launched this project. The mapping took place at night in winter when buildings were heated and the cold air allowed high quality data from an altitude of 1,500 to 2,000 feet.The plane flew 17 runs back and forth across the borough and the results are published online in a Heat Loss Map.
The Council rejected any suggestion of an invasion of peoples privacy by saying that their spy plane was: "less intrusive than Google Earth". The council believes the map will encourage residents to better insulate their homes and identify homes in need of energy-saving grants.
 In a recent survey conducted by Ceridian, a Leading HR Consultancy , revealed that 69% of employees thought it was important their employer was environmentally responsible, and over half wished their organisation would do more.
The "Benefit Choices" survey showed that more than a third of all workers surveyed felt that receiving greener benefits would make them more loyal to their employer. Fourteen per cent would change jobs for a greener benefits package The top three most attractive 'green' benefits would be incentives to move to sustainable electricity/energy (67%), access to discounts on 'green' recycled products (65%) and discounts on public transport (59%). Doug Sawers, managing director of Ceridian, said: "People today recognise they need to do more to ensure the long-term survival of our planet and employees appear to be keen to do their bit when backed by like-minded employers."
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