www.hydro-solutions.co.uk News

Report: U.K. can’t rely on market

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:11:45 GMT

Britain can’t rely only on markets alone to develop electricity networks that can support electric cars and decentralized generation or renewable energy, according to a government report released today (23 February). Expansion of renewable energy sources and rising demand will transform how power is distributed, the Energy and Climate Change Committee of Parliament said in a report. “The only way Britain can respond cost-effectively to these challenges is by applying a smarter approach to managing the energy system.”

EU will hit renewables targets, says EWEA

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:11:10 GMT

The EU will exceed its target to produce 20 per cent of its energy from renewables by 2020, according to new analysis by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). The report, which assessed all forms of renewable energy, found that 13 of the 27 EU member states are likely to meet their national targets for renewable energy capacity, with a further eight set to exceed their EU imposed goals.

Turbine design breathes new life into targets

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:10:30 GMT

A radical windmill design could hold the key to making offshore wind power more economical and helping the UK meet its ambitious renewable energy targets. The Aerogenerator turns conventional windmills on their side, with a 100m tall V-shaped blade rotating on a vertical, rather than the usual horizontal, axis. By building all the moving parts and machinery at the base of the windmill rather than the top of a tower, its designers claim it will be easier to build and maintain, making its renewable electricity cheaper.

1,000+ respond to NPS consultation

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:09:52 GMT

Energy Minister Lord Hunt has welcomed the level of public interest in the National Policy Statements on Energy (NPSs), after more than 1,000 responses were received to the proposals in a consultation which closed today (February 22). The draft statements aim to remove unnecessary planning delays facing large energy proposals including renewable energy developments and will be the basis on which individual planning decisions are made from March by the new Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC).

Biomass plant to ship chips from America

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:09:14 GMT

The environmental credentials of the planned biomass power station in Leith were under fire today after it was revealed it will be fuelled by woodchip shipped from as far away as north America. Energy bosses plan to buy in hundreds of thousands of tonnes of wood from sustainable forests abroad to provide material for the plant at Imperial Dock near Ocean Terminal.

Low Carbon Future: EEDA’s £5.5m funding

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:08:35 GMT

Companies carrying out low carbon research and development in the East of England will be able to benefit from an extra £5.5 million in funding secured by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) to support the region’s position as a global provider of innovative low carbon goods and services.

Protesters: Power line go-ahead broke rules

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:07:59 GMT

Campaign groups have written to Scotland's energy minister demanding that a public inquiry into the controversial Beauly to Denny power line be reopened for legal reasons. Scotland Before Pylons and the Beauly-Denny Landscape Group claim in a letter to Jim Mather that he did not follow procedural rules when he approved the 137-mile power line. There were 18,000 objections to the £350 million line from Beauly near Inverness to Denny in Stirling, which was granted permission in January.

Low-friction bearing material for P2

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:07:26 GMT

Novel bearing and seal technologies are playing a vital role in a new UK-developed wave energy generator due to start testing off the Orkney Islands later this year. Engineers at Edinburgh-based Pelamis Wave Power have been developing wave power devices for more than a decade and have overcome the challenge of continuous operation in the punishing marine environment. Building on their experience of producing the world’s first offshore wave energy converter, the team has developed a second-generation design which is more efficient and cost-effective. Crucial to the new design are the bearings and seals.

Bridge benefit of Cumbrian scheme

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:06:49 GMT

A road bridge linking Barrow and Millom could be built across the Duddon Estuary. A £60,000 study has been launched into the feasibility of building a barrage or other tidal power device across the Duddon Estuary to generate electricity. And one of the options would include a road bridge across the Duddon…… Tidal barrages, fences, reefs and other innovative technologies will all be considered by regeneration organisation Britain’s Energy Coast West Cumbria.

Widening the energy future debate

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:06:13 GMT

The United Arab Emirates and Scotland have much in common. Both are small nations whose economies have been geared to the production and export of oil and both are rich in future renewable energy potential. The empty deserts of the UAE have the capacity to produce vast quantities of clean solar energy, while the coastal waters of Scotland could generate copious wind, wave and tidal energy. However, while the UAE has just awarded a contract for four nuclear power plants, in Scotland we are in the process of winding down our nuclear capacity.

We've got the power to keep the lights on

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:04:06 GMT

John Best of EEEGR writes in EDP …….. to provide the tangible jobs and infrastructure to produce tomorrow's energy we must begin today to play to our regional strengths. This is all very real; there is no "quantative energy" fix to keep the lights on. We must promote with one compelling voice our regions unique opportunity to contribute and benefit through its supply chain and natural and built assets. They will all be required to work in harmony to energise our future.

Drax may take £2bn green plans abroad

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:22:41 GMT

Power station operator Drax has warned it could move its £2bn plans for green energy plants abroad unless the Government makes the UK friendlier for biomass energy. Drax, which owns the North Yorkshire coal-fired plant, planned to build three new power stations run on waste matter such as wood chips and straw pellets, rather than coal.

Engineering firm predicts £100m RE boost

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:20:29 GMT

One of the few survivors of the west of Scotland’s glory days of heavy engineering is anticipating orders well in excess of £100m on the back of the global drive to produce clean and renewable energy. Steel Engineering, a welder and fabricator of massive and complex metal structures that has been thriving near the banks of the White Cart in Renfrew for the past 88 years, is also positioning itself for what it believes will be Scotland’s next engineering boom.

The long road to a renewable future

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:18:48 GMT

Blame it on technology, infrastructure or policy. But it's going to take many years for new technologies to make much of a dent in our current energy mix. The \wall Street Journal takes a look at new technologies, their current status and why it is going to take so long for themn to be adopted.

Hydrogen taxi cabs by 2012 Olympics

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:17:45 GMT

A taxi cab that runs on the latest hydrogen fuel cell technology is being developed with the aim of being ready for full road trials in time for the 2012 Olympics. The car looks and drives just like a standard London black cab – but underneath the bonnet is some cutting-edge technology by sports carmaker Lotus.

Mandelson ready to go nuclear

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:13:25 GMT

Lord Mandelson is close to sealing a £170m government-backed deal for a nuclear manufacturing facility just days after Corus mothballed its steel plant on Teesside. The business secretary has been leading talks between Sheffield Forgemasters, the engineering firm, and Westinghouse, the nuclear reactor maker, for months about arranging a financing package for a 15,000-tonne press that would be used to make pressure vessels and castings for nuclear reactors.

UK plans first nuclear fusion plant

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:12:01 GMT

British scientists have drawn up plans to build the world’s first nuclear fusion power station. They say it could be pouring electricity into the National Grid within 20 years. Nuclear fusion, the power that lies at the heart of the sun, offers the prospect of clean, safe, carbon-free power with a minimum of radioactive waste. But despite decades of research the technical problems have seemed insurmountable.

Energy from waste under threat

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:07:57 GMT

One of the most promising solutions to the UK's mounting waste problems is under threat after the Government set the price it will pay for electricity generated from organic waste too low, green campaigners claimed. Farmers are aborting plans to build anaerobic digestion plants to convert animal slurries, manure and rotting vegetables into energy after the Government's climate change department made the proposed plants commercially unviable, according to the Renewable Energy Association (REA), which represents the industry.

Critics slam eco energy standard

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:07:20 GMT

Ofgem, the energy watchdog, announced a new green label for energy tariffs this month but critics said it only adds to confusion for consumers. The green scheme stamp is aimed at helping people recognise deals as having “genuine environmental benefits” to reassure them that paying extra for green energy is worth it.

Tories go quiet over energy plans

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:04:13 GMT

The Conservatives' flagship energy paper may not appear until April – six months after its original planned publication – leading to industry fears of policy disagreements in the run-up to the election.

UK firms not ready for govt green plan

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:03:23 GMT

According to Reuters: UK businesses are unprepared for a complex government plan to cut corporate energy use and it will only deliver 1.4 percent of its carbon reduction target for 2020, energy consultants McKinnon & Clarke said in a report.

More dust from climate change

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:02:23 GMT

Does your house seem to be getting dustier each time you go to vacuum? New research suggests that climate change is making the planet dustier. BBC’s Science correspondent Tom Feilden investigated the findings.

ScottishPower doubles wind output in 2009

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:58:14 GMT

ScottishPower Renewables has announced that it nearly doubled its wind output from its 23 operational wind farms during 2009. The Spanish-owned company claims to have produced just over 1.7 million megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity, which amounts to a rise of 43.8% on the 2008 figures. During 2009 the company completed construction at Europe's largest onshore wind farm, Whitelee, near Glasgow.

Solar water heaters come to the boil

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:57:07 GMT

Government incentives are about to make solar water heating panels a financial no-brainer for millions of households across Britain, as long as they have a south-facing roof. Two weeks ago Guardian Money outlined the attractiveness of electricity generating panels as a result of the introduction of "feed-in" tariffs, which will pay households for the extra energy they produce. However, the installation cost – at around £12,500 – will put many people off.

Microgen changes promised by Tories

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:55:59 GMT

The Conservative Party has promised to reward early adopters of microgeneration technology by modifying the rate at which businesses and homes that adopted renewables before July 15th 2009 are paid. Currently the pioneers will be paid nine pence per kWh of electricity they produce compared to 20-25p/kWh for those taking on the renewable technology for the first time, BusinessGreen reports.

Science damaged by climate row

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:54:52 GMT

Leading scientists say that the recent controversies surrounding climate research have damaged the image of science as a whole. President of the US National Academy of Sciences, Ralph Cicerone, said scandals including the "climategate" e-mail row had eroded public trust in scientists.

Obama's $5bn green home plan

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:53:02 GMT

Barack Obama's $5bn programme to help fuel America's economic recovery by making more than half a million homes energy efficient has got off to a painfully slow start and was 98% short of its goal last year, according to an official report.

USA’s first commercial wave farm

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:51:42 GMT

Ocean Power Technologies will install the first commercial scale wave power farm in the United States. The wave farm will be located in Reedsport, Oregon. Construction on the farm has already begun.

Testing Eigg's green credentials

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:50:16 GMT

The Isle of Eigg has been dubbed "Scotland's first green island", but what have the islanders done to deserve that accolade? BBC Scotland Environment and Science Correspondent David Miller paid a visit to find out.

Yorkshire’s green power station

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:48:47 GMT

Plans to build a new "green" power station were announced yesterday in the latest step to put the region at the forefront of developments in renewable energy. Denmark's largest power company, Dong Energy, plans to build the biomass power station, which would burn renewable fuels such as wood, on reclaimed land near Queen Elizabeth Dock in the port of Hull.

UK’s role in Poland’s drive to tap RE sources

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:46:20 GMT

Poland is one of Europe’s laggards when it comes to the switch to renewable energy. Yet in its dash to catch up and meet EU standards, the Polish renewable energy market will offer huge opportunities for UK companies active in this sector.

Edinburgh LED trial for Dialight

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:45:23 GMT

Dialight in Newmarket is hoping an LED street light trial across the border will trigger a string of deals in the UK after The City of Edinburgh Council decided to test its technology along the World Heritage-listed Princes Street. The contract, on what is widely regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful city streets, is the location for Scotland’s first LED street light trial. To date there have been just a handful of LED trials in the UK making the Princes Street experiment the most high profile deployment of smart and cost effective LED lighting technology, and a major coup for Dialight.

El Nino’s effect on wind power production

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:44:31 GMT

3Tier recently released maps plotting how average wind speeds in the US differed from their long-term averages in 2009, thereby illustrating the impact of El Nino, which contributed to a decrease in wind power production in several important wind power regions.

Germany’s new plans for hydrogen cars

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:43:34 GMT

The German government has big goals for vehicles running on hydrogen fuel cells. But can their model translate to the U.S. market?

£200m North Sea levies should return north

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:41:23 GMT

First Minister Alex Salmond yesterday (18 February) called for an estimated £200 million in levies from the North Sea oil and gas industry, being held in Westminster, to be released to help create up to 20,000 jobs. His call was made as Mr Salmond visited Green Ocean Energy, a renewables company specialising in developing wave technologies in Aberdeen.

Eskdalemuir plans dampened by MOD

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:37:00 GMT

Wind farm development plans in Eskdalemuir have been hampered by the Ministry of Defence. A number of projects which are still being considered for approval by the council will now also have to appease the MOD before they can go ahead. The defence organisation revealed this week that it was concerned about the number of wind farms springing up around one of its sites. They said that vibrations from too many wind turbines would disrupt equipment at the Eskdalemuir Seismological Recording Station.

Drax suspends greener fuel plan

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:29:52 GMT

Britain’s biggest power station has suspended its plan to replace coal with greener fuel, leaving the Government little chance of meeting its target for renewable energy. Drax, in North Yorkshire, which produces enough electricity for six million homes, is withdrawing a pledge to cut CO2 emissions by 3.5 million tonnes a year, or 17.5 per cent.

Work starts on Clipper blade plant

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:29:16 GMT

Construction work has begun on the UK's first offshore wind turbine manufacturing facility on Tyneside. The Clipper Windpower Marine factory will produce 72m (236ft) blades, which will be among the world's largest when they are introduced in 2012. More than 500 jobs will be created when the plant opens in the third quarter of 2010, said the US firm.

Clipper's Newcastle factory: PM comments

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:28:16 GMT

The latest £8m funding for offshore wind technology was made available today as the Prime Minister hailed the UK as a 'global leader' in the offshore wind market. The announcement came as Clipper Windpower confirmed that it is to start construction of a factory in Newcastle to build the biggest wind turbine blades in the world. Visiting the site where Clipper today (18 February) confirmed it will employ up to 500 people by 2020 to manufacture blades for the massive 10 megawatt ‘Britannia’ offshore wind turbine, the Prime Minister said: “I welcome Clipper’s ground-breaking announcement to build the largest wind turbine blade in the world on the banks of the Tyne. The UK is a global leader in offshore wind power, and the North East is at the forefront in providing the skills, expertise and enterprise to capitalise on this rapidly expanding market, which has the potential to create thousands of future green jobs. The combination of our strong natural wind resource and the substantial backing we’ve given the industry mean the investment conditions in the UK are unrivalled."

Resignation of top UN climate official

info@all-energy.co.uk (www.hydro-solutions.co.uk) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:27:32 GMT

The United Nations' top climate official is stepping down, leaving behind deep international divisions over how to forge a new treaty on global climate change. Dutch diplomat Yvo de Boer announced yesterday (18 February) that he will step down as executive director of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.