Sustainable Energy news

• Inefficient UK homes cost residents £900 more

  26-04-2024 11:15 via energylivenews.com
  
  A new report from the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE) has put forward a strategy to address energy inefficiency in British homes.
  With over ten million households lacking adequate roof insulation, the ADE underscores the pressing need for action to ease the financial strain on families and reduce energy consumption.The report highlights a significant financial gap between energy-efficient homes and their inefficient counterparts, with the latter potentially being up to £900 wors
  
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• Fixation on UK nuclear power may not help to solve climate crisis

  10-05-2024 07:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Waste and cost among drawbacks, as researchers say renewables could power UK entirelyIn the battle to prevent the climate overheating, wind and solar are making impressive inroads into the once dominant market share of coal. Even investors in gas plants are increasingly seen as taking a gamble.With researchers at Oxford and elsewhere agreeing that the UK could easily become entirely powered by wind and solar – with no fossil fuels required – it seems an anomaly that nuclear power is
  
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• Third pilot of household hydrogen heating shelved by UK government

  09-05-2024 18:19 via theguardian.com
  
  The move signals that homes will rely on electricity for low-carbon heating well into the futureA third pilot project to test the use of hydrogen heating in homes has been shelved by the government in the clearest sign to date that households will rely on electricity for low-carbon heating in the coming decades.The government said it would shelve plans to develop a “hydrogen town” to test whether hydrogen could help to heat homes at scale before taking a final decision after 2026. Co
  
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• I understand climate scientists' despair – but stubborn optimism may be our only hope | Christiana Figueres

  09-05-2024 17:26 via theguardian.com
  
  Fighting spirit helped us achieve the Paris accords in 2015 – and we need it now the world is on course to overshoot 1.5C• ‘Hopeless and broken’: why the world’s top climate scientists are in despair• Christiana Figueres was the head of the UN climate change convention from 2010 to 2016“Hopeless and broken”: that is how a top scientist interviewed by the Guardian described feeling as she and hundreds of other climate experts shared harrowing predicti
  
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• Heat networks sector unites to chart path for 35k new jobs

  09-05-2024 15:45 via energylivenews.com
  
  The Heat Networks Industry Council has launched a nationwide survey aimed at addressing the pressing need for approximately 35,000 new jobs essential for the expansion of heat networks, which are projected to provide about 20% of the UK’s heat by 2050. This initiative aligns with the Committee on Climate Change’s assessment that low carbon heat networks will play a critical role in achieving net zero emissions in a cost-effective manner.Currently, heat networks contribute a modest 2-
  
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• Biochar expert stresses on the importance of practicality in net zero transition

  09-05-2024 15:30 via energylivenews.com
  
  Robert Johnson, Research and Development Manager at Arigna Fuels, highlighted the multitude of biochar applications during this week’s episode of the Net Hero Podcast.
  He said: ‘We’ve proven that the technology is here unlike something like Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), we have something that is already here and it works.
  ‘And the markets for biochar are growing exponentially. In Europe alone, the market was about 120,000 tonnes of biochar last year a
  
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• Worthing launches £500m heat network

  09-05-2024 13:00 via energylivenews.com
  
  Worthing, West Sussex, has unveiled an ambitious £500 million project – The Worthing Heat Network – in a bid to decarbonise heating across the entire town by 2050.
  Partnering with Hemiko, a heat network investor, developer and operator, the scheme aims to revolutionise heating systems.The Worthing Heat Network is identified in Worthing Borough Council’s Carbon Neutral Plan as the most cost-effective strategy to decarbonise buildings.
  Hemiko will finance, execute, and mana
  
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• Shipping decarbonisation could create up to four million green jobs

  09-05-2024 12:00 via energylivenews.com
  
  Decarbonising the global maritime industry could lead to the creation of up to four million green jobs by 2050.Shipping, accounting for 3% of global carbon dioxide emissions, faces pressure to transition to zero emission fuels like hydrogen-based e-fuels, as per the International Maritime Organization’s target to end fossil fuel consumption by 2050.
  This transition requires significant investment in renewable energy and hydrogen production capacity, estimated at £3.2 trillion.The dem
  
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• Norfolk’s grid stability project approved

  09-05-2024 11:00 via energylivenews.com
  
  Statkraft has secured approval for a grid stability project in Norfolk.
  The project, aimed at enhancing renewable energy transmission, received consent for construction near Necton.
  It intends to improve grid stability and enable greater use of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.
  The initiative is part of efforts to address occasional grid instability, which sometimes necessitates activating fossil fuel power stations.
  Norfolk has been identified as a key area requiring grid stab
  
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• ‘Wasted wind energy costs Brits nearly £1bn’

  09-05-2024 10:00 via energylivenews.com
  
  Grid capacity constraints led to almost £1 billion in ‘curtailment’ costs to electricity bills in 2023 due to issues transmitting wind energy to areas of demand.
  Analysis by energy storage developer Field reveals that nearly three quarters of the UK’s total curtailment cost last year came from activating gas power plants in England and Wales, as grid limitations prevented the use of cheaper wind power from Scotland.
  A significant portion of this expense stemmed from the B
  
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• NHS and energy partners tackle chills in home health initiative

  09-05-2024 08:52 via energylivenews.com
  
  The Energy Systems Catapult, in collaboration with energy company ScottishPower, has initiated the inaugural trial of its Warm Home Prescription (WHP) programme.
  The trial targets vulnerable households residing in homes with low Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings, aiming to enhance energy efficiency by installing measures such as improved insulation and air source heat pumps.Working alongside local NHS authorities, the Catapult identifies low income households where occupants are susce
  
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• World’s largest direct air capture plant switched on

  09-05-2024 08:35 via energylivenews.com
  
  Climeworks has launched Mammoth, the world’s largest direct air capture and storage plant, in Iceland.
  This marks their second commercial facility in the country and is much larger than their previous one, Orca.
  Mammoth, currently with twelve collector containers out of 72 planned, is expected to capture up to 36,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually once completed in 2024.Using renewable energy (geothermal energy) from ON Power in Iceland, Mammoth captures carbon dioxide from the air.
  Aft
  
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• UK seeks industry partners for fusion power plant

  09-05-2024 08:20 via energylivenews.com
  
  The government has initiated a competition to find industry partners for the development of the UK’s prototype fusion energy plant.
  Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Claire Coutinho, and Minister for Nuclear and Renewables, Andrew Bowie, unveiled the project, stressing the significance of fusion energy in addressing climate change and future energy needs.Dubbed STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production), the project aims to demonstrate net energy from fusion and faci
  
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• Octopus Energy’s value soars to $9bn

  09-05-2024 08:02 via energylivenews.com
  
  Octopus Energy has announced an increase in its valuation to $9 billion (£7.2bn), with existing shareholders Generation Investment Management and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) boosting their stakes in the company.
  The deal, which represents a 15% increase in valuation since the last investment round, sees Generation Investment Management securing new backing from pension funds in the US and Australia, including Aware Super.
  Generation now owns 13% of the Octopus En
  
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• Hinkley Point C faces fresh environmental scrutiny

  09-05-2024 07:50 via energylivenews.com
  
  EDF Energy‘s plans for Hinkley Point C, a nuclear power station, are under review as a new planning inquiry focuses on its environmental impact.
  The company is seeking modifications to agreed measures, requiring approval from the Planning Inspectorate, prompting a new public inquiry.
  Councillor Ros Wyke confirmed the inquiry, revealing proposed alterations to the development consent order, including removing acoustic fish deterrents (AFD) and constructing saltmarshes.
  Concerns persist rega
  
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• British Gas boss calls for mandatory smart meter installations

  09-05-2024 06:59 via energylivenews.com
  
  The Chief Executive Officer of Centrica, Chris O’Shea, has stirred controversy by proposing that all UK households should be compelled to install smart meters.
  Speaking before a committee of MPs on Wednesday, O’Shea, who heads the parent company of British Gas, argued that such a mandatory programme would significantly diminish the expenses associated with establishing a smart grid.
  O’Shea emphasised the potential benefits of a “street by street” installation approa
  
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• UK homes heated by human poo

  08-05-2024 15:03 via energylivenews.com
  
  A project led by Aston University has been granted a portion of £4.5 million by Ofwat to explore the possibility of turning sewage sludge into usable resources such as clean water and energy.The initiative aims to extract energy from waste produced during sewage and water treatment processes.
  Gases obtained from this process, such as hydrogen and methane, could potentially be utilized to power engines or heat homes.The project, named REvAR (Renewable Energy via Aqueous-phase Reforming), wi
  
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• Solar panel world record broken in huge boost for renewables

  08-05-2024 14:21
  
  New record comes as renewable energy passes 30 per cent of global electriciy generation for first time
  
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• UK basketball goes green

  08-05-2024 13:30 via energylivenews.com
  
  The British Basketball League (BBL) has formed a partnership with waste management company Biffa, aimed at promoting environmental awareness and implementing eco-friendly practices.Over the next three years, Biffa will support BBL clubs and venues in developing sustainability strategies, focusing on waste reduction and recycling initiatives.This collaboration seeks to engage communities and raise awareness about sustainability, leveraging basketball’s popularity to educate a wide audience.
  
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• Manchester uni goes solar

  08-05-2024 12:30 via energylivenews.com
  
  The University of Manchester has entered an agreement with clean energy company Enviromena to source electricity from a newly established solar farm, marking progress towards its goal of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2038.The Medebridge Solar Farm, spanning 175 acres in Essex with 104,000 solar panels, will supply 80% of the university’s electricity needs through a Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (cPPA), reducing its carbon dioxide emissions by 12,000 t/CO2 annually.Construction of
  
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• TotalEnergies and Arup join forces for renewable energy growth

  08-05-2024 12:00 via energylivenews.com
  
  Arup and TotalEnergies have finalised an agreement to advance renewable energy development.Arup will engage in engineering studies and technical advisory services to support TotalEnergies’ objective of achieving 100GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.This agreement strengthens the existing partnership between the two organisations, which have previously cooperated on various offshore wind and solar energy projects across global markets.Graeme McCann, Arup Global Technical Wind leader,
  
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• Flagship Energy’s Tejal Shah Energy Markets Update – 8th May 2024

  08-05-2024 11:40 via energylivenews.com
  Following a few strong sessions at the back end of last week the market continues to trade within a range. Fundamentals are improving with warmer temperatures expected throughout this week and holding around seasonal normal for the foreseeable future. Wind generation is also expected to pick up towards the back end of the week, whilst European gas storage levels are increasing (almost 64% full). Piped flow remains stable and Norwegian exports should improve later this week when Troll returns fro
  
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• Water-saving initiative cuts tenants’ costs

  08-05-2024 11:15 via energylivenews.com
  
  Ashford Borough Council has partnered with water and energy efficiency company Cenergist to implement a cost-saving initiative benefiting tenants and leaseholders residing in its 5,000-plus social homes.Through this collaboration, Control Flow devices, designed to regulate water flow and stabilise pressure, are being installed free of charge.The aim is to enhance water efficiency, resulting in reduced water and energy bills for residents.Moreover, the initiative contributes to environmental prot
  
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• Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) Framework explained

  08-05-2024 11:00 via energylivenews.com
  
  What is the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) Framework?Introduced in 2019, the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) is the UK government’s mandatory policy requiring certain organisations to provide details of the energy they use and their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in their annual reports.It means they can report their climate impact according to a single, agreed standard. This will make it simpler to compare different organisations’ environmental perform
  
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• Net Hero Podcast – A wonderfuel way to clean up things…

  08-05-2024 10:55 via energylivenews.com
  
  Now it’s great when you the audience get in touch to tell your net hero story.
  That’s exactly what Robert Johnson, of Arigna Fuels did and what a tale he has to tell. It’s all about solid fuels especially for the rural market in Ireland, where Arigna is based.
  Being very open and honest, he explained how they were still selling coal but trying to clean up their solid fuel offering, by moving into something called biochar – a biomass based brickquette which burns almost a
  
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• UK explores carbon transport methods

  08-05-2024 10:19 via energylivenews.com
  
  The UK Government has launched an initiative to explore new methods for transporting captured carbon dioxide (CO2), with the goal of strengthening the national carbon capture industry.
  This effort aims to diversify CO2 transportation options, complementing the existing pipeline network.Carbon capture technology, crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, captures CO2 from industrial processes before it is released into the atmosphere.
  The Climate Change Committee has highlighted its essentia
  
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• ENA launches AI platform for faster low carbon tech connections

  08-05-2024 10:15 via energylivenews.com
  
  The Energy Networks Association (ENA) has launched ENA Connect Direct, an online platform aimed at speeding up the connection process for domestic low carbon technologies (LCTs) to the electricity network.This system updates the application process, historically slow and manual, by using artificial intelligence to evaluate routine applications swiftly and provide instant approvals in most cases.ENA Connect Direct aims to transform the UK’s electricity network from its traditional unidirect
  
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• UK invests in nuclear fuel tech

  08-05-2024 08:24 via energylivenews.com
  
  The UK has announced plans to manufacture advanced nuclear fuel, aiming to enhance energy security, diversify global supply chains, and lower energy costs.This includes building Europe’s first facility for nuclear fuel production, creating jobs and reinforcing the UK’s position in nuclear technology.With an investment of £196 million, Urenco will construct a uranium enrichment facility by 2031, breaking Russia’s dominance in high-assay low enriched uranium production.Addi
  
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• Electric van demand plummets despite booming van market

  08-05-2024 08:14 via energylivenews.com
  
  The UK’s new van market experienced its best April performance in three years, with a 5.4% increase compared to the same period last year, according to data released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).This marks the 16th consecutive month of growth in the sector.However, despite the overall positive trend, there’s a concerning decline in the demand for battery electric vans (BEVs), which fell by 42.4% in April.Analysts attribute the decline in BEV uptake to seve
  
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• National Grid launches platform for transparent DUoS tariffs

  08-05-2024 08:09 via energylivenews.com
  
  National Grid has launched clearviewcharge, an online platform aiming to provide customers with transparent information on Distribution use of Service (DUoS) tariffs across its licence areas.
  Developed by National Grid Electricity Distribution, the platform offers insights into DUoS tariffs for both low and high voltage assets, allowing customers to assess potential impacts and make informed decisions.Customers seeking to connect new assets to the network will be able to understand the potential
  
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