Solar energy and green energy news on Wednesday 22 February 2012 for the UK released by solar panel installers and solar panel installation companies on 22/02/2012 as well as government bodies. 22 February 2012 online solar energy news feeds and press releases for the solar, green renewable and alternative energy industry provided by the leading Find Solar Panel Installers directory. Search here for solar energy and information news releases on Wednesday 22 February 2012
- Carbon Capture and Storage Industry Day
In his first engagement on CCS since coming to office, the new Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey today reiterated the Coalition Government’s commitment to supporting carbon capture and storage. Speaking following CCS Industry Day, he said:
“Since I first read about the technology back in 2005 I’ve held the view that carbon capture and storage is crucial to a low carbon future for our planet.
“It could transform mankind’s relationship with fossil fuels. Once demonstrated it will have national and international ramifications for how we power our economies with clean secure energy for decades to come.
“The UK has the chance to lead the world in CCS and the Government is backing its commitment with £1 billion. We want to work with industry to deliver a new, vibrant CCS programme by the 2020s that helps deliver our low carbon targets in a realistic and cost-effective way.
“We are fortunate to have many promising proposals for CCS projects. It was a privilege today to hear of the high level of interest and commitment from industry. I look forward to working with the industry to turn our vision for CCS into reality.”
Wed 22nd Feb 2012 2:09pm - Edward Davey comment on Ofgem announcement on liquidity reforms
22 February 2012
Commenting on this morning’s Ofgem announcement on its liquidity reforms, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey said:
“I welcome Ofgem’s proposals and the momentum that is building behind badly-needed reforms of our energy market. Consumers will get the best deals when suppliers face tough competition and that is what both Government and regulator are working to achieve. Right now only six big companies have 99 per cent of domestic customers - energy bill payers in this country need more and better choices.
“We’ve cut red tape for small suppliers to give them a leg up into the market, and we are also working with Ofgem to deliver clearer bills and simpler tariffs. We have strengthened Ofgem’s own hand by making it harder for energy companies to block licence changes, and we are looking at beefing up Ofgem’s powers further to ensure fairer outcomes for consumers.”
Wed 22nd Feb 2012 11:39am - It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it…
A boot wax manufacturer and an air traffic control company share the top prizes at the inaugural Business and Environment Best Practice Awards.
It’s not about what you do, but how you do it. Which is why a boot wax company shared the podium with air traffic control at the inaugural Business and the Environment Best Practice Awards, presented by RT Media, chartered architects Scott Brownrigg, and DECISION magazine.
Wed 22nd Feb 2012 9:15am - Charles Henry’s speech at the Energy and Utility Forum
Delivering the New Energy Economy
22 February 2012
Check against delivery
Introduction
- Thank you for inviting me to take part in this event.
- The current energy market has served us well in recent years.
- But we now face a number of unprecedented challenges which the market will struggle to address.
- Around 20GW, or one fifth, of existing electricity plant are to close over next decade.
- Demand for electricity is on increase as we turn to electricity for heat and transport. Demand is likely to double over the next 40 years.
- This could mean tight capacity margins, compared to the relatively ample of supply of recent times.
- Also firmly committed to ambitious climate and renewable targets to build a cleaner energy future for Britain and the world.
- This includes statutory targets to :
- reduce green house gas emissions by 34% by 2020; and,
- 80% by 2050; and,
- an EU requirement to deliver 15% of all UK energy from renewable sources by 2020.
- To meet these challenges we need to see broad changes to the way that we generate energy and the way we handle demand and supply.
- And we must deliver this at the lowest cost to the tax-payer and to consumers in a world of unstable fossil fuel prices.
- This is why we are working towards a market framework that encourages the right kind of investment, and the growth of the new energy economy.
- An economy in which:
- security of supply is achieved by diversity of generation technologies;
- in which affordability is ensured by competition between generators; and,
- in which climate change is tackled by reducing carbon emissions.
Making it happen
- We want to develop a diverse energy mix by encouraging new investment. We are establishing a stable and long-term framework to mobilise private-sector capital.
- According to a recent poll of more than 150 investor by Credit Suisse, the UK is overwhelmingly perceived as the favourite region in terms of regulation, ahead of all other countries.
- And the UK has the best wind, wave and tidal resources in Europe.
- So there is good reason to believe we can achieve the kind of investment we need, provided that we get policy right as we go forward.
- Partly about finding innovative ways to leverage private sector investment.
- For example, the Green Investment Bank – the first of its type in the world – plans to leverage £15bn of private sector capital in low carbon infrastructure by 2015.
- Partly about getting the market framework right – need to make sure that the parameters within which the market operates send the right price signals.
- This is why we are reforming our electricity market.
- The vision of EMR is for low-carbon technologies to compete on cost in the 2020s and beyond, so that we can use whatever clean energy mix turns out to be the cheapest.
- It will be the biggest change to the electricity market since privatisation. It will transform the UK’s electricity sector.
- Aims to attract the huge amount of investment that is needed – up to £110bn by 2020
- Policy set out in the EMR White Paper of July 2011. Strategic framework completed in the Technical Update in December last year.
Several policy elements to EMR
Wed 22nd Feb 2012 2:29pm
