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Monday, February 8, 2016

Coal sector crisis continues as latest early plant closure confirmed

5:46 PM Alternative Energy, Green Living, Green Policy Home - business_green, Green Technology, Solar power, Wind Energy

Rugeley power station in Staffordshire has become the second coal-fired power station in less than a week to announce its early closure as the crisis in the coal sector deepens.

Low commodity prices and tighter environmental legislation have forced Rugeley to close early, majority stakeholder French energy giant Engie announced yesterday. The 1GW station will close by early summer, threatening 150 jobs, the company confirmed.

The shock announcement follows just days after utility SSE revealed plans for the early closure of three units at the Fiddler's Ferry coal-fired power station in Cheshire.

Engie, formerly known as GDF Suez, owns 75 per cent of the Rugeley plant. It said the market conditions for coal plants in the UK have "deteriorated rapidly" in recent years as falling power prices and a crash in commodity prices have been compounded by higher carbon costs.

The UK government also signalled last year that it expects all unabated coal plants in the UK to close by 2025 at the latest, as part of its decarbonisation strategy.

David Alcock, chief executive of Engie's energy infrastructure division, said the decision to close the plant had been taken with deep regret. "We implemented a number of changes at Rugeley a year ago in order to help maintain operations at the site but a combination of falling prices and the impact of various market changes has now made this unviable," he said in a statement.

The latest closure is likely to further fuel renewed fears of an energy supply crisis, as concern mounts that new supply will not come online early enough to make up for the loss of coal-fired generation. The UK government has pledged last autumn to phase out unabated coal-fired generation completely by 2025, but only if the shift to replacement gas capacity can be achieved in time.

Earlier this week Andy Koss, chief executive of Drax power station, warned the UK would miss its 2025 deadline unless the right incentives are put in place to encourage alternative forms of generation. "If sufficient new build is not coming through then the government will have to look again at whether 2025 is the right cut-off date," he told the Financial Times.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change insisted the Rugeley closure would not affect supply this winter, and added that National Grid has already accounted for the risk of early coal plant closures in its capacity predictions for next year's reserve capacity.

"We are clear that providing a secure supply of affordable energy for our families and businesses is non-negotiable," she said in a statement.

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Plans for Northern Ireland 100MW tidal power array flow forward

5:46 PM Alternative Energy, Green Living, Green Policy Home - business_green, Green Technology, Solar power, Wind Energy

The UK's fledgling tidal energy sector may be waiting nervously to see whether the government will back plans for a major new tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay, but that is not stopping other developers moving forward with plans for new projects.

Fair Head Tidal, a joint venture between Cork-based DP Energy and Belgium's Bluepower NV, announced this week that it is moving forward with plans to submit a marine licence application this summer for its proposed 100MW tidal project off the coast of Northern Ireland.

The Fair Head Tidal Energy Park is planned for a site off the coast of north Antrim, near Ballycastle, and would feature an array of subsea tidal turbines.

The developer said that once completed, the facility would provide enough predictable, clean power for 70,000 homes.

Fair Head Tidal said it had concluded a series of extensive surveys offshore and onshore, the results of which were now being assessed and would be incorporated in the marine licence application.

Clodagh McGrath, DP Energy's project manager, said the company remained on track to begin construction work on the project in 2018.

"The Fair Head Tidal development strategy is to progress with a 100MW offshore consent application and build the project in phases, planned to commence in 2018," she said in a statement. "In the past three years we have engaged with a wide range of project stakeholders including local communities and government departments.

"We will of course continue this engagement process as we finalise our plans and look forward to hosting more local open days this spring before we complete our application. At these open days we will be sharing details on the surveys completed, the proposed tidal energy technologies and how we plan to bring the energy ashore and connect into the national electricity grid."

The update came as Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron last weekend challenged David Cameron to back plans for the ambitious Swansea Tidal Lagoon project, after the prime minister hinted he was concerned about the cost of tidal energy.

Farron said it would be "utter madness" to squander the UK's world-leading position in tidal energy, declaring that the project had become a "litmus test" for the government's commitment to clean energy.

Ministers are currently considering whether to grant the project a price support contract, after the prime minister said recently his enthusiasm for tidal energy was "waning" amid concerns about the cost of the resulting power.

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Ireland's Aviva Stadium brings 100 per cent renewable power to Six Nations' opener

4:52 PM Alternative Energy, Green Living, Green Policy Home - business_green, Green Technology, Solar power, Wind Energy

Green-minded Irish rugby fans looking for some good news after watching their team let a 13-0 lead turn into a 16-16 draw with Wales on Sunday may be consoled by the fact the match was for the first time in the Six Nations' history played out in a 100 per cent renewables-powered stadium.

Energy supplier SSE Airtricity announced last week that the Aviva Stadium had signed a new contract with the company that will "kick fossil fuels into touch", making it the first Six Nations stadium to be entirely powered using clean energy.

Under the deal, SSE Airtricity is providing 100 per cent renewable electricity and gas to the stadium, slashing its carbon footprint by 2,382 tonnes a year. The company said the emissions savings were equivalent to a jet flying around the Earth 500 times.

Stephen Gallagher (pictured, left), head of business energy at SSE Airtricity, said that in addition to providing green energy to the stadium, the company would also offer advice on how to reduce overall energy use and further curb its carbon footprint.

"As Ireland's largest provider of wind power and a proud supporter of sport at all levels, we are honoured to be the new energy behind Aviva Stadium, the home of Irish soccer and rugby," he added. "At Aviva Stadium, the jerseys, the seats and the pitch have always been green – now, by switching to SSE Airtricity, the energy at the stadium becomes 100 per cent green."

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From nose-to-tail: Boosting efficiency in the UK supply chain

4:52 PM Alternative Energy, Green Living, Green Policy Home - business_green, Green Technology, Solar power, Wind Energy

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Unilever secures zero waste status for 600th site

4:52 PM Alternative Energy, Green Living, Green Policy Home - business_green, Green Technology, Solar power, Wind Energy

A year on from announcing that over 240 of its factories had secured zero waste to landfill status, and less than sixth months after announcing all its European operations have stopped sending waste to landfill, Unilever today chalked off another environmental milestone, announcing that more than 600 sites are now diverting all their non-hazardous waste from landfill.

The consumer goods giant, which has set itself a goal of becoming one of the first multinationals to secure zero waste status across all its operations, said facilities in 70 countries, including factories, warehouses, distribution centres, and offices had found alternative routes for their non-hazardous waste streams, ending the practice of sending it to landfill.

Unilever said nearly 400 sites had stopped sending non-hazardous waste to landfill in the past year, after applying a "four R approach" to waste streams whereby materials are reduced, reused, recovered, or recycled.

The company also stressed hazardous waste represents a "very small percentage" of its total waste, which is already processed in line with local regulations.

Unilever said it was using a wide range of different initiatives in different geographies in order to divert waste from landfill. For example, in Egypt a scheme has been introduced to allow disabled employees to earn extra income by recycling waste material from Unilever's production lines, while in Indonesia waste from Unilever facilities is being converted into energy for use at local cement manufacturing plants.

The company has said there was a compelling commercial case for embracing zero waste practices, arguing in the past that the strategy has contributed to cost savings worth €200m while creating hundreds of jobs in the wider economy.

Pier Luigi Sigismondi, Unilever chief supply chain officer, said the zero waste goal "underpins Unilever's sustainable growth ambitions, as well as our commitment to become resource resilient and tackle climate change".

He added that the company was now keen to work closer with suppliers and partners to expand its zero waste strategy and as a result was teaming up with the 2degrees sustainability executive network to launch a new waste initiative this summer.

"While I am proud of what our employees and partners have achieved across our manufacturing operations and the wider business, there is a lot more to be done to inspire a wide-scale movement," Sigismondi said in a statement. "It is time to accelerate efforts to move towards a zero waste world and our new collaboration with 2degrees will allow us to share lessons and experiences, and to encourage other businesses and industries to take up the zero waste challenge. By building a network of partners and working together, we can eliminate waste on an unprecedented scale across the globe."

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Why domestic solar deserves to keep its reduced VAT rate

4:52 PM Alternative Energy, Green Living, Green Policy Home - business_green, Green Technology, Solar power, Wind Energy

Mike Landy of the Solar Trade Association argues there is a compelling case for the government to stick to its guns in its battle with Brussels and ensure solar technologies continue to benefit from a lower VAT rate

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Liz Goodwin to step down as WRAP chief executive

4:59 AM Alternative Energy, Green Living, Green Policy Home - business_green, Green Technology, Solar power, Wind Energy

Dr Liz Goodwin, OBE, is to step down as chief executive at WRAP, the waste and resource efficiency body, after nine years leading the organisation.

Goodwin said she is to leave the charity, which was spun out from the government as part of the coalition's spending cuts programme securing charitable status in 2014, on 30th June this year.

"My decision to stand down as CEO of WRAP was not an easy one to make - I love WRAP," she said in a statement. "I care deeply about the staff and the work we do. However, I think this is the right time to pass the baton on to someone else."

Goodwin said her successor would take the reins of an organisation that was in a strong position financially. The body faced steep spending cuts as a result of the government's austerity programme, but has sought to broaden its sources of revenue since establishing itself as a charity.

"The organisation is in great shape - we are making excellent progress towards our vision, working with many key partners, we expect to receive continued funding from our main government funders and we're making good progress in developing other sources of income," she said. "I look forward to seeing WRAP continue to grow and prosper in future."

WRAP said confirmation of new funding from Defra is expected in the next few weeks, which will follow a similar funding commitment from the Welsh government.

In an email to BusinessGreen, Goodwin, who was awarded an OBE last year, said she was "immensely proud" to be leaving WRAP at a time when the organisation has "probably never been held in higher regard - both in the UK and internationally".

She added that she is planning to continue to work with the organisation in some capacity. "I still feel passionately about the sustainability agenda, the challenges of reducing consumption and making better use of the resources overall," she said. "I plan to develop other ways to make a difference, including continuing to offer expertise to WRAP. I will be talking to the Board and the Executive about how best to do this."

During her nine years as chief executive at WRAP Goodwin not only led the organisation's transition from government agency to charity, she also pioneered the system of voluntary agreements with key sectors that has seen waste reduction and resource efficiency pushed up the corporate agenda.

Most notably, the Courtauld Commitment with leading retailers has led to sharp reductions in packaging and food waste, with the scheme reporting last autumn that waste levels had fallen by more than 80,000 tonnes since 2012. Meanwhile, WRAP's Love Food Hate Waste is said to have helped reduce food wasted in UK homes by 21 per cent in recent years.

Julie Hill, Chair of WRAP, praised Goodwin's role in pushing circular economy business models further into the corporate mainstream.

"I would like to thank Liz for everything that she has done for WRAP since joining in 2001 and since taking over as CEO in 2007," she said in a statement. "Under Liz's leadership, WRAP has delivered real and substantial change in the UK. It is now highly regarded both in the UK and internationally. To many people, WRAP and Liz are synonymous and she will be greatly missed. I know that Liz will continue to make a difference and WRAP looks forward to working with her in future."

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Obama plans to double clean energy research budget

4:59 AM Alternative Energy, Green Living, Green Policy Home - business_green, Green Technology, Solar power, Wind Energy

The Obama administration is seeking to make good on its promise to dramatically scale up investment in clean energy innovation, with President Obama announcing plans to double US investment in clean energy research to $12.8bn by 2021.

Speaking in his weekly address on Saturday, Obama said the new budget promised to boost private sector job creation, lower the cost of clean energy, and help renewable power outcompete fossil fuels "in every state".

"As I said in my State of the Union address, rather than subsidise the past, we should invest in the future," said Obama. "That's why the budget I will send to Congress this Tuesday will double funding for clean energy research and development by 2020."

The Republican-led Congress has indicated it is likely to reject Obama's budget plan, with House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi already planning to draft an alternative budget. The budget year begins in October.

However, Obama expressed hopes in his address that clean energy would prove a less divisive issue than some of the other components of the budget, pointing to the increased funding for clean energy research and development in last year's budget agreement. "While Republicans in Congress are still considering their position on climate change, many of them realise that clean energy is an incredible source of good paying jobs for their constituents," he said.

Any compromise between the two parties on clean energy funding would follow a similar bipartisan deal to extend tax breaks to wind and solar projects late last year, and ongoing hopes that a bi-partisan energy reform bill featuring increased support for energy efficiency programmes and grid upgrades could yet be passed. The proposed energy bill was blocked in the Senate last week in a row over emergency aid funding for tackling the water pollution crisis in the Michigan city of Flint, but with the two parties agreed on much of the bill hopes remain that it could yet be adopted.

The US was one of tens of countries to launch a private-public partnership dubbed "Mission Innovation" in November at the Paris climate conference, which aims to encourage countries to drastically scale up investment clean energy innovation investment.

Each of the 20 participating countries, which include China, India, Saudi Arabia and the UK, will seek to double their governmental or state-directed clean energy research and development investment over the next five years.

In the UK, the Autumn budget statement from chancellor George Osborne just before the Paris conference saw the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC)'s innovation funding double to £500m over the next five years, despite the department facing a 22 per cent cut in day-to-day spending.

This article is part of BusinessGreen's Road to Paris hub, hosted in association with PwC.

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Wind met half of Scotland's electricity needs in January

4:17 AM Alternative Energy, Green Living, Green Policy Home - business_green, Green Technology, Solar power, Wind Energy

Wind power provided almost half of Scotland's electricity needs last month, according to new analysis released today by WWF Scotland.

Last month wind turbines supplied 1,125,544 Megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity to the national grid, 48 per cent of the country's overall electricity consumption for the month, according to analysis of WeatherEnergy data from WWF Scotland.

For 22 days in January, wind generated enough electricity to power every home in the country, WWF said, although overall generation rates for the month were 14 per cent lower than the same period last year.

WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said that despite the slight dip in output from last year renewable power is off to a "flying start" in 2016. He said he had "little doubt" that 2016 would be another record year for renewables, but said the longer term success of the sector rested with Scotland's political leadership.

"That is why, as we approach the Holyrood elections, we'd like to see each of the political parties commit to ensuring Scotland becomes the EU's first fully renewable electricity nation by 2030," he said in a statement.

"This is an ambition with real vision that would mean Scotland captures the full benefits of its renewable potential."

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Abandoning tidal lagoon project would be 'utter madness' says Tim Farron

3:42 AM Alternative Energy, Green Living, Green Policy Home - business_green, Green Technology, Solar power, Wind Energy

It would be "utter madness" to scrap the tidal lagoon power project planned for Swansea Bay, according to Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron.

In a speech at the party's Welsh conference on Saturday Farron called on the government to give the project its full backing without further delay, adding that the project is now a "litmus test" for Prime Minister David Cameron's commitment to clean energy.

The future for the £1bn project - which is currently awaiting a final funding decision from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) - is uncertain after Cameron told a committee of MPs last month that his enthusiasm for tidal technology is "waning" over cost fears.

Farron said the Swansea tidal project would provide hundreds of jobs for local residents and give a secure energy supply for the next 120 years.

"It would be utter madness for the government to pull further investment from the renewable sector, which generates economic growth and jobs," he said.

"We have been a world leader in this field and maintaining that status is now in jeopardy. The Tidal Lagoon is a litmus test for the government. Do you care about this agenda? Or was it all for show?"

Farron went on to warn that progress on clean energy made under the Coalition government is being swiftly unravelled by the Conservatives.

"For five years we fought sceptical Tories to ensure the Coalition was the greenest government ever. In the last six months this progress has been unraveling at an alarming pace," he said.

"It is shameful that the work we began in Coalition to deliver this is being unpicked. Britain should be leading the world in the green economy and setting an example to other nations after the UN talks in Paris."

The government has consistently maintained that the cuts to renewable subsidies are necessary to keep a lid on household bills, and insists it remains fully committed to the UK's decarbonisation targets.

In October the Swansea lagoon developers Tidal Lagoon Power were forced to delay the start of construction on the project to spring 2017, as negotiations with the government to agree a strike price for the plant grind on. In November, the firm announced it was cutting almost 20 per cent of its workforce as a result of the 12-month delay.

However, hopes of a final agreement were lifted last week with the announcement that Indian commodity tycoons the Gupta family have invested £10m to buy a stake in Tidal Lagoon Power, labelling the firm an "ambitious and innovative" enterprise to deliver low-carbon baseload energy. Tidal Lagoon Power has said it remains "fully confident" that it can secure a price support contract with DECC.

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Asda puts UK's first supermarket wonky veg box on sale

2:38 AM Alternative Energy, Green Living, Green Policy Home - business_green, Green Technology, Solar power, Wind Energy

The UK’s first supermarket ‘wonky vegetable’ box goes on sale on Friday, containing enough ugly potatoes and knobbly carrots to feed a family of four for an entire week for just £3.50.

The Asda box is filled with in-season winter vegetables and salad ingredients at a price that is 30 per cent cheaper than standard lines.

The vegetables - currently carrots, potatoes, peppers, cucumber, cabbage, leeks, parsnips and onions - have been selected from farmers’ crops because they are misshapen, have growth cracks or are smaller or larger than average. The produce is washed but the discount reflects the fact that customers may need to spend extra time peeling it or they might not be able to use the whole vegetable.

Asda introduced imperfect fruit and vegetables into its stores in January 2015 as part of its permanent range in a move championed by chef Jamie Oliver and farmer Jimmy Doherty. During the latest series of the show, Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast on Channel 4, the pair revisited Asda’s offering and challenged it to extend the range even further.

The environmental and financial impact of food waste has came to the fore recently with chef and campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s TV series, Hugh’s War on Waste, which has blamed supermarkets for much of the food thrown away.

Just over 1 per cent of food wasted in the UK – 200,000 tonnes – comes from stores, according to figures from the government-backed Waste Resources Action Programme (Wrap). Of the estimated 15m tonnes of food thrown away in the UK each year, more than half is disposed of in people’s homes.

In December supermarket chain Morrisons reported brisk sales of potatoes and carrots from a trial of sales of so-called “wonky” seasonal vegetables in stores in Yorkshire and the north-east. Its earlier attempt to sell wonky courgettes was branded “pathetic” by Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Sainsbury’s has also relaxed its rules on the appearance of fresh produce, while Tesco has experimented with putting misshapen fruit and vegetables on offer to encourage people to buy them.

Asda says it has worked hard across its agricultural supply chain to reduce waste, both by relaxing specifications to get more produce on to its shelves, and ensuring that those that fail to meet specifications go into further processed products, such as ready meals or in its wonky produce range.

The new vegetable box, the bulk of which is sourced from Watts Farms, will go on sale in 128 stores across the UK.

“Our shoppers absolutely love wonky fruit and veg and we’ve seen sales steadily increase over the last year,” said Ian Harrison, Asda’s technical produce director.”

The degree of wonkiness will depend on the product. Currently, 15 per cent of Asda’s potatoes do not meet specifications because they are too big, too small or blemished and 15 per cent of parsnips don’t make the shelf because they’re oddly shaped or have superficial defects. Similarly, 10 per cent of onions that are the wrong shape and size, and 8 per cent of carrots grown with knobbles and bobbles are left with growers.

This article first appeared at the Guardian

BusinessGreen is part of the Guardian Environment Network

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Stockholm County Council to test European appetite for new green bond

10:18 PM Alternative Energy, Green Living, Green Policy Home - business_green, Green Technology, Solar power, Wind Energy

Stockholm County Council (SLL) has announced it will host a series of investor roadshows across Europe, as it seeks to find financing for a planned new green bond programme.

The bond, which would be used for a range of green projects such as sustainable transport and construction initiatives, would allow the SLL to diversify its investor base beyond the domestic Swedish kroner market, in what would be the first green bond programme issued in euros by a Nordic city or region.

The SLL has previously issued two green bonds, worth a collective SEK 2.9bn (£236m).

"This would be a EUR public trade for institutional investors, dedicated investors with a socially responsible agenda and regular SSA (sub-sovereign and agency) investors," said the SSL in a statement.

The roadshows will be held in a number of cities across Europe during February, including Stockholm, London and Paris, as the council seeks to gauge interest investors in the bond.

"It's an opportunity to meet face-to-face, so that investors can have a considered approach when it does come to market, and have had a chance to look at some of the figures and plans," a spokesman for RBS, which is organising the investor roadshow alongside Credit Agricole CIB, Danske Bank and Nordea, told BusinessGreen.

The SLL also plans to invite investors to participate in field studies and an in-depth annual breakdown of projects financed.

Last week influentual rating agnecy Moody's indicated that global issuance of green bonds could reach $50bn in 2016 as investment in low carbon infrastructure continues to grow, topping last year's record $42bn.

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Monday, February 8, 2016

Coal sector crisis continues as latest early plant closure confirmed

Building repair and reuse into business models

Plans for Northern Ireland 100MW tidal power array flow forward

Ireland's Aviva Stadium brings 100 per cent renewable power to Six Nations' opener

From nose-to-tail: Boosting efficiency in the UK supply chain

Unilever secures zero waste status for 600th site

Why domestic solar deserves to keep its reduced VAT rate

Liz Goodwin to step down as WRAP chief executive

Obama plans to double clean energy research budget

Wind met half of Scotland's electricity needs in January

Abandoning tidal lagoon project would be 'utter madness' says Tim Farron

Asda puts UK's first supermarket wonky veg box on sale

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Stockholm County Council to test European appetite for new green bond

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