Energy efficiency will be key to decarbonising London, regardless of the technology choices it makes over the coming decades, according to Sadiq Khan. Meanwhile, government must commit to subsidising renewable heat and supporting heat networks beyond 2021, when the current regime will close. If it cannot make decisions fast enough, it should hand over the Read more…

Swindon Borough Council-owned Public Power Solutions has switched on Barnfield Solar Farm. The 2.5MW facility will power the solid recoverable fuel (SRF) plant and depot at the adjacent Swindon household waste recycling centre via a private wire, cutting power bills by around £185,000 a year. The SRF plant process 70,000 tonnes of rubbish a year, Read more…

BT and Eon have pledged to electrify their fleets by 2030. The two are among a number of companies that have signed up to the EV100 initiative, joining the likes of EDF, Heathrow Airport, Ikea, Unilever and Vattenfall. The Climate Group, which oversees the RE100 where business pledge to buy renewable power, is behind the Read more…

Limejump has agreed terms on a Power Purchase Agreement with Next Energy Solar Fund, potentially bringing 120MW of solar PV into its virtual power plant (VPP). The aggregator said it is also working with Next Energy on its battery storage projects, which were connected at two of its solar farms in May. The fund is Read more…

Swedish utility Vattenfall has signed a deal to install its first electric car chargers in the UK. It will install and operate 20 chargers to be owned by South Norfolk Council and provide them with 100% renewable power via its British wind farms. Vattenfall aims to build a UK charging network by working with other Read more…

Former Tesco chief executive, Sir Terry Leahy, has offered energy managers pitching projects to their board some advice: Keep it simple. Speaking at the launch of a new range of smart EV chargers from Myenergi, in which he is an investor, Leahy noted that the most effective ways of cutting carbon are often the most Read more…

Pubco Marston’s and supermarket giant Tesco have announced big plans for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Tesco will install 2,400 EV charging bays across 600 stores over the next three years in a deal with charging firm Pod Point. Some will be free-to-use 7kW units, others 50kW rapid chargers, which shoppers will pay to use. Pod Read more…

Ørsted, the energy company part-owned by the Danish state plans to build 15GW of offshore wind capacity by 2025. CEO Henrik Poulsen outlined the new targets, about 25% higher than those set last year (11-12GW), ahead of a capital markets day. The company said it plans to invest 200bn Danish Krone (£23.76bn) in renewables out Read more…

Councils in West Yorkshire have struck a deal with Engie for dozens of electric vehicle (EV) rapid charging stations which will be free to use until late 2021. The energy supplier will own and operate the network and supply 100% renewable power for up to 88 chargers. The charging stations should provide a full charge Read more…

Energy storage firm RedT has turned on its 1MWh flow-lithium hybrid battery at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. The firm hopes to deliver a multi-megawatt version in the UK in 2019. CEO Scott McGregor outlined plans for “at least one” UK multi-megawatt flow-lithium hybrid battery at the Energyst Event earlier this year. Announcing the Monash Read more…

Hackney Council has committed to ensure half of its power is renewable from April. While the decision to stipulate that requirement via the Crown Commercial Services procurement framework may increase costs, the council said it will cut consumption via ISO50001 to offset bill increases. The council has committed to buying 100% renewable power by 2050. Read more…

Next Energy solar fund said plans are on track to announce construction of subsidy-free solar plants by April. The company, which connected batteries to two of its solar farms in May, hopes to develop a number of projects. The company posted a 34% profit increase to £18.4m for the six months to 30 September as Read more…

Simec Atlantis Energy has agreed conditions with infrastructure investment fund Equitix to sell a stake in Uskmouth Power, the old coal-fired power station in Newport that it hopes to convert to burn waste pellets. If completed the deal would give Equitix a 25% stake for £32.9m. Subject to due diligence, the deal could complete by Read more…

The government will package up and promote around £5bn of UK energy and infrastructure projects to international investors. The ‘Energy Investment Portfolio’ includes several electric vehicle/battery storage projects, such as Pivot Power’s plans for 2GW of battery storage and high speed electric vehicle infrastructure; Bristol City Council’s big plans for energy efficiency, heat networks, hydrogen Read more…

Government should consider buying volume of renewable power – megawatt hours over megawatts – according to Cornwall Insight. The consultancy has published a paper that suggests reforming the contracts for difference (CfD) policy to buy volume over capacity could better meet carbon budgets while providing greater investor certainty and closer integration with the capacity market. It Read more…

SSE posted a 40.9% drop in pre-tax profit for the six months to 30 September. The company also announced it will spin off its renewable generation business into a separate company – SSE Renewables – and published plans on how it intends to curb exposure to wholesale market volatility. Retail On the proposed deal to Read more…

Norwich City Council plans to launch an energy company in spring 2019. The council looks set to approve a recommendation to work with Engie at a cabinet meeting tomorrow (14 November). The intention is to supply 100% clean energy and help the city’s 7,000 households in fuel poverty. By taking a white label approach, the Read more…

Simec Atlantis Energy has awarded planning and management contracts in relation to its proposed conversion of the Uskmouth coal power station to a 220MW energy from waste plant. The company plans to use a new type of fuel pellet called ‘subcoal’ developed with partner N+P Group. N+P says it intends to convert 1.3m tonnes of Read more…

As climate risks grow so does the need to take action, and track and report progress through new tools provided by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and other organisations. But this is not a standalone exercise. It’s equally important to integrate these activities into an enterprise energy- and carbon-management strategy.  Join experts Read more…