SSE has called on political parties to commit warm words on green energy to paper, warning that ramping up offshore wind ambition to 40GW “will not be a walk in the park”. Jim Smith, managing director, SSE Renewables, urged parties outlining net zero credentials in the run up the general election to be sure to Read more…

A trial involving lorries used by Asda, Howard Tenens and Kuehne + Nagel suggests significant CO2 savings can be achieved by using biomethane. The Dedicated to Gas project, part funded by Olev and InnovateUK, involved 20 Euro VI trucks running on biomethane produced via anaerobic digestion. The vehicles collectively covered around 1.4 million miles, saving Read more…

The European Investment Bank will stop funding unabated fossil fuels from the end of 2021 and prioritise energy efficiency – a year later than planned. The deal represents a compromise. The EIB had hoped to stop funding fossil projects by the end of 2020. The bank reviewed its energy policy earlier this year but had Read more…

Net zero emissions can be achieved, says EnergyPro’s Steve Fawkes, but requires one crucial attribute. Net zero as a target is very clear – net zero carbon emissions by 2050.  The old adage about setting targets comes to mind, is it SMART i.e. Specific, Measurable, Attainable (or sometimes quoted as Agreed upon), Realistic and Time Read more…

Birmingham Airport has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions from its operations by 2033. The airport said it aims to minimise offsets and maximise on-site renewable generation, though CEO Nick Barton admitted he does not yet “have all the answers”. “Technology is changing at some pace and the movement to a net zero economy Read more…

Horsham-based Ceres Power claims its latest fuel cell enables zero emissions combined heat and power (CHP). The system is designed for use with hydrogen fuel. In testing, the company claimed its prototype has achieved greater than 50 per cent electrical efficiency, with an overall efficiency of 90 per cent in combined heat and power mode. Read more…

Statera has signed a deal with MAN for the 300MW of fast ramping gas peaking plant that it claims are as efficient as some of the UK’s large gas-fired power stations – and more efficient for short run operations. The company thinks their flexibility represent a better bet than combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) and Read more…

Tesco is to buy power from five new onshore wind farms and a solar farm and has announced plans for a significant ramp-up of onsite PV. The retailer will buy from the generators via power purchase agreements for output directly from onshore wind farms including EDF’s Burnfoot East, BayWare’s Inverclyde and Scottish Power’s Halsary schemes. Read more…

Highview Power has reiterated that it plans to build 50MW/250MWh liquid air energy storage (LAES) plants – and that the first will be on the site of a decommissioned thermal power station in the north of England. Highview commissioned its first large scale plant last year, a 5MW/15MWh plant in Bury, greater Manchester. Then CEO, Read more…

Energy supplier Ovo has invested in power purchase agreement (PPA) platform Renewable Exchange, taking a minority stake. The platform connects renewable asset owners looking to sell power with buyers. It enables sellers to compare bids with multiple offtakers and receive the best price for their output. Founded in 2016, Renewable Exchange aims to enable even Read more…

German utility RWE will make “massive” investments in wind and solar, before “placing its chips” on storage, biomass and gas to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 while enabling security of supply. The firm said the gas it burns to generate power will be “predominantly” green gas. It has committed to spend €1.5bn net per annum Read more…

Pöyry outlines how growth in solar PV is changing within-day power prices, how it impacts flexibility business cases, and touts a new PPA opportunity for businesses keen to secure clean power direct. The last decade has seen a boom in UK solar PV that is changing the shape of electricity prices across the day and Read more…

Engie will deliver energy and carbon reduction services to Milton Keynes council via an energy performance contract that guarantees savings. The first phase of the contract aims to improve local authority owned buildings including sheltered housing. Further phases will likely involve large scale renewable generation projects with investment potentially upward of £50m. The seven year Read more…

Government has awarded contracts for almost 5.5GW of offshore wind under the latest contracts for difference (CfD) auction. Prices taken by generators for the contracts stabilise their revenues between £39.65 and £41.61/MWh, a significant reduction on previous auctions. The government also awarded contracts at the same rates to developers of four onshore wind projects on Read more…

Global CPG giant Unilever says its factories, offices, R&D facilities, data centres, warehouses and distribution centres across five continents are now powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity. Some 38 per cent of its consumption is via power purchase agreements (PPAs), whereby firms contract directly with generators. For the remainder, Unilever said it had opted Read more…

Local authorities should buy clean power direct from producers, particularly community schemes, to speed decarbonisation, according to Matthew Clayton, MD at Thrive Renewables. “If local authorities put out tenders for delivering renewable power direct into the city estate, that would be the fastest way for them to meet Net Zero objectives and ensure genuine local Read more…

Bristol Airport has switched to a 100 per cent renewable electricity supply via Ørsted. The airport aims for its terminal and site operations to become carbon neutral by 2025. Electricity represents its largest contributor of on-site emissions. Under the three-year contract, Bristol Airport will take 17GWh per annum from Ørsted, which has amassed significant wind Read more…

Bristol City Council is seeking an institutional investor to fund the first tranche of its energy transformation as it bids to decarbonise the city. The City Leap Project plans to deliver a broad range of energy projects. It includes district heating, domestic and commercial energy efficiency and renewable generation. Bristol also hopes to create a Read more…