A report published last Friday by the Department of Energy and Climate Change shows that while production of fossil fuels in the UK fell by 10.1% with both oil and natural gas production plummeting by 12.2% and 13.9% respectively, renewables generation increased by 6.5% in the second quarter of 2012, in comparison to the same period of the previous year. (more…)
Due to the benefits of solar energy and the drop of the cost of solar panel installations, and despite the recent reductions in the Feed-in Tariffs not only in the UK but also in Germany, Italy and Spain – where the green technology fundings were completely cut -, the figures of the total solar energy installed in Europe keep on growing.
Seven cities across England will receive £12m from the £200m Green Deal incentives funding, to support and help them in their ambitious challenge to lower the carbon emissions of their respective regions. (more…)
Brighton is set to be the first community-funded domestic solar under Abundance Generation and Padero South Downs innovative project, that allows anyone to invest directly in renewable energy projects in the UK with a minimum £5.
Almost two months after Eu ProSun, a new sustainable solar energy initiative to maintain a sustainable and vibrant solar manufacturing base in Europe, complained of unfair Chinese practices in the solar market, the European Commission has decided last 6th of September to start an investigation and to come to a decision on anti-dumping duties.
Milan Nitzschke, President of EU ProSun, the Sustainable Solar Energy Initiative for Europe said: “The European Commission took a big step today to save Europe’s green tech sector and broader manufacturing base. Chinese companies are selling solar products in Europe far below their cost of production, with a dumping margin of 60 % to 80%. This means that Chinese solar companies are making enormous losses, but are not bankrupt because they are bankrolled by the state. Such practices have led to over 20 major European solar manufacturers going out of business already in 2012 alone. If China destroys the EU solar industry where labour accounts for less than 10% of production costs, then virtually all European manufacturing sectors and jobs are under threat.”
Although solar panels manufacturing costs are dropping down thanks to technological advances, nowadays China is still capturing around 80% of the European market due to the dumping of subsidised Chinese production. If anti-dumping measures are imposed, not only Chinese monopoly would be stopped, but European solar market would also maintain, creating more jobs and helping to the growth of the European solar industry.
Nitzschke concluded: “EU ProSun calls on the EU to impose anti-dumping duties to restore fair competition and create a level playing field with China as soon as possible. If the EU acts quickly, we have a chance to maintain a sustainable solar manufacturing base in Europe.”
For further information please visit www.prosun.org or contact info@prosun.org
A solar-powered toilet that generates hydrogen and electricity designed by California Institute of Technology in the United States won the first prize in Reinvent the Toilet, a competition for next-generation toilets to improve sanitation in the developing world, carried out by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
An online survey conducted by The Eco Experts revealed some interesting data about the relationship between the Britons and solar energy. There you go some facts!
The survey reveals even the richest households in the UK are worried about the rising energy prices. Around 2/3rds of the surveyed say a sudden 30% increase in their energy bills couldn’t be afforded, and even among households earning more than £75,000 a year, 1/3rd claim they could not afford the increase. (more…)
According to figures released by Scottish Renewables, Scotland’s renewable energies industry has delivered capital investment of some £2.8bn since the beginning of 2009. The figures are part of a new series of statistics ‘Scotland’s Renewable Energy Sector in Numbers‘ published online this week. (more…)
Around 85% of the energy consumed comes from fossil fuels (oil, coal and gas), and this demand is expected to increase 2% per year. Burning these materials produce large amounts of CO2 that are being to the atmosphere, damaging the environment and leading the way to climate change.
In this video from the University of Cambridge, a group of experts talk about the energy demand and consumption, and examine how wind power, carbon capture storage (CSS) and material efficiency are examples of reducing or capturing CO2 emissions and guarantee a safe and efficient future for the planet.
Via Cambridge Ideas – The future of energy? – University of Cambridge