One more week, the Department of Energy and Climate Change publishes the weekly photovoltaic installations figures, revealing that the initial1 installation results for the week ending 2nd September 2012 are 813 installations in that week compared to 759 for the week ending 26th August 2012. The total number of installations on the MCS is now 369,131, and the total capacity installed increased by 2.7 MW, to stand at 1.3GW right now. (more…)
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.
One more week, the Department of Energy and Climate Change publishes the weekly photovoltaic installations figures, revealing some discouraging but expected data.
This last week ending 19th of August 2012, the number of solar photovoltaic installations has drop down again, with only 490 installations done in all the UK during these last 7 days1. (more…)
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!
Rising Energy Prices – Everyone’s problem
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…)
Last week, Sainsbury’s announced the completion of a 69,500 solar panels installation on almost 170 of its 572 supermarkets in all the UK. The company says the panels, if combined all together, would cover 24 football pitches, and also claims the tittle of the biggest solar power generator in Europe, as, collectively, the panels would become the biggest solar array in all the continent.
Justin King, chief executive of Sainsbury’s, urged other retailers to “take another look” at investing in solar energy. “Supermarkets have the equivalent of football fields on their roofs, many of them underutilised,” he added. “It’s a perfect time to turn that space into something positive.“
In a move toward greater transparency and following in Apple and Google’s footsteps, Facebook has revealed for first time its carbon footprint during 2011.
Facebook’s Carbon & Energy Impact Report provides details about the company’s carbon footprint, energy mix, and energy use for all of its offices and data centers. The apparently non-stop growth of the company will have an impact on its carbon footprint, so the company has also outlined its clean energy commitments, setting a goal to acquire at least 25% of its energy from clean and renewable sources by 2015, in order to maximise efficiency and align the business decisions with the environment. As reported, the company will include renewable energy component to every new data center it builds, mentioning its solar pv installation at Prineville data center as an example of next projects.
The UK Government has introduced today the New Feed-in Tariffs scheme. From 1st of August on, residential tariffs for homes which have a Level D Energy Performance Certificate or above, will drop down from 21p per kWh to 16p, and the payment time will decrease 5 years, standing at 20 instead of 25. On the flip side, the Export Tariff will increase to 4.5p/kWh. The total benefit estimated now for a homeowner installing solar panels on or after 1st August is £866 in Year 1. (more…)
The aerodrome at Dunsfold Park, more known as the home of BBC’s Top Gear test track and studios, made history last 28th of June, becoming one of the nation’s only business parks to be powered entirely on ‘green energy’. (more…)
A group of more than 20 European companies representing the majority of EU solar PV production launched yesterday a new platform to complain of unfair Chinese practices in the solar market.
EU ProSun is a new Sustainable Solar Energy Initiative to maintain a sustainable and vibrant solar manufacturing base in Europe that aims to call on the European Commission in order to investigate unfair trade practices by Chinese manufacturers. (more…)
The award-winning Renewables Roadshow will be back again this next Autumn with dozens of demonstrations and scores of seminars enabling business to keep up to date in one single day!
This year’s exhibitions will include seven educational theatres on domestic retrofit and commercial projects, Green Deal, training, MCS, solar and water efficiency, as well as exhibitions of air source and biomass, controls and energy management, grey water recycling, micro CHP, mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR), solar PV and solar thermal, insulation and low energy lighting among other technologies. Dan Caesar, Managing Director at the Renewables Roadshow said: “We have listened to last year’s visitors and we are infusing our exhibitions with everything they need to know“. (more…)
