A new proposal has been unveiled for a Swansea tidal lagoon, which could see the 320MW generator developed using private funding. It forms part of the larger Blue Eden project being developed by Bridgend-based DST Innovations, along with a number of business partners and support from Swansea Council and Associated British Ports. The £1.7 billion project will also include; a 60,000 square metre battery energy storage manufacturing plant, a battery facility to store the renewable energy produced by Blue Eden – if this element were constructed now it would be the biggest battery facility in the world, according to Swansea Council – a 72,000 square metre floating solar array anchored in the Queen’s dock area, a 94,000 square metre data centre – which will be powered entirely by the renewable generation on site – an oceanic and climate change research centre and approximately 150 floating, energy-efficient eco-homes.

Current 26th Oct 2021 read more »

Heat pumps are likely to still cost at least £4,000 more than a gas boiler to buy and install by the end of the decade, dashing Government hopes the two heating technologies will be on level pegging by 2030. Cost projections drawn up by the energy research firm Delta-EE suggests the cost of an air source heat pump could fall by up to 40 per cent over the next decade, under the most optimistic scenario. Savings could be found by streamlining installation, automating the manufacturing process, and increasing the number of bulk orders for projects such as social housing blocks, Delta-EE said.

iNews 26th Oct 2021 read more »

Atrato Onsite Energy is aiming to become the first London-listed company with an all female board after it floats next month. Six months after stepping down as CEO of Good Energy, Juliet Davenport has unveiled her next venture. Today it was revealed that the green entrenpreneur is launching an investment trust geared towards on-site clean energy generation at retail stores, factories and industrial units. Atrato Onsite Energy, which plans to invest primarily in solar systemson industrial and commercial buildings, is aiming to raise £150m when it floats London Stock Exchange next month, it said.

Business Green 25th Oct 2021 read more »

Centrica Business Solutions has launched a new team to develop, build, manage and optimise a portfolio of grid-connected solar and battery assets. To date, Centrica has completed over 85MW of solar projects in the UK, including a 4,000 panel project for the British Army at the Defence School of Transport near Beverley, Yorkshire. The energy giant is targeting a portfolio of 650MW of solar farms by 2026, which its new launched Centrica Energy Assets will now develop. Additionally, the company is looking to grow its battery portfolio over the same period, with an aspiration of hitting around 900MW of low carbon assets. The battery assets would be controlled using Centrica Business Solutions’ PowerRadar demand side response platform, which was acquired with the purchase of Belgian company REstore in 2017.

Solar Portal 25th Oct 2021 read more »

The first transnational network of solar power grids, known as the One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative, will be up-and-running by Autumn 2022, according to the director general of the International Solar Alliance, Dr Ajay Mathur. In an interview with the Telegraph, Dr Mathur confirmed the blueprints for OSOWOG – which aims to connect 140 countries and will be spearheaded by India and the UK – will be unveiled at the forthcoming COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. The grid aims to reduce nations’ reliance on non-renewable energy such as coal by enabling them to purchase cheap solar power from other countries with an excess. Many developing nations would like to reduce their use of fossil fuels, but power demands are mounting. For example India – which currently generates 80 per cent of its power through non-renewables – is facing the dilemma of how to quadruple its power output by 2050.

Telegraph 25th Oct 2021 read more »

Latest figures from trade body reveal healthy pipeline of projects but warns slow approvals process is impeding sector’s growth. The rate of consenting for new onshore wind farm projects is less than half what it should be to reach the UK’s climate targets, trade body RenewableUK has warned. Figures published by the group late last week reveal that roughly 600MW a year of onshore wind projects are being given the go ahead annually in the UK, which marks an uptick on recent years but is still roughly half the 1,250MW needed to meet the 35GW by 2035 target recommended by government climate advisers, the Climate Change Committee (CCC).

Business Green 25th Oct 2021 read more »

A Bridgend company is leading plans to build a £1.7bn renewable energy project on Swansea’s waterfront. The Blue Eden scheme includes a tidal lagoon and floating solar panels. This is the third proposal to develop a tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay, and would include a battery factory and a data centre run on renewable energy. No tax payers’ money would be needed, according to the consortium, but consent will be required from the Welsh government for the energy projects. The international consortium is led by DST Innovations, which makes industrial batteries in the United States.

BBC 25th Oct 2021 read more »

ITV 25th Oct 2021 read more »

A start-up company planning one of Britain’s first gigafactory to produce batteries for electric vehicles will have at least £ 200 million against a proposed facility in northeastern England, according to three people with consultation knowledge. We are conducting preliminary consultations to secure government funds. Britishvolt supported by commodity giants GlencoreAims to become a large battery producer with a £ 2.6 billion gigafactory in Blythe, Northumberland, and has sought government support for over a year. As ministers pursue an ambitious plan to reduce carbon emissions, the government has placed investment in automotive batteries at the heart of its efforts to sustain the UK automotive industry. The government’s plan to ban the sale of new gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2030 and hybrid vehicles by 2035 will require auto factories to move to the production of electric models.

FT 26th Oct 2021 read more »

As states reach higher toward 100% renewable operation, energy storage will be key to enabling a more variable power supply. But no single technology will be a silver bullet for all our energy storage needs. Rather, a portfolio of storage solutions makes best economic sense for future energy systems, according to a recent National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) analysis titled “Optimal energy storage portfolio for high and ultrahigh carbon-free and renewable power systems,” published in Energy & Environmental Science.

Clean Technica 22nd Oct 2021 read more »

Glasgow City Council has unveiled its draft plan for a new Green Deal that would see the city reach net-zero emissions by 2030 while also improving resiliency and quality of living. The new Green Deal document acts as a nine-year plan to transform the city and its economy in a way that combats the climate emergency and builds back from job losses and risks caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It is headlined by a commitment for Glasgow to reach net-zero emissions by 2030. This would be delivered through an “equitable” and climate-resilient transition that would boost job growth and strengthen the city’s economy.

Edie 22nd Oct 2021 read more »

An investment trust is planning to raise £150 million from a flotation in what is thought to mark the first time that a company has listed in London with an all-female board. Atrato Onsite Energy, which will invest in solar panels on the roofs of big commercial buildings, will have a three-strong board led by Juliet Davenport, 53, the founder of Good Energy, the Aim-listed renewable power supplier. Faye Goss, 45, previously a top property lawyer at Tesco, and Marlene Wood, 59, a veteran of listed trusts, will also be directors. The company is set to announce its proposed initial public offering today, when it will tap into two increasingly important trends in the City: growing demand among fund managers for green investments; and the drive to increase diversity at the top of businesses.

Times 25th Oct 2021 read more »

Guardian 25th Oct 2021 read more »

The Chinese language firm behind the UK’s sole “gigafactory” is planning an enormous growth of the venture and trying to spin off its electrical car battery division because it builds its European enterprise. The Sunderland facility’s annual capability would ultimately rise to 38 gigawatt hours, enabling the positioning to supply batteries for hundreds of extra electrical vehicles annually.

FT 25th Oct 2021 read more »