Latest News

The Committee on Climate Change argue that low-carbon energy costs less than gas!

24/05/2013

A report from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) which has been published today outlines that investing in low-carbon energy is cheaper than gas, in the long-term. The report makes recommendations to the UK Government to improve conditions for investment in the UK power sector. The report is unique as it looks far beyond 2030 in its forecasting. It argues that investment into low-carbon energy will pay dividends by the next decade and beyond whereas gas is continuously suffering from unpredictable price volatility.

More on this can be found HERE.

Impact of climate change being felt on a global scale

22/05/2013

2012 saw over 32 million people displaced worldwide as a result of climate disasters according to the International Displacement Monitoring Center.  Climate change displacement from disasters such as floods and earthquakes particularly affected India, west and central Africa as well as parts of Asia.  The impact of climate change is also being felt elsewhere with over 1.3 million people being displaced in richer countries such as the USA.  

More details can be found HERE.   

Scotland Islands could help UK to achieve renewable energy targets 

17/05/2013

The Scottish Islands Renewable Project, a government-commissioned report unveiled that the Scottish Islands could create more than 10,000 jobs within the renewable energy industry by 2030.

The report highlights that there are serious challenges linked to transmission costs but there are, on the other hand, many benefits such as reducing fuel poverty and halting a declining population in the Western Isles.

Full details on the report can be found HERE.

Climate Change Disrupting Ducks!

13/05/2013

Three species of migratory ducks have shifted their wintering grounds northwards in response to increasing temperatures. Numbers of the tufted duck, goosander and golden eye are common in the UK during winter however numbers have shrunk in the last 30 years.

Global Change Biology have found that many species now stop short on their annual journey and remain in their summer grounds for most of the year.

2010 numbers in Sweden and Finland showed 130,000 more in 2010 than in 1980, accounting for a 45-60% decline in Britain.  This huge shift is due to the increasingly warmer European winters.

This movement will have implications and designated areas of protection may become redundant.

These findings only add to the importance to tackle climate change as well as international bird and wildlife monitoring.

The full article can be read HERE.

Carbon Dioxide reaches 400 parts per million!

10/05/2013

For the first time in human history, the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere has passed the milestone level of 400 parts per million (ppm). When greenhouse gases were this high several million years ago, the Arctic was ice-free, Savannah spread across the Sahara desert, and sea levels were 40 metres higher than today!

These conditions are expected to return which would result in severe consequences for civilisation unless emissions of CO₂ from burning fossil fuels are drastically cut back. The International Energy Agency warned in 2012 that based on current emission trends the world could see a 6^oC temperature rise, a level that scientists believe dangerous.

The full article can be found HERE. 

Acidification of the Arctic Ocean 

08/05/2013 

According to new studies the Arctic seas are becoming more acidic due to the release of carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide (CO²) is a gas harmful to the earth’s atmosphere and it is now a well-known fact that CO² warms the planet but this gas makes the naturally alkaline seas more acidic through absorption of the gas.

There is a dual effect CO² is having in the Arctic. Through warming of the atmosphere, polar ice is melting at a rate never seen before and the freshwater from the melting ice is dispersing into the Arctic waters. The absorption of CO² occurs at a faster rate in colder, freshwater environments therefore the Arctic Ocean is at increased risk of acidification.

Many ocean dwelling creatures are due to be affected by this acidification, including valuable fish for human use. Scientists have forecast major changes in the marine ecosystems but it is unknown what is due to happen and what any changes may be.

The tipping point has passed for acidification of the Arctic oceans. If the release of CO² was to stop now, acidification would still carry on for thousands of years and CO² emissions will not be stopping anytime soon. It has been estimated that the average acidity of the surface waters across the entire world is now 30% higher than before the industrial revolution started in 1760. The marine ecosystems are due to change as a result. Some species may be harmed by the increased acidity but others may thrive from it. Adult fish may be somewhat resilient to the acidity but the development of fish eggs might be harmed. 

Scottish Renewable Energy Targets Ahead of Schedule 

03/05/2013 

Scottish Government targets for community and local ownership of renewable energy projects are ahead of schedule, official figures show.  Scotland has a target to generate 500 MW of energy from community renewable technologies by 2020.

40% of this 500 MW target (200 MW) has now been reached with the projects providing power to the National Grid and local communities.  The results show over 5000 renewable energy projects in Scotland are under community and local ownership.

The full article can be found HERE.

Public Support for Renewable Energy Continues to Grow 

02/05/2013 

82% of the public support renewable energy sources, a survey by DECC has found.  The latest Public Attitudes Tracker results show a rise from 79% in public support since the previous survey.  The study also shows strong support for onshore wind power with 68% supporting this form of renewable energy.        

The research, however, also highlighted public concern surrounding energy.  88% of the public have concerns regarding energy security with 79% concerned about the UK becoming too dependent on energy imports.  An increasing number of people surveyed felt that the UK is also not investing in alternative energy sources fast enough to address energy security issues.

Despite these concerns, there is still strong support for a mix of energy sources in the UK to ensure energy supply reliability.

The full article can be found HERE

Wind farm policy to protect rural areas 

30/04/2013 

Scottish ministers are proposing to protect areas of wilderness land in Scotland under changes to wind farm policy.  Under the new proposals, approximately 28% of Scotland’s landscape will be designated as ‘wild land’ using guidance maps from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) including areas in the north and west Highlands and areas of Tayside.               

It is expected that these changes to wind farm planning policy will create a better balance between wind turbine approvals and the protection of designated wild land in Scotland.

The full article can be found HERE.

Positive Predictions for Renewable Energy Investment 

26/04/2013

Investment into renewable energy is predicted to rise significantly by 2030 due to falling costs and more widespread deployment of green technologies according to a report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF).

BNEF predicts that annual global investment into renewable energy is set to reach £412.6bn by 2030, resulting in a threefold increase on 2012 figures.  The report identifies the falling costs of core renewable energy technologies such as wind and solar power as a main factor for the growth of investment into renewables as they increasingly compete with fossil fuels. 

The BNEF also predicts that wind power will account for 30% of global new energy generation capacity by 2030 with renewable technologies overall accounting for 69 – 74 % of new capacity.    

More information can be found HERE

UK CO₂Emissions Warning

25/04/2013 

The UKs total CO₂ emissions have increased, according to a new report from the Climate Change Committee (CCC).  The rise in emissions is due to the UK importing goods that produce CO₂ in other countries.  The report states that the UK is currently second in a list of countries with the highest imported ‘embodied’ emissions.

Carbon emissions produced in the UK, however, continue to fall with 20% less CO₂ being produced over the last two decades.  Despite this, the additional imported emissions have led to an overall trend of CO₂ levels rising by 10%.  The CCC report recommends that the UK should continue focusing on reducing emissions produced at home and supporting international efforts to reduce CO₂ in order to address the issue of imported emissions.

More information can be found HERE.

Closure of Coal-Fired Power Stations

22/04/2013

A report by Carbon Connect, an independent cross-party forum has called for energy generation from coal to be minimised in the UK. Britain’s coal-fired power stations should continue to close in order for the Government to meet its carbon reduction targets.

The report states that gas power stations have less environmental impact than coal-fired ones and should continue to be used to provide additional capacity alongside sustainable electricity supplies as renewable capacity continues to increase.

The report also suggests that the prospects for shale gas are "highly uncertain and unlikely to give the UK cheap gas" and concludes that the Government needs to ensure a diverse energy mix.  It recommends that there is greater investment in low carbon and renewable energy capacity towards 2030.  

Find the full article HERE. 

Back to Black 

19/04/2013

It has been a bad week for efforts to develop green energy around the world!

The International Energy Agency (IEA) released a new report explaining how progress towards low carbon energy production has stalled. In the report, statistics such reveal that the average unit of energy produced is as dirty as it was 20 years ago.

The agency utilises a complex intensity index which showed that 2.39 tonnes of CO₂ was being released for every tonne of oil produced in 1990, which only reduced to 2.37 tonnes in 2010. The main reason for this small reduction being down to the resurgence of coal; coal fired electricity generation rose by 6% from 2010 to 2012 which is faster than any non-fossil energy.

China accounted for 46% of global coal demand in 2011, Europe has seen a return to coal in the last few years and the US has turned to shale gas, meaning there are many players returning to fossil energy.

However, it is not all bad. Renewable technologies such as solar and wind power boomed in 2011 and 2012 accounting for 19% of global electricity generation in 2011. In order to bring carbon emissions down dramatically, countries need to be looking to these technologies as opposed to fossil fuels for electricity.

To see the full article, click HERE.

British Children are worried about Climate Change

17/04/2013

 A new survey undertaken by UNICEF has shown that three quarters of children aged between 11 and 16 are deeply concerned about the impact climate change and would like the government to do more to tackle the threat. More than two thirds of the children were also worried about how climate change will affect people in developing countries.

This survey has come to light alongside the argument of removing the debate of climate change from the national curriculum for under-14’s geography classes which came about from a 65,000 strong petition to the Department for Education.

Almost 100 environmental figures such as David Attenborough have been interviewed about the removal of climate change from the curriculum. Attenborough states "This is both unfathomable and unacceptable. Today's children are tomorrow's custodians of nature". To view the full article, click HERE.

Climate change is a serious environmental issue that will affect the entire globe. It is therefore very important for children to learn about the matter so that they are informed and prepared for the potential impacts that are likely to become worse in the future.

Ice melt at its highest level for 1000 years!

15/04/2013

For the first time, scientists have been able to show that increasing temperatures from 1960’s have caused 10 times more ice melt than in medieval times.

Since 1960’s, the Antarctic Peninsula has seen the most extreme global warming with a temperature rise of approximately 2.5^oC, which is five times the global average. The new study found that although the peninsula has been melting since the 1400’s, the area has been more susceptible to warmer climates since 1960’s.

The average increase in temperatures between 1400’s and late 20^th century is 1.6^oC. Additionally, 0.5% was the annual amount of snow that melted and refroze 600 years ago in comparison to 5% annual snow melt today. These statistics highlight how the effects of climate change are accelerating.

Climate scientists have said that any attempt to predict exactly what climate change will do to the frozen continent will be extremely difficult. They believe that understanding and accuracy can be sourced from learning what has happened in the past.

You can find more information HERE.

Consequences of Climate Change

12/04/2013

Earlier this week, it was published how climate change is having an impact upon the jet stream which in turn is causing unpredictable and extreme weather in the UK.

Now scientists warn that the changing characteristics of the jet stream could cause more turbulence for planes. Climate change is not only heating up the earth’s surface but it is also destabilising the winds. Increased turbulence poses the risk of injuring passengers, causing structural damage, costing money, and potentially flight detours which would increase fuel consumption. Chances of experiencing significant turbulence by the middle of the century will increase by between 40% and 170%.

Scientists say that turbulence will be stronger and occur more often if carbon dioxide emissions double by 2050 as the International Energy Agency forecasts.

In order to prevent the consequences of climate change, carbon and renewable energy targets need to be taken seriously. Just one 3 MW wind turbine could displace approximately 3,390 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. Technologies such as wind power can make a huge contribution towards a low carbon economy therefore these technologies need to be supported and promoted.

To find the full story, click HERE.

Greenest Government MUST put climate on the G8 agenda

10/04/2013

On Wednesday the G8 group will be holding a meeting whereby the threat presented by Iran and North Korea is on the agenda but the danger of climate change is not. David Cameron’s advisor for Europe and global issues has recently blocked moves from Germany and France to make climate change a G8 agenda item.

According to the International Energy Agency, the world has just four years to implement the changes necessary to avoid a temperatures increase above 2^oC which scientists have considered "dangerous".

In two and a half years time, world leaders will meet in Paris to generate a global deal to ensure such temperatures increases do not happen.

Countries in every continent are have now launched or are considering a carbon tax or cap-and-trade system. In addition to New Zealand and Japan's systems which are already under way, Russia, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Chile, Costa Rica and Mexico all announced plans in the last year.

The UK however, has raised concerns due to blocking efforts to introduce a target to decarbonise the UK’s power sector by 2030 and George Osborne opposing a new renewables target to replace the current one which will expire in 2020.

You can find the full article HERE.

In order to stop temperature increases, climate change must be addresses on a local, regional, national and global level. To tackle climate change, low carbon technologies and renewable energy must be continuously pushed.

Coldest Easter Sunday on Record

08/04/2013

Last week British weather excelled itself and presented the coldest Easter Sunday ever to be recorded in the UK. Temperatures remained below Zero in many areas which is causing transport disruptions, increasing threats to the survival of animal and bird habitats and climate change. The start of the British summer time last Sunday saw temperatures as low as -11^oC.

Our weather is becoming extremely unpredictable with last winter bringing severe drought which triggered the Environment Agency to announce warnings of potential water rationing and hose pipe bans. Meteorologists are pinpointing the changing behaviour of the jet stream as the issue, a narrow band of strong winds travelling between the tropics and the Arctic. In recent years it has been observed that the jet stream is slowing which traps regions of high or low pressure in the same parts of the globe. As to the reason for this change in the jet stream's flow, more and more meteorologists now point to global warming, more precisely the warming of the Arctic.

More and more meteorologists and scientists are explaining how weather in the UK is only predicted to become more unpredictable and extreme as a result of human activities and global warming. It is becoming evidently clear that companies and communities need to be aiming towards a low carbon economy, which can be tackled through renewable energy.

To find the full article, click HERE.

1.5 Billion Renewable Energy Investment in 2012

05/02/2013

Investment for renewable energy in 2012 doubled in response to an additional 1GW generated by new projects. This raised the country’s total installed capacity to 5.8GW, while the investments in the industry during 2011 were £575 million. The electricity generated in 2012 was around 14,600GWh, which was enough to power all the homes across the nation.

You can find the full article HERE.

Record Year for Scottish Renewable Energy in 2012

02/04/2013

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) released a report which stated that 14,600 Gigawatt hours (GWh) were generated in Scotland from renewables such as wind and hydro. Wind power for 2012 alone was 8,296 GWh which is 19% higher than 2011 and more than four times the level in 2006.

By the end of 2012, there was 5,883 MW of installed renewable electricity capacity which is an increase of 22% from the end of 2011. Overall, Scotland generated 7% more renewable electricity in 2012 than it did in the previous year.

For more on this, please find the full article HERE.

Record Breaking Day for Wind Power!

28/03/2013

For the first time on record, UK wind energy has generated over 5 gigawatts of electricity consistently over a 24 hour period (starting on 21^ST March 2013 at 21:30). The electricity produced during this 24 period was enough to power the equivalent of 4 out of every 10 British homes and supply 10% of all Great Britain’s overall electricity needs.

On top of this achievement, the record for one-off electricity generation in a half hour period was created.  5.296 gigawatts of wind power was present on the grid at 15:30 on the 22^nd March, alongside another anticipated 2 gigawatts from distributed wind.

Maria McCaffery, Chief Executive of RenewableUK summarises "that wind is a stable and reliable source of power generation on the scale we need, when we need it most."

The full article can be read here.

WIND ENERGY CONTINUES TO GROW AND THE COSTS REMAIN LOW

26/03/2013

Renewable energy under the Renewables Obligation (RO) provided over 10% of the UK’s power in 2011 to 2012. A new report by Ofgem states that onshore and offshore wind accounted for nearly 59% of renewable generation in 2011-2012 which was fundamental in pushing renewable energy over the 10% milestone for the first time.

The report also reveals that wind costs 2.66p per household per day and less than £10 a year on the average bill. Evidence shows that consumer bills were rising as a result of fluctuations in gas prices, not the cost of renewable energy. Ofgem’s report has been published within the same week as warnings were made that the UK gas supplies are running low, which increases the risk of dependency on expensive imports which is the initial reason for increased consumer bills.

The Director of Policy for RenewableUK, Dr Gordon Edge, highlighted that whilst wind energy continues to grow, the costs remain low. He stated that "Anyone who cares about stabilising consumer bills should support investment in clean energy and getting us off the hook of imported fossil fuels".

Wind energy is therefore helping the UK towards a low carbon economy, stable consumer bills, and increased employment opportunities.

The view the full report by Ofgem, click HERE.

Concerns over climate change targets!!

22/03/2013

The Scottish Government has been urged to improve its approach to climate change targets and to promote a "step-change" in public attitudes to climate change by four parliamentary committees. Many committee members pointed out the need for society to work together as behavioural change could play an important role in Scotland achieving future climate change targets.

It was mentioned that carbon emission targets were missed in 2010 which was due to bad weather and the increased energy demand. The UK is currently experiencing bad weather again as well as power station closures which means it is at risk of missing targets once more.  

In order for these concerns to be dismissed, more focus on sustainable living is required, from the individual on the domestic level in addition to encouraging the manufacture and operation of more low carbon technologies to source power.

To read the full story, click here.

MANY HAPPY TO HAVE LARGE SCALE WIND FARMS AS A NEIGHBOUR

20/03/2013

According to a poll commissioned by Scottish Renewables, almost two thirds (62%) of Scottish people are happy to host large scale wind projects in their local council area. Support for wind power is almost twice as high as the support for nuclear power plants (32%) and significantly higher than support for shale gas drilling (24%).

69% explain how their decision to visit an area within Scotland would not be swayed by the presence of a wind farm and 76% would like to see most of their electricity from low carbon sources.

This poll shows how wind power is being recognised as a reliable low-carbon energy source and more people are happy to have them close by.

You can find the full article here.

Also you can show your support for renewable energy this Saturday by turning your lights off for an hour at 8.30 pm for WWF’s Earth Hour. Find more details on our news page.

2013 SCI-FEST SUCCESS

18/03/2013

Community Windpower are delighted to announce that this weekend’s Dunbar Sci-Fest was extremely successful; it was a very well attended event with people of all ages joining in the fun activities. We would like to thank all of you who came along to our stand. We had a fantastic amount of entries to the ‘draw your own turbine’ competition which will be very difficult to judge as they are all very good but the winners will be announced shortly.

Provisionally, the event attracted around 3,575 visitors with more people arriving on the Saturday. This figure does not include the Education Programme numbers which is anticipated to boost the total visitors to over 6,000! Photos taken at the festival can be found in today’s national papers – see page 2 of the Scotsman and hopefully in today’s Edinburgh Evening News.

DONT MISS DUNBAR SCI-FEST 2013 THIS WEEKEND!

15/03/2013

Community Windpower Limited (CWL) is delighted to be one of the main sponsors of the Dunbar Science Festival this weekend on Saturday 16^th March and Sunday 17^th March. CWL is sponsoring the main marquee and will be attending the event on both days. With over 40 exhibitors visiting Dunbar, the festival is hoping to attract over 4,000 visitors.

Come and join in the fun:

It will take place in Dunbar Primary School’s John Muir Campus and also at Dunbar’s recently opened, Bleachingfield Community Centre which is next to the school between 10 am to 5 pm (on both days).

Activities at the Bleachingfield Community Centre are free with the University of Edinburgh’s Scottish Science and Technology Roadshow "SCI-FUN" taking over the two halls for the weekend with 50 interactive science activities. Dunbar library is also supporting SciFest and will open all day Saturday with storytelling and craft activities.

The Gibb Room in Dunbar library will host three evening events for adults:

1.       Dunbar conservation

2.       Forensic Fiction

3.       Cafe scientifique

More activities for under 5s are available this year which will be in the School’s Special Needs Unity, "the Cove" with a soft play area, enclosed garden and storytelling sessions.

It is a year on year event that has been nationally recognised for its success, winning the National Science and Engineering Week Best Community Event in 2012 and being shortlisted with other East Lothian festivals in Creative Scotland’s Creative Places Awards last year.

Prices the same as 2012: £10 for a family (2 adults and up to 5 children from the same family), £15 for a family weekend ticket or £3 for an adult and £2 for a child. Both SCI-FUN and Dunbar library events at the Blechingfield Community Centre are free!

You can find out more on the Dunbar SciFest App or on the website HERE.

So DON’T MISS OUT!

SCOTLAND PRAISED ON EMISSION TARGETS

15/03/2013

An independent report, by the UK Committee on Climate Change (CCC), points out how well Scotland is doing with reference to emission reduction targets. Scotland’s goal is to cut carbon emissions by 42% by 2020. At present, Scotland is leading the UK on renewable power with 36% of electricity sourced from renewable energy, exceeding the 31% target. The report praises Scotland for numerous green developments such as setting long term decarbonisation targets, doubling insulation rates, Zero Waste policies, tree planting and peat restoration.

On the other hand, the CCC also highlight that the Scottish Government need to do more. Scotland missed its 2012 annual target by 2%; however this could have been a result of the extremely cold winter which triggered higher energy demand within the residential sector. As the UK weather patterns are constantly changing, energy demand will no doubt follow suit therefore it is important that Scotland and the rest of the UK continuously push and achieve renewable and emission reduction targets.

For more information on this story please click HERE.

Community Windpower confirm £1billion investment in Scotland

08/03/2013

A £1 billion investment is in store for Scotland through onshore wind farm projects within Community Windpower’s portfolio.

Scottish focused wind farm operator Community Windpower Ltd have today confirmed that through their 7 operational and consented wind farms totalling 276 MW of installed electricity generating capacity and over 700MW which is under development, the UK company  will invest £1 billion into the Scottish economy.

The 7 operational and consented wind farms, located in Scotland in North Ayrshire, East Lothian, South Lanarkshire, East Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway, would in total meet the energy needs of over 158,000 homes providing a carbon saving of over 311,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum which would otherwise be emitted from fossil-fuelled power stations.

Community Windpower Ltd received planning permission for their most two recent sites, Sanquhar Community Wind Farm, in Dumfries and Galloway; and Aikengall II – Wester Dodd Community Wind Farm in East Lothian on 27^th February and 1^st March respectively. A further 8 wind farms are in the planning pipeline, awaiting consent.

Involvement with local communities is the key focus of Community Windpower Ltd. Since 2006, the Company has donated £1.5million to local communities surrounding their wind farms through various community benefits. This funding will continue for the 25 year lifetime of each project, with community benefit packages tailored to the needs of each local community.

Work to date in the local community has involved the creation and operation of BeGreen Energy Advice Centres – a unique initiative developed Community Windpower Ltd to help local communities to reduce carbon emissions, reduce fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency. In addition to this, emphasis is also paid to education with work placements and apprenticeship provided by the Company, the employment of an Educational Ranger and the creation of working partnership with local schools to provide them with educational and financial support.

Rod Wood, Managing Director of Community Windpower Ltd, said "We’re delighted with the two consents from the Scottish Government and Dumfries & Galloway Council. The renewable industry in Scotland is a key driver to maintain economic growth in unprecedented economic times.

We are championing investment in Scotland, partnering Scottish companies and local communities, delivering the recognised investment of £5,000 per MW per annum. I am pleased that our operating and consented projects will deliver £5million per annum in community benefits and rates in Scotland".

5.5 PER CENT OF UK ENERGY FROM WIND

06/03/2013

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) have now published the UK Energy Statistics for 2012. The publication shows a significant increase of wind output which was 33% from the previous year. Wind generation contributed 4.0% of the UK’s energy in 2011 which grew to contribute 5.5% in 2012. Wind energy is growing quickly and is making a great impression on the energy mix as the UK push for a low carbon economy. UK wind now has the ability to power more than 4.5 million homes and to displace more than 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year.

This new contribution makes the UK a quarter of the way to reaching its 2020 target of obtaining 20% of its electricity through renewable sources therefore it is important that wind energy continues to grow quickly in order to confirm achievement.

TWO WIND FARMS CONSENTED IN TWO DAYS

Sanquhar Community Wind Farm - 27th February 2013

Aikengall II - Wester Dod Community Wind Farm - 1st March 2013

Community Windpower Ltd are absolutely overjoyed after receiving planning consent for two wind farms, totalling 118.4 Megawatts (MW), in the space of two days.

Sanquhar Community Wind Farm, a 12 turbine scheme located in Dumfries and Galloway, was consented by an unanimous decision on Wednesday 27^th February by Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Planning Committee Members. An initial inward investment in the region of £50 million will be reinforced with further annual investment of around £2 million.

Community Windpower are also delighted to announce that the Aikengall II – Wester Dod planning application was granted consent by the Scottish Ministers on Friday 1^st March, adding a seventh wind farm to Community Windpower’s portfolio. The 68.4 Megawatt wind farm comprises 19 turbines and will form a natural extension to the existing Aikengall Community Wind Farm, located 11 kilometres south of Dunbar in East Lothian.

Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said:

"The Aikengall II wind farm will create jobs both in its construction and during its lifetime, as well as having the capacity to supply more than 32,000 homes with renewable electricity and displace around 77,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

"The development will lead to £98 million of capital investment, mostly spent in Scotland."

The two wind farms together will deliver substantial generation of clean, green renewable energy, enough to power over 60,000 homes, and will significantly contribute towards the Scottish Government’s 100% renewable energy target by 2020.

Overall, the two projects will provide significant investment in the region of £275 million into the Scottish Economy during their 25 year operation.

Community Windpower are committed to delivering sizeable community benefits for each of the schemes and will provide annual funding of £5,000 per MW of installed capacity to the local communities surrounding the wind farm developments.

Community Windpower now have a total of seven operational and consented wind farms throughout Scotland, comprising 286.4 Megawatts.

BREAKING NEWS: Sanquhar Community Wind Farm granted planning permission by Dumfries & Galloway Council

27/02/2013

Community Windpower Limited (CWL) is pleased to announce that we have now been granted planning permission for our 6^th wind farm, Sanquhar, on 27^th February 2013. With this development, CWL now have a total of 204 megawatts (MW) approved clean, green energy which is the equivalent of 68 turbines. 40% of this total is already operational at our Dalry, Millour Hill and Aikengall wind farms with the remaining 60% consented and/or in construction.

PUBLIC SHOW SUPPORT FOR RENEWABLE POWER

27/02/2013

This week it has been reported that British people are enthusiastic towards renewable energy. This clear support shown for green energy helps the Government to understand the opinions of the public before they decide on important plans and policies.

The Government itself conducted the survey through the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), the results shows that an overwhelming 79% of participants were in support of green operations.

Wind energy gained 72% of the participant’s approval, proving that wind energy is very much supported in the public eye.

By having public support as well as Governmental backing, renewable energy can really make a difference on the environment as well as the economy.

For more details follow this LINK.

100% RENEWABLE ENERGY - THE NEW NORM

25/02/2013

Obtaining 100% renewable energy seems to be the new norm even though it was first considered radical and only a decade ago were cities, regions and businesses aiming for 20%.

·   Scotland aiming for 100% renewable energy generation by 2020;

·   Denmark has passed laws requiring their entire energy supply to be met by renewable sources;

·   Pacific Island of Tokelau, which is at risk of disappearing due to rising sea levels, has already met 100% renewable energy supply;

·   Iceland is currently at 81%, with ambitions to reach 100%;

·   Whole regions of Germany are surpassing their renewable laws;

·   Numerous US cities such as San Francisco have targets of 100% renewable energy in the next 10 years.

So far a total of 8 Countries, 41 Cities, 48 Regions, 8 Utilities and 21 Non-Profit/Educational/Public Institutions have been logged for achieving or at least committing to 100% renewable energy in the next few decades. What once seemed impossible is becoming possible as more and more bodies are aiming and achieving 100% renewable energy supply.

For more information, press HERE.

CO2 EMISSIONS BEING BLOWN AWAY

22/02/2013

Scottish Renewables have recently documented that wind generation in Scotland between April 2011 and September 2012 allowed 10.9 million tonnes of CO2 emissions to be saved. This is a huge displacement and it highlights just how successful wind power is to contributing to a low carbon economy.  

Find the full article HERE.

PRIME MINISTER AND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER SHOW SUPPORT TOWARDS WIND ENERGY

20/02/2013

Prime Minister, David Cameron has recently taken a trip to India, which is a major investor in clean energy, and stated that "These new green technologies, whether it is waste recycling, wind power, or nuclear power - because there are no carbon emissions - these are growth items, and green tech jobs are growing faster in our economy than many other parts."

Additionally, Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg has requested an increased investment towards sectors such as offshore wind during his annual speech at Mansion House.  Clegg was highlighting the need to diversify our economy. During this speech he said "The UK is a world leader in offshore wind – we have more offshore capacity than anywhere else. Those turbines are put up in the North Sea. The gear boxes assembled in Yorkshire. Teesside develop the underwater cabling. Humberside does the maintenance. All helped, of course, by London – a leader in green finance".

Both of these speeches prove just how important wind power is to the Government and highlights the emphasis they are putting on investment towards low carbon technologies such as wind.

GLOBAL WIND POWER CAPACITY GREW 20% IN 2012

18/02/2013

Renewable energy experienced a surge in use last year as wind power expanded by almost 20% in 2012 worldwide to reach a new peak of 282 gigawatts (GW) of total installed capacity.

More than 45GW of new wind turbines were installed during 2012, with China and the US leading the way with 13GW each, while the UK, Germany, India were next with about 2GW apiece.

The UK now ranks sixth in the world for installed wind power with a total installed capacity of 8.5GW.

Additionally, the UK is by far the world’s leader in offshore wind deployment, installing 0.85GW in 2012 to bring the total so far to 3GW.

To read the full 'The Guardian' article by Damien Carrington please CLICK HERE

UK RANKED THIRD IN EUROPE FOR INSTALLED WIND POWER

13/02/13 

New figures have been published by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) showing that the UK now has 8.4GW of wind energy installed, overtaking Italy and France.

In 2011, the UK was fifth in the European league table for installed capacity, but the nation has now moved up to third in Europe. Germany remains the EU country with the largest installed capacity with 31.3GW and Spain is second with 22.8GW. The UK’s strong performance in the European league table reflects the growing importance of the British wind industry, despite tough global economic conditions.

According to EWEA, in 2012 alone over 11.65 GW of wind power capacity was installed in the EU during 2012. Of this total, the UK installed 1.9 GW, equating to 16% of all new wind capacity in Europe. This puts the UK 2^nd in terms of new deployment last year. Only Germany installed more in 2012 (2.4GW - 21% of new capacity).

EWEA also highlighted that renewable energy accounts for 69% of all new power capacity in Europe in 2012, 26% of which were wind power installations. Coal, oil and nuclear capacity has continued to decline as power stations are being decommissioned throughout Europe.

To read the full EWEA report please CLICK HERE. 

AMENDMENT TO ENERGY BILL WELCOMED 

11/02/2013

Community Windpower welcomes the proposed amendment to the Coalition’s Energy Bill to set a decarbonisation target for the power sector in April 2014, governing how many grammes of carbon dioxide could be emitted for every kilowatt-hour of electricity.

The Government previously planned to discuss the issue of setting a decarbonisation after the next General Election in 2016; however Climate Change Select Committee members Tim Yeo and Barry Gardiner have proposed that the date for setting the target should be brought forward.

If the amendment were to be implemented, it would demonstrate the Government’s commitment to the transition to a low-carbon economy beyond 2020 and would reduce the maximum amount of carbon emitted from 2030 onwards.

In addition, it will also help attract long-term investment by boosting the confidence of businesses and investors who need to invest the billions of pounds required to deliver a sustainable future.

INCREASE IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING POINTS PROPOSED

08/02/2013

The Scottish Government has made plans to establish electric vehicle charging points every 50 miles along major roads to boost green motoring. This also includes free insulation of home charging points and others at car parks, leisure centres, ferry terminals and offices, including for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year!

The Scottish Government’s Transport Agency said this move would "help Scotland remain at the forefront of climate action and meet its ambition of complete decarbonisation of road transport by 2050, in part through the whole scale adoption of low and ultra-low carbon vehicles".

Transport spokesman Patrick Harvie pointed out that "Electric vehicles can only properly cut our transport emissions if we have much more renewable electricity on the grid" therefore it is important to keep pushing forward with renewable technologies such as wind power to make this electric revolution possible.

Find the full story here.

GREAT BRITAIN SETS A NEW RECORD FOR WIND ENERGY

06/02/2013

On Sunday 3^rd February, the National Grid recorded electricity generation from wind energy at 5058 megawatts (5.085 gigawatts) which is the first time wind energy has contributed in excess of 5 GW in the UK. This amount of generation represents 12% of the country’s electricity supply and is equivalent to more than 10 million homes!

Wind energy is actually having a much larger impact towards electricity generation as a further 2.5 GW is not recorded by the National Grid but it used for local and regional electricity networks.

Wind energy is by far the most mature renewable technology however once other technologies have developed the UK can surely gain 100% renewable electricity and therefore fully achieve a low-carbon economy and energy security. 

This demonstrates that the UK is on course for reaching its 2020 target of having 15% of electricity sourced from renewable technologies such as wind. It also proves how crucial wind energy is to our energy mix as we move towards a low-carbon economy and energy security.

Although this is really good news, it is important that wind energy continues to be developed to further contribute towards meeting the Government’s targets.

WEATHER WARNINGS AND CLIMATE CHANGE

04/02/2013

More weather warnings have been issued by forecasters as Scotland can expect high winds and blizzard conditions. The Met Office advise the likelihood of heavy, squally wintry showers and have issued amber "be prepared" warning for the Highlands, Western Isles, south Scotland, Lothian, Tayside, Fife and Strathclyde as well as a yellow "be aware" warning has been issued for other parts of Scotland, including the north east and Northern Isles.

Since the extremely wet 2012, the UK has experienced numerous weather warnings for rain, wind and snow so far in 2013. Sub zero temperatures and thick snow are becoming regular winter features. The story is repeated in Europe and Asia, with temperatures falling as much as 10 degrees below the winter average. Records show major freezes across Eurasia in February 2012, January 2010, December 2009, January 2008, and January 2006.

After examining over 8,000 weather stations around the globe, recent studies by the University of Adelaide claim that extreme rains have been intensified the rising global average temperature. Results from the study showed that there is a 7% increase in extreme rainfall intensity for every degree increase in global atmospheric temperature therefore ff global average temperatures continue to increase; this could mean substantial increases in rainfall intensity as a result of climate change.

NEW YEAR NEW TARGETS!

31/01/2013

Scotland is continuing to lead the way with environmental policy as they have now set out a new climate change plan which aims to cut greenhouse gases from electricity generation by 50 grams per kilowatt hour by 2030. This is 83% lower than in 2011! This new plan also proposes:

·    £50 million towards Warm Homes Fund;

·    National Retrofit Programme to make older colder homes more energy efficient; and

·    Over £200 million to go to making transport more sustainable.

Considering Scotland’s success in the past, with passing the 2009 Climate Change Act in 2009 faster than any other member state in the European Union and exceeding set targets for electricity generation through renewable sources, this new plan makes for exciting times.

NICHOLAS STERN: 'I GOT IT WRONG ON CLIMATE CHANGE - IT'S FAR, FAR WORSE'

28/01/2013 

Nicholas Stern, author of the Government Review on Climate Change has this week been voicing his concerns on Climate Change, explaining that the planet is absorbing less carbon than previously thought and is now 'on track' for 4C rise.

Lord Stern now believes he should have been more ‘blunt’ about threat to economies from temperature rises.

Lord Stern, author of the government-commissioned review on climate change that became the reference work for politicians and green campaigners, now says he underestimated the risks, and should have been more "blunt" about the threat posed to the economy by rising temperatures.

Stern explained: "Looking back, I underestimated the risks. The planet and the atmosphere seem to be absorbing less carbon than we expected, and emissions are rising pretty strongly. Some of the effects are coming through more quickly than we thought then."

The Stern review, published in 2006, pointed to a 75% chance that global temperatures would rise by between two and three degrees above the long-term average; he now believes we are "on track for something like four ". Had he known the way the situation would evolve, he says, "I think I would have been a bit more blunt. I would have been much more strong about the risks of a four- or five-degree rise."

He said some countries, including China, had now started to grasp the seriousness of the risks, but governments should now act forcefully to shift their economies towards less energy-intensive, more environmentally sustainable technologies.

Stern made his concerns clear: "This is potentially so dangerous that we have to act strongly. Do we want to play Russian roulette with two bullets or one? These risks for many people are existential."

To read the full 'The Guardian' article by Heather Stewart and Larry Elliott, please CLICK HERE. 

MASSIVE MELTING OF ANDES GLACIERS

25/01/2013

Glaciers in the tropical Andes have shrunk by 30-50% since the 1970s, according to a study.

The glaciers, which provide fresh water for tens of millions in South America, are retreating at their fastest rate in the past 300 years.

The study included data on about half of all Andean glaciers and blamed the melting on an average temperature rise of 0.7C from 1950-1994.

Details appear in the academic journal The Cryosphere.

The authors report that glaciers are retreating everywhere in the tropical Andes, but the melting is more pronounced for small glaciers at low altitudes.

Glaciers at altitudes below 5,400m have lost about 1.35m in ice thickness per year since the late 1970s, twice the rate of the larger, high-altitude glaciers.

"Because the maximum thickness of these small, low-altitude glaciers rarely exceeds 40 metres, with such an annual loss they will probably completely disappear within the coming decades," said lead author Antoine Rabatel, from the Laboratory for Glaciology and Environmental Geophysics in Grenoble, France.

Without changes in rainfall, the region could face water shortages in the future, the scientists say.

The Santa River valley in Peru could be most affected; its hundreds of thousands of inhabitants rely heavily on glacier water for agriculture, domestic consumption, and hydropower.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has pointed to the importance of mountain glaciers as sensitive indicators of climate change.

Some scientists say the Chacaltaya glacier in Bolivia, which used to be the world's highest ski run, has already nearly disappeared.

To read the full BBC News article, please CLICK HERE.

EUROPE 'HAS FAILED TO LEARN FROM ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTERS'

23/01/2013

Europe has failed to learn the lessons from many environmental and health disasters like Chernobyl, leaded petrol and DDT insecticides, and is now ignoring warnings about bee deaths, GM food and nanotechnology, according to an 800-page report by the European Environment Agency.

Thousands of lives could have been saved and extensive damage to ecosystems avoided if the "precautionary principle" had been applied on the basis of early warnings, say the authors of the 2013 Late Lessons from Early warnings report published on Wednesday.

They accuse industry of working to corrupt or undermine regulation by spinning and manipulating research and applying pressure on governments for financial benefit. "[It has] deliberately recruited reputable scientists, media experts and politicians to call on if their products were linked to possible hazards. Manufacturing doubt, disregarding scientific evidence of risks and claiming over-regulation appear to be a deliberate strategy for some industry groups and think tanks to undermine precautionary decision-making."

The study says the Fukushima disaster in 2011 may have released twice as much radiation as the Japanese government admitted. The emissions of radioactive caesium-137 from Fukushima are said to have started earlier than the authorities have claimed, to have lasted longer, and to have spread over a wider area of land than previously believed.

The authors say that it is far too early to make any responsible estimate of the potential health impact of the Fukushima disaster.

The report reopens the controversy between pro- and anti- nuclear power advocates about the health damage from in the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. While the World Health Organisation has claimed that only 28 people died and there could be a possible 4,000 additional cancer deaths , the EU study states that the numbers of deaths could range from "at least 17,000 to 68,000 over 50 years".

Reactor accidents are said to be by far the single largest risk now facing the nuclear industry. According to the study, the probability of a future major nuclear accident has increased 20-fold since Fukushima

An urgent re-appraisal of the way that nuclear power stations are assessed for safety is long overdue, says the study. "Whatever one's view of the risks and benefits of nuclear energy, it is clear that the possibility of catastrophic accidents must be factored into the policy and regulatory decision-making process. Both the regulation of operating nuclear reactors and the design-base for any proposed reactor will need significant re-evaluation."

To read the full 'The Guardian' article by John Vidal, please CLICK HERE. 

RENEWABLEUK PRESENTS KEY EVIDENCE TO ENERGY BILL COMMITTEE

21/01/2012 

RenewableUK gave key evidence to the parliamentary committee scrutinising the landmark Energy Bill in Westminster last week. The Bill sets out a radical new financial framework for the energy sector for the decades ahead. It aims to provide best value for money for consumers, while also ensuring the UK generates a secure supply of cleaner energy at a stable cost, in which renewables will play an increasingly important role.

RenewableUK supports the Energy Bill and agrees with Government that Electricity Market Reform is needed to attract crucial investment into the sector, to meet legally-binding carbon reduction targets and create tens of thousands of jobs by the end of the decade, with the potential for more than 88,000 jobs in the wind, wave and tidal sectors by 2021.

These issues include clarifying the transition process from the current financial support mechanism – Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) – to Contracts for Difference (CfDs) to ensure there’s no hiatus in much-needed investment.

Another key concern is that the Bill should ensure that small generators are able to sell the power they produce and have access to finance, to improve competition in the market place.

RenewableUK also believes that generators should be guaranteed stronger protection from any future changes in the law which may affect their income, to ensure that they do not lose out unfairly.

Speaking about the massive manufacturing opportunities for the wind energy sector, including the supply chain, Maria McCaffery told MPs:

"Outstanding elements of the Bill need urgent attention. There’s a real sense within the industry of being on the cusp of making final decisions on investments. We’ve seen half a dozen turbine manufacturers committing between half a billion and a billion pounds each to open factories, but the pledges remain pledges. To get them converted into financial commitments, to see the foundations of factories being laid, and begin the recruitment of workers, we need definition and clarity around the Energy Bill."

70% OF EUROPEANS BELIEVE RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED NOW

17/01/2012 

A survey by the European Commission has carried out a study into attitudes of Europeans towards air quality, published this month. The study has reviled air quality to be a major concern with the majority of Europeans believing that renewable energy sources should be prioritised now.

17% of Europeans say they suffer from respiratory problems.

87% think respiratory diseases are a serious problem, with at least six out of ten respondents in every country holding this opinion.

56% of Europeans think air quality has deteriorated in the last 10 years.

When asked to identify factors having an impact on air quality, emissions from cars and trucks (96%) and emissions from industrial production and fossil fuel power stations (92%) are the most likely to be mentioned as having an impact.

Seven out of ten (70%) Europeans think renewable energy sources should be prioritised now, with energy efficiency a distant second (28%).

In all 27 countries, renewable energy is the most mentioned energy option to be prioritised now with a view to the next 30 years.

Industrial and transport activities are viewed as the main threats to air quality.

70% of Europeans believe renewable energy sources should be prioritised now.

For more information please see the 'Attitudes of Europeans Towards Air Quality' report by the European Commission, 2013. 

POLLUTION IN BEIJING REACHES HIGHEST LEVELS EVER RECORDED

14/01/2012 

When it comes to air pollution, the long-suffering residents of Beijing tend to think they have seen it all. But this weekend, instruments measuring the levels of particulate matter in the city's famously noxious air broke all records.

The Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Centre said levels of PM2.5, tiny particulate matter, had reached more than 600 micrograms per square metre in many areas, and Reuters said it may even have hit 900 – its worst-ever reading.

The World Health Organisation considers a safe daily level to be 25.

Children and the elderly were urged to stay indoors and some residents who ventured out wore face masks as the acrid murk entered its third day.

Air quality has long been a problem in the Chinese capital, but this weekend saw levels more than 30 times above the level judged safe by the World Health Organisation.

Breakneck economic growth, reliance on coal, dramatic expansion of car ownership and the widespread flouting of environmental laws have all contributed to China's air pollution problems

Zhou Rong, climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace, said: "This is really the worst on record not only from the official data but also from the monitoring data from the US embassy [which began measurements four years ago] – some areas in Hebei province are even worst than Beijing."

Several other Chinese cities, including Tianjin, just east of Beijing, and Wuhan, have experienced severe pollution in the past few days.

Zhou added: "For Beijing, cleaning up will take a whole generation but other regions don't even have any targets to cut coal burning. I bet the pollution here is mainly from those surrounding regions."

The US embassy said the highest pollution level it recorded was 755, corresponding to a PM2.5 density of 886 micrograms per cubic meter. The US Environmental Protection Agency says passing 300 on its air quality index would trigger a health warning of "emergency conditions".

Beijing remained fairly busy, but some of the masked figures in the centre said they were wearing the devices to protect themselves.

China's citizens and leaders have paid increasing attention to environmental issues in recent years and state media, which has often glossed over the air pollution problem, has stressed the dangers of the current levels.

To read more of the article by Tania Branigan in The Guardian, please CLICK HERE. 

2012 WASHOUT

10/01/2013

The Met Office announced 2012 to be the second wettest year since records began in 1910. For England it was the wettest year on record, for Wales it was their third wettest year and for Scotland their seventeenth. In the whole of the UK, The Environment Agency declared over 80 flood warnings in December with 80 mph winds forecasted on 27^th. A link has been made between the wet weather and the shrinking of the Arctic ice cap which reached an all time low in the same year.

An analysis carried out by the Met Office suggests that the weather is only going to get wetter as climate change causes warm air to carry more water.  Climate change appears to be having its effect as weather is becoming more extreme across the entire planet and not just in the UK. The US saw temperatures reaching record levels in 2012; North Europe is seeing more wet winters and the ongoing heat wave that has caused highly destructive wildfires in Australia has forced weather forecasters to add new colours to their weather maps as temperatures are rising.

The director of the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists said "the longer we delay reducing emissions, the more climate change we are going to lock in". Basically, the time to act is now and with stormy wind speeds coming our way, it is perfect timing to utilise the earth’s natural resources to produce power!

SCOTTISH RENEWABLES BIGGER THAN COAL OR GAS FOR THE FIRST TIME

07/01/2013

Latest figures from the Department of Energy Climate Change have confirmed that Scotland’s renewable energy industry is now the second largest source of our electricity production, beating both coal and gas for the first time.

While nuclear remains the largest source of electricity production, output from renewables was more than double that of gas-fired generation in Scotland and a quarter more than coal.

Jenny Hogan, Director of Policy for Scottish Renewables, said:

"These figures confirm that Scotland’s renewables industry is making a huge impact on how we meet our energy needs. Not only is our electricity greener than ever before, it is being generated by a home-grown industry with lots of companies investing in Scotland and supporting thousands of jobs too."

The renewables industry in Scotland attracted almost £1bn (£909m) of capital investment in the first six months of 2012 alone and supports more than 11,000 jobs.

Ms Hogan continued: "Renewables are making a significant contribution to our energy mix and are hot on the heels of nuclear, with the gap in generation almost halved in the last year. With 5.7GW (Gigawatts) of renewables in operation and a further 12GW in planning or with consent, we are well on our way to becoming the biggest source of electricity in Scotland.

"These new figures should provide some food for thought for those who have remained unconvinced about the contribution renewable energy is making to delivering our energy needs."

The DECC Energy Trends figures come at the end of what has been another very successful year for the industry.

Scotland has exported 26 per cent of generation in 2011, up from 20 per cent in 2010. The Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee inquiry into renewable energy concluded that the 2020 target of generating the equivalent of 100 per cent of our electricity from renewables was ‘achievable.’

Analysis showed the industry has attracted £909m of capital investment in the first six months of 2012.

A YouGov poll published in March suggested 71 per cent of Scots support wind power as part of our energy mix.

The first comprehensive jobs study for the sector revealed there are more than 11,000 jobs in the Scottish renewables industry.

LAST YEAR'S WET WEATHER CAUSES FARMERS TO RE- EVALUATE

04/01/2013

The extreme weather of 2012 has turned British farmers on to genetically modified crops, with calls from farming leaders to start using the technology as a way to help combat the effects of climate change.

England's wettest year on record, and the UK's second wettest, which had begun with one of the worst droughts for decades, has persuaded an increasing number of farmers that the development of crop varieties with engineered resistance to extreme weather conditions is now a priority. Farming groups are in favour of the move, and many individual farmers now want to explore the use of the controversial techniques, according to delegates at the Oxford Farming Conference.

British farmers have encountered severe problems this year with potato and tomato blight, as the wet weather has encouraged the spread of the disease.

Andrew Brown, spoke this week about the growing concern the farming community now has for climate change and the colder, wetter summers that are now becoming more frequent: "If global warming is going to go the way scientists tell us, this is only going to get more important."

But many environmental groups oppose the use of GM technology. Peter Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association, said that there was no evidence, after 20 years of research and development into GM crops, that they could be reliably produced to cope with drought or flood conditions. "Our weather is becoming more unpredictable and more extreme so farming needs crops with general resilience – you can't know when you plant whether the crop will face too much rain or severe drought," he said.

As climate change causes more difficulties in relation to crop growth and millions of pounds of flood damage is encountered each year, tackling the cause of the problem should be at the forefront of government minds this year.

WEST ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET WARMING TWICE EARLIER ESTIMATE

02/01/2013 

A new analysis of temperature records indicates that the Western Antarctic Ice Sheet is warming nearly twice as fast as previously thought.

US researchers say they found the first evidence of warming during the southern hemisphere's summer months.

They are worried that the increased melting of ice as a result of warmer temperatures could contribute to sea-level rise.

The study has been published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

The resultsof the study indicate an increase of 2.4C in average annual temperature between 1958 and 2010.

"What we're seeing is one of the strongest warming signals on Earth," says Andrew Monaghan, a co-author and scientist at the US National Centre for Atmospheric Research.

"This is the first time we've been able to determine that there's warming going on during the summer season." he added.

It might be natural to expect that summers even in Antarctica would be warmer than other times of the year. But the region is so cold, it is extremely rare for temperatures to get above freezing.

Prof David Bromwich Ohio State University stated "This place has very variable weather, some of it is influenced by human acts and some of it isn't ", Bromwich suggests that the area is at a ‘critical threshold’.  

"The fact that temperatures are rising in the summer means there's a prospect of WAIS not only being melted from the bottom as we know it is today, but in future it looks probable that it will be melting from the top as well," he said.

Previous research published in Nature indicated that the WAIS is being warmed by the ocean, but this new work suggests that the atmosphere is playing a role as well.

The scientists say that the rise in temperatures has been caused by changes in winds and weather patterns coming from the Pacific Ocean.

"We're seeing a more dynamic impact that's due to climate change that's occurring elsewhere on the globe translating down and increasing the heat transportation to the WAIS." said Dr Monaghan.

To read the full BBC News article by Matt McGrath, please CLICK HERE.

NEARLY 12% OF UK ELECTRICITY NOW FROM RENEWABLES

21/12/2012 

According to the Department of Energy and Climate Change, Renewables provide 11.7% of electricity, equalling record set in Q4 2011. This is now the third time renewables have exceeded 10% of UK electricity in a 3-month period. Offshore wind generation has increased by over 50% on same quarter in 2011, onshore up nearly 40%.

New statistics published show renewable energy is playing an increasingly significant role in powering for UK homes and businesses. The amount of electricity generated from renewable sources increased to 11.7% in the third quarter of 2012, up from 9.1% in the same period last year, due to increased capacity. This equals the record set in the fourth quarter of 2011.

This means that renewables’ share of electricity generation for the first three quarters of 2012 increased to 11%, up from 8.5% in the first three quarters of 2011. Wind is the dominant renewable technology, generating 45% of the UK’s clean electricity.

In July to September 2012, offshore wind generation increased by 54%, and onshore wind generation increased by 38% compared to Q3 in 2011. DECC highlighted new and expanding wind farms such as Whitelee 2 and Clyde North onshore, and Greater Gabbard and Sheringham Shoal offshore as examples of developments which have helped to achieve this.

RenewableUK’s Deputy Chief Executive Maf Smith said:

"British homes and businesses are now getting more than 10% of their electricity from renewables on a regular basis, as these figures show. Wind is generating the lion’s share of our clean electricity, and is set to become even more important in our energy mix for the rest of this decade.

"Renewables are expected to generate more of our electricity than nuclear power by 2016, with wind becoming the biggest contributor of electricity to the UK apart from natural gas in 2020. This will help to stabilise the price of energy for all of us, providing a secure alternative to importing expensive fossil fuels, whose price we cannot control. Wind is working and delivering - we’re all reaping the benefits, which are growing year after year".

The figures were published on the same day that the Green Investment Bank completed its first transaction in the offshore wind sector, contributing to the funding of Walney offshore wind farm off the coast of Cumbria which generates clean electricity for the equivalent of 320,000 British homes. 

GLOBAL TOTAL OF EMISSIONS LIKELY TO COME IN AT 52 GIGGATONNES THIS YEAR

19/12/2012

With the global total of emissions likely to come in at around 52 gigatonnes this year, we're already at the edge, according to new research

The global total of climate-disrupting emissions is likely to come in at around 52 gigatonnes (billion metric tonnes) this year.

To have a good chance of staying below two degrees C of warming, global emissions should be between 41 and 47 gigatonnes (Gt) by 2020, said Joeri Rogelj, a climate scientist at Switzerland's Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science in Zurich.

"Only when we see the annual global emissions total decline will we know we're making the shift to climate protection," Rogelj told IPS.

"There are enormous benefits if global emissions decline before 2020. Failure to do so will mean we will need to use more nuclear, massive amounts of bioenergy, large-scale carbon capture and storage," he said.

The costs and social implications from deploying all this will be "huge", he said.

"Delay is by far the riskier option," Rogelj said, noting that failure to act now means those additional risks, costs and social disruption will land on the heads of the next generation.

"We're deciding that the next generation will have to pay significantly higher costs because we're not doing anything now."

These climate-disrupting emissions are primarily carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuels and deforestation. The global total also includes other greenhouse gases that are warming the planet such as methane, nitrous oxide, and a few other chemicals.

In 1990, global emissions were 38.2 Gt, and in recent years, they have been growing at a rate of three percent per year. This growth is despite commitments by industrialised countries to reduce their emissions.

In 2009, all industrialised countries, including the United States, made emission reduction pledges under the Copenhagen Accord. However, even if countries reach their Copenhagen targets, global emissions will be about 55 Gt in 2020, the study estimates.

Staying below two degrees C is still feasible, but it will be far more expensive and difficult, imposing an additional cost burden amounting to trillions of dollars over 2020 to 2050.

Earlier this month, during the annual U.N. climate conference in Doha, governments declined to increase their emission cut targets. Citing economic difficulties, countries like the U.S. and those in the European Union looked to a new global climate treaty that would not make additional emission reductions until 2020.

Despite the urgent need to reduce emissions, the fossil fuel industry received a record 523 billion dollars in public subsidies in 2011, 30 percent more than the previous year, according to the International Energy Agency.

"Lots of actions at the local and national level are needed to bring emissions down over the next few years," said energy researcher David McCollum of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), in Laxenburg, Austria.

Waiting until 2020 before emissions decline means millions of hectares of land will be needed to produce biofuel, billions of dollars invested in new nuclear power plants, and new technologies like carbon capture and storage must not only work but be effective on a large scale, McCollum told IPS..

Staying below two degrees is not a matter of science or technology. It will be determined by political and social decisions to take the necessary steps to shift to low-carbon living, said McCollum.

Stephen Leahy, The Guardian, to read more please CLICK HERE.

WINTER WINDERLAND

13/12/2012

Last Christmas RenewableUK found that wind power supplied an average of 5.3% of the UK’s electricity demand around the festive season.

Year on year the UK is experiencing a growth of renewable technology which is now generating just under 10% of the UK’s electricity, most of which comes from wind energy. 2012 has seen a rise in the amount of UK capacity of onshore wind approved at local level for the first time in 5 years as well as over £1 billion of investment in Scotland alone. These figures suggest a promising future for renewable energy and how the challenge of the Christmas electricity demand can one day be overcome in a sustainable fashion.

Although renewable energy is gradually taking on the Christmas challenge, there are things we can do as individuals for example switching to LED holiday lights which last ten times longer and use 90% less electricity than normal lights. Another option is to use solar Christmas lights which use a rechargeable battery without causing an increase in the energy bill.    

With all of the above considered Community Windpower Ltd are excited to see how well renewable energy, in particular wind, contributes to this Christmas.

For more information, please CLICK HERE.

EXPENDITURE FOR ENERGY AND EMPLOYMENT

10/12/2012

For the first time in history, Scotland’s renewable energy sector expenditures have exceeded £1 billion this year! Scottish Renewables closely analysed Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) figures to discover that a huge £900 million had been spent on renewable energy in the first 6 months alone, most of which has gone towards onshore wind power.

Out of 611 MW of newly operational renewable energy between January and the end of June, 572 MW came from onshore wind. This statistic proves that investment is being implemented wisely and is achieving results, helping Scotland both environmentally and economically. The growth of renewable energy is supporting some 11,000 jobs in the sector as well as smashing carbon emission targets.

Onshore wind plays a crucial role within the renewable sector; it is a mature technology and a fast growing industry. Scotland provides a perfect home for onshore wind farms and is seeing great outcomes such as an improved economy, a source of employment and a sustainable future.

SCIENTISTS TO REVEAL FULL EXTENT OF ARCTIC ICE LOSS AMID CLIMATE CHANGE FEARS

06/12/2012

The full extent of the extreme loss of Arctic ice cover is due to be revealed on Wednesday when a premier US science agency delivers its annual report on the polar region.

The report, overseen by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), provides the most comprehensive review so far of a year of record-breaking and extreme weather events in the Arctic.

Some scientists have warned the changes in the Arctic recorded this year – particularly signs of thawing permafrost – could bring the planet much closer to a climate tipping point than previously anticipated.

"Climate change is taking place before our eyes, and will continue to do so as a result of the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which have risen constantly and again reached new records," the World Meteorological Organisation's secretary general, Michael Jarraud, said.

Noaa's administrator, Jane Lubchenco, and other scientists were due to deliver their own assessment at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco on Wednesday afternoon.

The scientists will outline the record loss of summer sea ice – which reached its lowest value on the satellite records of 26 August 2012, the decline in spring snow extent, rising temperatures in the permafrost in northern Alaska, and the dramatic melting of the surface of the Greenland ice sheet, according to the AGU website.

Some of those findings have already been made public, reinforcing the already extensive evidence – in real time – of climate change.

The melting ice in Greenland has added to global sea-level rise over the last two decades. Future melting is also expected to add to rising seas.

The United Nations Environmental Programme released a report warning scientists may have been underestimating the melting of the Arctic. Large-scale thawing of the permafrost, the frozen soil that traps vast amounts of carbon, may already be underway, releasing more of the gases that cause climate change.

This year is predicted to be one of the warmest on record, with global land and ocean temperatures in the first 10 months of 2012 about .45 degrees celsius above the average recorded even in the mid-20th century.

America and Europe baked under heat waves, the American midwest weathered its worst drought in a generation, and parts of Brazil and China also went without rain. Pakistan, meanwhile, lost hundreds to floods caused by epic monsoon rains. West Africa also experienced floods.

To read the full 'The Guardian' article by Suzanne Goldenburg, please CLICK HERE. 

AIKENGALL 2 - WESTER DOD COMMUNITY WIND FARM -  COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY BENEFITS

03/12/2012

Following the launch of the Community Benefits Register, Community Windpower Ltd are committed to investing a guaranteed minimum of £5,000 per Megawatt (MW) for all new wind energy projects in Scotland.

All of our current projects, currently in planning, including our proposed 80 MW extension to the existing Aikengall Community Wind Farm in Dunbar will guarantee a minimum of £5,000 per MW invested to support community projects and will be recorded on the Scottish Government Register of Community Benefits from Renewables.

This will amount to around £10 million over the lifetime of the wind farm and it is anticipated that funding would be split between the host Community Councils in the area of the scheme and the BeGreen Dunbar and District Energy Advice Centre located in the centre of Dunbar, including the Community Councils of East Lammermuir, Abbey St Bathans, Bonkyl and Preston and Cockburnspath. This funding is pledged to ensure the implementation and success of specific community projects.

Community Windpower are a leading advocate of investment in communities and since 2006 have spent over £1 million in educational and environmental benefits to the local communities for their three operational wind farms in Dalry, North Ayrshire and Dunbar.

Further to the direct community benefits, the development of the Aikengall 2 – Wester Dod Community Wind Farm would generate and provide a large volume of financial investment into the local and regional economies. It is anticipated that over £3 million in rates will be spent in the local community each year for the lifetime of the wind farm, typically 25 years.

Community Windpower fully endorse the implementation of the Scottish Government Register and details of our contributions to local Community Groups can be found at http://www.communityenergyscotland.org.uk/register.

GLOBAL TEMPERATURE INCREASES HIGHER THAN EXPECTED

03/12/2012 

A recent study has suggested that it is unlikely that global warming will be below the predicted increase of 2 C (3.6 F).

Data shows that global CO2 emissions in 2012 hit 35.6bn tonnes, a 2.6% increase from 2011 and 58% above 1990 levels.

Scientists accept that emissions are the largest contributor to future climate change and a strong indicator of potential future warming.

The findings have been published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Meanwhile, the data has been published in the journal Earth System Science Data Discussions.

Many low-lying nations have used the UN conference, which is currently under way in Doha, to call for a threshold temperature rise less than 2C, arguing that even a 2C rise will jeopardise their future.

"These latest figures come amidst climate talks in Doha, but with emissions continuing to grow, it's as if no-one is listening to the scientific community," said Corinne Le Quere, director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia.

"I am worried that the risks of dangerous climate change are too high on our current emissions trajectory," Prof Le Quere said.

"We need a radical plan."

The researchers' paper says the average increases in global CO2 levels were 1.9% in the 1980s, 1.0% in the 1990s but 3.1% since 2000.

Recently, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that greenhouse gases in the atmosphere hit a new record high in 2011.

The report estimated that carbon dioxide (CO2) accounted for 85% of the "radiative forcing" that led to global temperature rises.

Other potent greenhouse gases such as methane also recorded new highs, according to the WMO report.

To read the full BBC article by Mark Kinver, please CLICK HERE. 

4 TRILLION TONNES OF ICE LOST 

More than 4 trillon tonnes of ice from Greenland and Antarctica has melted in the past 20 years and flowed into the oceans, pushing up sea levels, according to a study that provides the best measure to date of the effect climate change is having on the earth's biggest ice sheets.

The research involved dozens of scientists and 10 satellite missions and presents a disturbing picture of the impact of recent warming at the poles.

The scientists claim the study, published in the journal Science, ends a long-running debate over whether the vast ice sheet covering the Antarctic continent is losing or gaining mass. East Antarctica is gaining some ice, the satellite data shows, but west Antarctica and the Antarctic peninsula is losing twice as much, meaning overall the sheet is melting.

"The estimates are the most reliable to date, and end 20 years of uncertainty of ice mass changes in Antarctica and Greenland," said study leader, Andrew Shepherd, of Leeds University. "There have been 30 different estimates of the sea level rise contribution of Greenland and Antarctica, ranging from an annual 2mm rise to a 0.4mm fall.

"We can state definitively that both Greenland and Antarctica are losing mass, and as [the] temperature goes up we are going to lose more ice."

The study shows the melting of the two giant ice sheets has caused the seas to rise by more than 11mm in 20 years. It also found Greenland is losing ice mass at five times the rate of the early 1990s.

The uncertainties over ice cap melting have made it difficult for scientists to predict sea level rise. But Prof Richard Alley, of Penn State University, US, who was not involved in the study, said: "This project is a spectacular achievement. The data will support essential testing of predictive models, and will lead to a better understanding of how sea level change may depend on the human decisions that influence global temperatures." Rising sea level is one of the greatest long-term threats posed by climate change, threatening low-lying cities and increasing the damage wrought by hurricanes and typhoons.

Ian Joughin, another member of the team, of University of Washington, Seattle, said: "Climate change is likely to accelerate ice loss greatly." He added significant challenges remained in predicting ice melting, due to the complexity of the interactions between the warming air and oceans and the great ice sheets and glaciers. "In Greenland, we are seeing really dramatic losses in ice, but it is still uncertain if it will slow, stay the same or accelerate further."

The Guardian, November 2012, to read the full article, please CLICK HERE.

SCOTLAND'S ENERGY TARGETS ARE ACHIEVABLE

29/11/2012

Scotland’s ambitious renewables targets are broadly achievable, meeting them will require significant co-operation with Westminster, according to a report issued by an influential Scottish government committee.

A report published by the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee backs up plans touted by Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond to transform Scotland’s economy on the back of its wind and water resources.

But it says that many adjustments are needed to the way the government approaches the target, which would see the country generate the equivalent of 100% of its power consumption from renewables by 2020.

Among the report’s key findings, the committee says that no witnesses provided "robust, empirical" evidence that Scotland’s tourism sector is suffering at the hands of onshore wind development, contrary to claims made by anti-wind campaigners.

 "This has been one of the most detailed and debated committee inquiries in the Scottish Parliament’s history," says Jenny Hogan, director of policy for the Scottish Renewables trade body.

"It confirms what we have said for some time – that the ambitious targets for the renewables industry are achievable."

The report makes clear that "concerted effort" will be required by the UK government to enable Scotland to meet its renewables targets, regardless of the outcome of the independence referendum.

Karl-Erik Stromsta, November 2012

26/11/2012

FLOOD INSURANCE TALKS AT 'CRISIS POINT' 

Talks about flood insurance are at "crisis point" and could leave 200,000 homes without cover, according to an insurers' body.

Many thousands more householders could see premiums rise if no deal is struck between insurers and the government.

The Association Of British Insurers (ABI) is discussing how to provide affordable premiums in high-risk areas, but says talks are at an impasse.

But the government says there is no deadlock and discussions are ongoing.

The row comes as the Environment Agency says some 800 homes have been flooded in the latest storms to hit the UK.

An existing agreement, reached in 2008, obliges insurers to provide cover for high-risk properties while the government continues to improve flood defences.

Discussions have been taking place for months to try to make sure the arrangement continues after June 2013.

The ABI wants the government to share the risk for the areas with the most homes at significant flood risk - defined as a greater than one in 75 chance of flooding in any given year.

Nick Starling, director of general insurance at the ABI, said that the government had turned down its "elegant" solution.

"Our members are out there looking after people who have been affected by these tragic floods and this means that we want a solution even more now after the difficult events of the weekend," he said.

The deal between insurers and the government will run out in June 2013

"They [talks] have reached a crisis point. We have had two years to sort this out, during that time the insurance industry's put a massive amount of work and money into coming up with an insurance-led solution and we seem to have reached an impasse."

Insurers want householders to pay an extra £8 to £10 on top of their premiums which would go into a £100m pool used by insurers to cover flood affecting their homes.

Mr Starling said ministers had rejected the proposal of a temporary, interest-free, overdraft for the industry, to help it meet the cost of emergencies in the first few years of the scheme while the fund builds up.

5.2 million properties are potentially at risk of flooding.

A Defra spokesman said they would be very disappointed if the talks broke down "because our door is always open for further discussions".

"We are considering a number of options to ensure that home insurance continues to be widely available and affordable in areas of flood risk."

Nick Starling, Director of General Insurance at the ABI says, "The severe floods experienced by many areas of the UK this year are a reminder of the rising flood risk facing the UK. It is therefore vital that insurers and Government tackle this issue together - this is not just a problem for insurers. No country in the world has a free market for flood insurance with high levels of affordable cover without some form of Government involvement."

BBC News, November 2012, to read the full article or to learn more please CLICK HERE.  

HAS CAMERON HAS GONE COLD ON CLIMATE CHANGE?

22/11/2012

Before becoming Prime Minister David Cameron appeared to have a strong personal commitment to the green agenda, encouraging voters to "vote blue, go green", helping to deliver the Climate Change Act in 2008.

When the economic crisis hit in 2008, Cameron reassured us that he would not jettison his green policies in the looming economic downturn. "We are not going to drop the environmental agenda in an economic downturn," he said. "We will take forward our green agenda in a way that strengthens the economy – not 'green' or 'growth', but both." And the day after taking power in May 2010, he declared his ambition to lead the "greenest government ever", promising to be a "fourth minister" in the Department for Energy and Climate Change.

Since then, though, the prime minister has said very little publicly either on climate change or on wider environmental issues. The vacuum left by his silence has been filled by others in his party who seem determined to manipulate the debate around climate and energy policy for their own political ends. In 2008, George Osborne also talked of the need to "recognise the fierce urgency of now" in tackling climate change and pledged that a Conservative Treasury would "be in the lead of developing the low-carbon economy and financing a green recovery".

In office though, the chancellor has publicly promoted the fiction that green measures are a burden on our economy. His words, and those of others such as energy minister John Hayes, have undermined investor confidence and pushed up the cost of the capital UK businesses need to replace our obsolete, high-carbon energy infrastructure.

Next Monday is the fourth anniversary of the Climate Change Act becoming law – a fitting opportunity for David Cameron to restore his credibility on an issue fundamental both to his own political identity and to our nation's economy and security.

The prime minister needs to recommit publicly to the green agenda he championed while in opposition. He must ensure that his party, as well as his government, speaks with one voice, and reaffirm that there is no place for petty party politics on policies around climate change and energy.

The PM needs to get policies back on track to deliver on the Climate Change Act, in line with his party's manifesto and the coalition agreement. Several big decisions are in his in-tray – decisions he must get right if he is to restore his credibility on this policy area. He must listen to the Committee on Climate Change, leading businesses and MPs – including many from his own party – who are calling for a quantified target in the forthcoming energy bill to ensure a carbon-free power sector by 2030. He must ensure that the wider package around the energy bill ensures sufficient financial support and investment certainty to deliver the UK's legally binding target for renewable energy by 2020. And he must accept the advice of the Committee on Climate Change – echoed by the parliamentary energy and climate change committee – formally to bring emissions from aviation and shipping within the scope of the Climate Change Act.

In short, David Cameron must reassure us all that he hasn't gone cold on climate change. Investors need to hear a single voice from the government on energy policy: the prime minister should take control and provide it.

To read the full 'The Guardian' article by David Nussbaum, please CLICK HERE.

ALL NATIONS WILL SUFFER EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, WARNS WORLD BANK

19/11/2012

The devastating impact of a world hotter by 4C will be felt by all countries, but the poorest nations will be hardest hit

All nations will suffer the effects of a world 4C hotter, but it is the world's poorest countries that will be hit hardest by food shortages, rising sea levels, cyclones and drought, the World Bank said in a report published on Monday on climate change.

Under the new World Bank president, Jim Yong Kim, the global development lender has launched a more aggressive stance to integrate climate change into development.

"We will never end poverty if we don't tackle climate change. It is one of the single biggest challenges to social justice today," Kim told reporters on a conference call on Friday.

The report, called Turn Down the Heat, highlights the devastating impact of a world hotter by 4C by the end of the century, a likely scenario under current policies, it said.

Climate change is already having an effect: Arctic sea ice reached a record minimum in September, and extreme heat waves and drought in the last decade have hit places like the United States and Russia more often than would be expected from historical records, the report said.

This is likely to happen if not all countries comply with pledges they have made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Even assuming full compliance, the world will warm by more than 3C by 2100.

In this hotter climate, the level of the sea would rise by up to 3ft, flooding cities in places such as Vietnam and Bangladesh. Water scarcity and falling crop yields would exacerbate hunger and poverty.

The combined effect of all these changes could be even worse, with unpredictable effects that people may not be able to adapt to, said John Schellnhuber, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, which along with Climate Analytics prepared the report for the World Bank.

"If you look at all these things together, like organs co-operating in a human body, you can think about acceleration of this dilemma," said Schellnhuber, who studied chaos theory as a physicist. "The picture reads that this is not where we want the world to go."

As the first scientist to head the World Bank, Kim has pointed to "unequivocal" scientific evidence for man-made climate change to urge countries to do more.

Kim said 97 percent of scientists agree on the reality of climate change.

"It is my hope that this report shocks us into action," Kim, writes in the report.

Kim said the World Bank plans to further meld climate change with development in its programs.

The Guardian, November 2012.

To read the full article, please CLICK HERE. 

WIND INDUSTRY URGES PRIME MINISTER TO GET A GRIP ON ENERGY POLICY

15/11/2012

RenewableUK, is today urging the Prime Minister to get a firmer grip on energy policy, after two Conservative MPs, including the Energy Minister John Hayes, sought to undermine the renewables sector.  

Last night on Channel 4 News, Mr Hayes repeated his view that no more applications for onshore wind farms should enter the planning system – despite being told by his boss, the Energy Secretary Edward Davey, that his views do not represent Government policy, when he first made them a fortnight ago.

This morning The Guardian reported that the Conservative MP Chris Heaton-Harris has been offering covert support to an anti-wind farm campaigner who had announced plans to stand in the upcoming Corby by-election – even though Mr Heaton-Harris was supposed to be running the campaign of the official Tory candidate instead.

RenewableUK Deputy Chief Executive Maf Smith said: 

 "The Energy Minister's comments risk undermining investor confidence, jeopardising much-needed renewable energy projects and the many thousands of jobs they would create throughout the UK. This is a deliberate attempt to recklessly re-write coalition policy just before the most significant Government intervention in the energy markets for a generation – the publication of the Energy Bill later this month. The Energy Secretary Edward Davey, has made it clear that Mr Hayes’s views do not represent Government policy, and the Prime Minister has offered reassurances that Government policy on renewables remains unchanged.

"As for Chris Heaton-Harris campaigning behind his party’s back on behalf of a rival, it beggars belief that such behaviour should pass unnoticed by his leader."

"It is now critical that Mr Cameron stops this policy brinkmanship and sends a clear message to all investors that his Government is absolutely committed to providing stability for the entire energy sector – otherwise investment could be lost in all forms of power generation - not just in renewables. On matters as crucial as keeping the lights on and homes warm while tackling climate change, we cannot afford to play "push-me-pull-you" politics."

RenewableUK press release, 14 November 2012.

12/11/2012 

HOUSEHOLDERS IN DUNBAR AREA ARE BEING ENCOURAGED TO 'BE GREEN' 

HOUSEHOLDERS in the Dunbar area are being offered grants to install solar water heating systems with funding from the Community Windpower owned Aikengall Wind Farm.

We want to encourage home owners to ‘be green’ and use the sun’s energy for hot water.

Community Windpower’s new BeGreen grant covers 40 per cent – or up to £1,200 – of the installation cost of a domestic solar thermal hot water system.

Combining the grant with other existing schemes means that Dunbar and East Linton residents could install some systems for less than £1,500.

They are already eligible for a discounted system under the East Lothian Solar Thermal Offer run by Be Green Dunbar and District, East Lothian Council and Energy Saving Scotland - and access to £300 cashback through the Government’s Renewable Heat Premium Payment.

The Scottish Government’s interest-free Home Renewables Loan can also help with the cost.

BeGreen Dunbar and District advice project is grant-funded by Community Windpower Ltd.

Diane Wood, managing director of Community Windpower Ltd, said: "We are delighted to be grant assisting local people who want to harness solar energy. It will be particularly attractive to families who have a high demand for hot water or households in ‘off gas’ areas where fuel costs are very high.

"We hope that the BeGreen grant combined with great discounted prices will encourage and enable residents in the ward to install solar thermal panels to generate their own hot water, reduce their fuel bills and their carbon footprint."

For further information visit the BeGreen shop on West Port, Dunbar, or, alternatively, you can call the Energy Saving Scotland advice centre free on 0800 512 012.

To read the full Berwickshire News article, Please CLICK HERE.

07/11/2012

DRIVE TOWARDS RENEWABLE ENERGY SKILLS THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION 

Rumours have emerged from the official Scottish parliament meeting report that the Scottish government is planning a drive towards renewable energy sector skills through higher education.

This comes following the SNP's promise that an independent Scotland would be a global base for renewable technologies.

In response to this topic being raised, Angela Constance, the minister for youth employment, said that: "Creating opportunities for colleges and universities to meet the emerging needs of Scotland’s renewable energy industry and its workforce is a high priority."

Ms Constance went on to say that: "The plan has the full support of industry and the energy advisory board." This is an encouraging sign for the renewable energy sector and those students hoping to break into that market.

Constance revealed, though, that additional funding of£1.9 million had been utilized to create 300 additional STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) related places. Furthermore, Ms Constance revealed that this funding: "will increase over the next three years" and that there will be an: "additional investment of £2 million in flexible training opportunities"; also an encouraging revelation for the renewable energy sector.

To read the full 'The Journal Edinburgh: Issue 64' article, please CLICK HERE.

WORLD ON TRACK FOR 6C WARMING WITHOUT CARBONCUTS

05/11/2012

Current rates of decarbonisation are well short of the 5% a year needed to avoid worst effects of climate change

The slow rate of emissions cuts in major economies has put the world on track for "at least six degrees of warming" by the end of the century, analysts will warn today.

New research by consultancy giant PwC finds an unprecedented 5.1 per cent annual cut in global emissions per unit of GDP, known as carbon intensity, is needed through to 2050 if the world is to avoid the worst effects of climate change and meet an internationally agreed target of limiting average temperature increases to just two degrees above pre-industrial levels.

The report also confirms that greatest rises in greenhouse gas emissions came from the emerging E7 economies of China, India, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Indonesia and Turkey, whose cumulative 7.4 per cent annual increase in emissions swamped record levels of reductions in the UK, France, and Germany.

It also warns that industrialised countries must accelerate their partially successful efforts to reduce carbon emissions. PwC calculates the UK still needs to reduce carbon emissions intensity 5.2 per cent each year to honour its international commitments, adding that staying within the UK's pledge of 34 per cent reduction against 1990 emissions levels by 2020 would require emissions cuts equivalent to shutting down all the UK's coal-fired power plants

The report concludes that "governments and businesses can no longer assume that a two-degree warming world is the default scenario", and urges greater planning to cope with the disruptive effects that more unpredictable and extreme weather will have on supply chains, long-term assets, and infrastructure, particularly in coastal or low-lying regions.

NEW POLL SHOWS MAJORITY OF BRITISH PUBLIC IN FAVOUR OF WINDFARMS

02/11/2012

A recent poll carried out by yougov has shown that 69% of the British public want the current level of wind power to be maintained or increased. The survey, which was commissioned by the Sunday times shows that wind energy has much greater support than that of fossil fuels or nuclear power. Only 17% of people questioned in the survey wanted more fossil fuel powered plants and 40% wanted more nuclear.

Wind energy was the second most popular form of energy production after solar power which 72% of people support. Most of the figures in this survey tally closely with a similar survey carried out last year showing a consistent level of support for renewable energy.

RenewableUK’s deputy Chief Executive Maf Smith said "This is an unequivocal vote of confidence in renewable energy. A clear majority of British people support building more wind farms to meet our country’s clean energy needs. That support is consistently strong, in this and other independent polls. One stark message from this survey is the public’s evident disenchantment with fossil fuels, including the unpopularity of fracking for shale gas. The British public is telling us that we are right to be making this landmark transition from a perilous fossil fuel addiction to a low-carbon future".

31/10/2012

NEW GREEN ENERGYTARGET SET FOR SCOTLAND OF 50% BY 2015  31/10/2012

The First Minister Alex Salmond announced at the RenewableUK conference in Glasgow yesterday that he was setting a new interim target for the amount of electricity generated from renewable sources, of  50% by 2015. 

The SNP state that this goal is achievable as Scotland already beat its 2011 target of 31%, by a further 4%.

The First Minister announced that this target would bring huge amounts of capital to Scotland with projects in the past year (April 2011 to June 2012) bringing an estimated £2.3bn to the country which has helped to build upon the 11,000 jobs already existing in the renewable sector in Scotland.  

Mr Salmond told the conference:

"When I became first minister in 2007, I inheritedatarget for 50% of Scotland's electricity to be produced by renewable sources by 2020. We now know that we can achieve much more than that, more quickly - having already exceeded our 2011 target".

"Last year, we published a Routemap for Renewable Energy for Scotland, outlining how we would meet the equivalent of 100% of Scotland's electricity demand from renewable sources by 2020". Today, we are publishing an update to that Routemap. It shows clearly the progress that has been made in the last year.

"In the light of that progress, I can announce that we have set a new interim target - by 2015, the equivalent of 50% of Scotland's electricity demand will be met by renewable sources. This target is ambitious, but also achievable. It is based on current data about capacity which is operational, under construction, or has been consented."

 To read the full 'BBC News' article, please CLICK HERE.

THE WORLDS BIGGEST INCREASE IN COAL USAGE FOR 50 YEARS

The globe is currently seeing the highest consumption of Coal since the late 1960s. The unexpected development threatens to put climate change targets out of reach – and much of the reason is the rise of a supposedly "green" fuel, natural gas.

The controversial use of shale gas in the US, where it now makes up a quarter of electricity generation, has brought down carbon emissions there – but the greenhouse gases have simply been exported elsewhere, meaning no net gain for the planet, research by the Guardian and other sources has found.

As gas power has replaced coal in the US, the excess coal has pushed down prices on world markets, sparking a bonanza for the high-carbon fuel. Last year, coal had its best year in more than four decades, according to the World Coal Association.

Its global share of primary energy consumption rose from about 25%, where it has been for years, to 30% – the highest level since 1969, long before governments made any efforts to tackle climate change.

Green campaigners are concerned by the findings. Guy Shrubsole, energy campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: "This shows that if we want to avoid devastating climate change, we have to leave the fossil fuels in the ground, and go instead for clean energy sources." And Vinuta Gopal from Greenpeace said: " Coal is the fuel of the past not the future."

Europe overall has burned more coal in the past year than any time since it pledged steep emissions cuts, and China and India have also been burning more. Cheap coal, caused by weakening demand in the US where power stations have switched fuels to use gas, has been the biggest factor.

Chris Shearlock, sustainable development manager at the Co-operative, which commissioned the Tyndall Centre report, said: "The proponents of shale gas have always claimed that it is a lower carbon alternative to coal. However, this is only true if the coal it displaces remains in the ground and isn't just burnt elsewhere. Without a cap on global carbon emissions, shale gas is burnt in addition to other fossil fuels, increasing total emissions."

Coal is the highest carbon emitter of the major fossil fuels, and had been in long-term decline until last year, as governments around the world put in place goals to cut emissions and stave off the worst effects of global warming. Its return to favour – in Europe, in particular, which has some of the world's strongest regulations on greenhouse gases – could spell the end for any hopes of avoiding dangerous climate change. Scientists say emissions must peak within the next five years if the worst effects of global warming are to be avoided.

To read the full 'The Guardian' article by Fiona Harvey, please CLICK HERE.

DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: CLIMATE CHANGE IS WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT 

26/10/2012

The naturalist warned it would take a terrible example of extreme weather to wake people up to global warming

Asked what was needed to wake people up, the veteran broadcaster said: "Disaster. It's a terrible thing to say, isn't it? Even disaster doesn't do it. There have been disasters in North America, with hurricanes and floods, yet still people deny and say 'oh, it has nothing to do with climate change.' It visibly has got [something] to do with climate change."

Despite a summer of record temperatures and historic drought in the US, neither Barack Obama or Mitt Romney mentioned climate change in three TV debates.

Romney used Obama's commitment to taking action on climate change as a joke in his convention speech. The president later hit back by saying "and yes, my plan will continue to reduce the carbon pollution that is heating our planet because climate change is not a hoax. More droughts and floods and wildfires are not a joke."

Attenborough said some US politicians found it easier to deny the science on climate change than take action because the consequence of recognising the science on man-made climate change "means a huge section from the national budget will be spent in order to deal with it, plenty of politicians will be happy to say 'don't worry about that, we're not going to increase your taxes.'"

Attenborough also warned that it was becoming clear the impacts of climate change were worst than had been expected. Talking about the record Arctic sea ice melt this summer, he said: "The situation is worse than we thought [in the Arctic]. The processes of melting are more volatile than we thought. More complicated. The ice cap is really melting faster than we thought."

Adam Vaughan and Camila Ruz, The Guardian, October 2012. To read the full article please, CLICK HERE.

WORLD WIDE FURNITURE GIANT UNVEILS 100% CLEAN ENERGY PLANS

24/10/2012

The Retailer plans €1.5bn investment in wind and solar energy through to 2015 as part of new sustainability strategy

Ikea plans to be energy and resource independent by 2020 under an ambitious new sustainability strategy backed by €1.5bn in clean energy investment and unveiled today by the global furniture retailer.

The People and Planet Positive plan is designed to protect the company from price shocks and tap into customers' desire for a greener lifestyle, the firm said in a webcast this morning.

Alongside its energy and resource goals, the plan commits the company to helping Ikea's 770 million customers save money through the use of more efficient products, improving sustainability throughout its supply chain, and supporting human rights and education efforts.

Steve Howard, chief sustainability officer at Ikea Group, told reporters that the company aims to meet 70 per cent of its energy demand "from  renewable energy [installations] we own and operate" within three years, adding that "we'll expand that from 2015 to 2020 to 100 per cent".

The company has already installed more than 342,000 solar panels on stores and other buildings and has committed to own and operate 180MW of wind energy capacity across five countries.

Will Nichols for BusinessGreen, part of the Guardian Environment Network, The Guardian, October 2012. To read the full article, please CLICK HERE. 

WIND AND HYDRO PROJECTS DISPLACE 8.36 MILLION TONNES OF C02 EMISSIONS

22/10/2012

The renewable energy industry has published figures which, show Scotland is producing enough low carbon electricity to offset emissions from its largest coal fired power station, Longannet power station in Fife.

This is the equivalent of taking some 3.5 million cars off the roads.

Scottish Renewables said 15% of the country's total carbon emissions have been displaced by renewables projects.

Joss Blamire, of Scottish Renewables, said: "This is proof that Scotland's renewables industry is establishing itself as one of the most effective weapons in tackling climate change and addressing the greatest threat to our natural environment.

"Renewable electricity produced in Scotland by technologies such as wind and hydro already amounts to over one third of the total used in all of our homes and businesses, and these latest figures are evidence that we are delivering further real benefits."

Dr Richard Dixon, director of WWF Scotland, said: "This is a very significant contribution to reducing Scotland overall emissions and gives the lie to those who claim that renewables do not make a real difference," he said.

BBC News, October 2012. To read the full article, please CLICK HERE.

BRITAIN FACES ENERGY SHORTFALLS IN THREE YEARS, WARNS OFGEM

16/10/2012

The closure of ageing coal- and oil-fired power stations means Britain is facing the risk of an electricity shortfall within three years, the energy regulator has warned.

Tough European environmental laws will also contribute to a decline in the spare capacity within the UK’s energy system, according to a hard-hitting report from Ofgem.

The report predicted total spare capacity – the amount of electricity generated to keep power supplies "alive" in the event of a power-station breakdown – could plunge from the current historic high of 14 per cent to just 4 per cent in 2015-16.

Such a decline would leave the UK at risk of significant shortfalls, the Ofgem report said.

Energy experts last night said the report’s findings suggested Britain would become more reliant on imported energy from Norway and Russia.

However, the Scottish Government said the shortfall created opportunities for the country’s renewable industries.

Ofgem chief executive Alistair Buchanan said: "The unprecedented challenges facing Britain’s energy industry, identified in Ofgem’s Project Discovery – to attract the investment to deliver secure, sustainable and affordable energy supplies for consumers – still remain."

The new report reveals the UK could be left with a shortage equivalent to 1,000 households in 2015-16 – and up to 9,000 households in extreme circumstances.

Tony Mackay, an Inverness-based energy economist, said: "Coal- and oil-fired power stations are likely to close very soon. That means we should look at a mixture of more wind power and importing more gas from Norway, where we are already importing a lot of gas from. There is also the possibility of looking to Russia."

In Scotland, the SNP government has ruled out building more nuclear facilities. Energy minister Fergus Ewing said ensuring an adequate energy supply in future represented an opportunity for Scotland’s renewable industry.

Tom Peterkin, Scotsman.com, October 2012

EDF DEMANDS SUBSIDY GUARANTEE TO BUILD NEW REACTOR

12/10/2012

The French energy giant EDF is this week demanding that the Government draw up legislation to guarantee billions of pounds of tax payer- funded subsidies in exchange for building the country’s first nuclear reactor for decades.

The proposed subsidies, would be paid for by levies on British consumers’ electricity bills for at least the next 25 years. EDF needs the subsidies to ensure its£14 billion reactor project at Hinkley Point in Somerset is financially viable after construction costs soared in recent years.

EDF has asked the Government to pass an emergency "paving" Bill setting out the agreed payments which would make the subsidies harder to cut in the future. The demand by the group indicates the companies reluctance to make a £14 billion investment amid mixed messages being given by the coalition on energy policy and consumer groups concern over the mounting costs of nuclear.

The treasury is pushing a plan to build dozens of gas plants as a cheaper alternative to nuclear reactors.

It is understood that EDF had asked for a subsidy of £165 per megawatt hour, equivalent to almost four times the wholesale price of electricity.

Tim Webb, The Times, October 2012

FIRMS TELL OSBORNE GO GREEN OR WE QUIT 

10/10/2012

Electricity and Nuclear companies have this week called on the government to put in place a 2030 target to carbonize the power sector 

UK businesses have written to the chancellor to urge him to support a 2030 target that would in effect ensure that almost all of the UK's electricity was from low-carbon sources.

The letter which coincided with the Conservative conference in Birmingham, states that "a binding 2030 target for power sector decarbonisation would help to reduce the political risk currently associated with long term UK industrial investment". The liberal democrat energy secretary, Ed Davey is supporting the 2030 decarbonisation target, however last year the Chancellor, George Osborn, fought successfully to have the UK's carbon targets for the 2020s reviewed. It has been made clear that the chancellor is against a 2030 target on carbon.

Osborne supports a new "dash for gas", which would entail building a fleet of about 20 new gas-fired power stations, and which green campaigners and renewable energy companies have said could raise emissions and stifle investment in renewable energy.

The companies which include Siemens, EDF, the French energy group and BT said in a letter to the Chancellor that "It is essential for government to provide investors with the long- term confidence they need to transform our electricity market and make investments capable of driving wider economic growth". The companies are threatening to withdraw hundreds of millions of pounds of investment in Britain because of the lack of commitment to green technologies.

In a message directed at the Tory party conference, Peter Young, chairman of the Aldersgate Group and coordinator of the letter to the Chancellor said: "Both the Labour and Liberal Democrat parties understand this huge growth opportunity and backed a 2030 carbon target for the power sector at their party conferences. Now the Conservative party must step up to the mark and provide the full cross-party support which businesses have been calling for."

The letter to the Chancellor has warned that the UK’s energy sector is "critically dependent on a long- term stable policy framework".

08/10/2012

UK BUSINESSES CALL ON TORIES TO BACK 2030 CARBON TARGET 

More than 50 businesses have this week called on the government to put in place a 2030 target on decarbonising the power sector.

They suggest that such a move will revitalise the UK energy sector

Last year the Chancellor, George Osborn, fought successfully to have the UK's carbon targets for the 2020s reviewed. Today George Osborne is preparing to address the Tory party it has been made clear that the chancellor is against a 2030 target on carbon.

Osborne also supports a new "dash for gas", which would entail building a fleet of about 20 new gas-fired power stations, and which green campaigners and renewable energy companies have said could raise emissions and stifle investment in renewable energy.

UK businesses have written to the chancellor to urge him to support a 2030 target that would in effect ensure that almost all of the UK's electricity was from low-carbon sources.

This would require a massive expansion of renewable energy, and potentially also nuclear power and the installation of carbon capture and storage at fossil fuel power stations.

In a message directed at the Tory party conference, Peter Young, chairman of the Aldersgate Group and coordinator of the letter to the Chancellor said: "Both the Labour and Liberal Democrat parties understand this huge growth opportunity and backed a 2030 carbon target for the power sector at their party conferences. Now the Conservative party must step up to the mark and provide the full cross-party support which businesses have been calling for."

To read the full Guardian article, please CLICK HERE. 

Fiona Harvey, The Guardian, October 2012

RENEWABLES KEY TO THAILAND ENERGY SECURITY

05/10/2012

Thailand is on a "green path to a secure energy future", with 25 per cent of its electricity expected to be generated by renewables by 2021.

Pongdith Potchana, deputy governor for corporate social responsibility at EGAT (Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand), said that between $20-27bn would need to be invested in the country’s power system in the next decade to meet demand, with renewables playing a key role in the future energy mix.

The push for more renewable energy was also stressed by Potchana’s fellow keynote speaker, Norkun Sitthiphong, permanent secretary at Thailand’s Energy Ministry.

He said that Thailand’s power goals were to meet rising demand while becoming more self-sufficient, which would he predicted would see renewables account for 9200 MW by 2021, with this comprising biomass, solar and wind.

Both speakers stressed that Asia was a market of difficulties and opportunities. "We find ourselves in interesting and challenging times," said Sitthiphong, while Potchana noted that the Asean market was showing signs "of a strong rebound" from the economic crisis.

85 per cent of economic growth is now expected to occur in Asia.

To read the full Power Engineering International article, please CLICK HERE.

Kelvin Ross, Deputy Editor Power Engineering International, October 2012.

CLIMATE CHANGE BECOMING HARDER TO IGNORE

04/10/2012 

This year was the 36th consecutive July and 329th consecutive month in which global temperatures have been above the 20th century average. Seven of the 10 hottest summers recorded in the United States have occurred since 2000. Such rising temperatures and climate anomalies have been documented around the world.

The increasing undeniable evidence of a long-term warming trend is making climate-change denial much more difficult to ignore.

The United States has experienced its warmest summer on record this year, causing 70% of the corn and soybean crop to become effected by drought conditions.

Arctic Sea ice has declined to a record low this summer, a surface thaw swept across 97% of the Greenland ice cap.

Evidence has now become overwhelming that the warming we are seeing has an anthropogenic cause.

Improved climate models reaffirm the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel's projections of an increase in global temperature of 4 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.

To read more of the Los Angeles Times article, please CLICK HERE.

A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO ENERGY STORAGE 

04/10/2012

The institute of mechanical engineers has announced that the solution to surplus energy storage could be edging ever closer.

It is suggested that liquid air can compete with batteries and hydrogen to store excess energy generated from renewables.

IMechE says "wrong-time" electricity generated by wind farms at night can be used to chill air to a cryogenic state at a distant location.

When demand increases, the air can be warmed to drive a turbine.

Head of energy Tim Fox described the breakthrough as "A very clever application that really does look like a potential solution to a really great challenge that faces us as we increase the amount of intermittent power from renewables."

IMechE says the simplicity and elegance of the Highview process is appealing, especially as it addresses not just the problem of storage but also the separate problem of waste industrial heat.

Dr Fox is now urging the government to provide incentives in its forthcoming electricity legislation for firms to store energy on a commercial scale with this and other technologies.

To read more about the developing possibilities of energy storage, please CLICK HERE.

BBC News, Roger Harrabin 02/10/2012.

5 GIGAWATTS OF ONSHORE ENERGY ACHIEVED

01/10/2012

The milestone marker of 5 Giggawatts of onshore energy achieved during September 2012 in the UK has been announced by the renewable energy industry group "RenewableUK’s" website. Much of the success of onshore wind energy can be attributed to the rise in local community wind farms; such as the Dalry Community Wind Farm which was implemented by Community Windpower Ltd in 2006. This is a prime example of how renewable energy can be incorporated into the community, with benefits in local job creation and energy education to name but a few. With 8,600 people currently employed in the onshore wind industry (renewable UK 2012) , the recent successes of power creation along with the Scottish Governments commitment to renewable energy for the future;  wind energy is proving to be a viable method of improving on our impact to our world around us, all the while creating jobs; long may it continue!

Ross Kirkland, October 2012. For more information from RenewableUK please CLICK HERE. 

RENEWABLES DEFY ECONOMIC DOWNTURN

24/09/2012

According to Scottish Renewables, the renewable electricity industry in Scotland has been defying the economic downturn, delivering a capital investment of £2.8bn since 2009.

The chief executive of Scottish Renewables, Niall Stuart said: "These figures show Scotland’s renewables industry is very much bucking the economic trend.

"During the downturn our industry has delivered some £2.8bn of much needed capital investment in our economy. This has helped to grow the supply chain, secure the future of many companies and support more than 11,000 jobs.

"At a time of sluggish growth, the renewable electricity sector is expanding by more than 10 per cent a year, and now generates the equivalent of 35 per cent of annual demand.

Stuart added: "It’s not surprising to see onshore wind, the most costeffective renewable technology that can be built at scale, is the source of most of this investment.

According to the report published last month, ‘Scotland’s Renewable Energy Sector in Numbers’ renewable output has risen from24.08% in 2010 to 34.76% in 2011, onshore wind is contributing to a large proportion of this percentage and continues to grow year on year. This mature sector will help to fund emerging renewable sectors and continues to be an important sector in the British economy.

To see the full ‘Holyrood’ article please, CLICK HERE or to read the full Scottish Renewables report ‘Scotland’s Renewable Energy Sector in Numbers’, please CLICK HERE.

18/09/2012

CELEBRATIONS AS MILLOUR HILL COMMUNITY WINDFARM IS OFFICIALLY OPENED

Community Windpower Ltd held a prestigious event on Friday 7^th September to open their Millour Hill Community Wind Farm near Dalry in North Ayrshire. This is the Company’s 3^rd operational wind farm in Scotland which utilises the very latest ‘Direct Drive’ technology and the first Siemens 3.0MW turbines to be installed onshore in the UK.

We were honoured to have Kenneth Gibson MSP to officially open Millour Hill Community Windfarm. Kenneth Gibson is a member of the Scottish National Party and represents Cunninghame North in West Scotland. He is a member of several cross-party groups including the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Group.

The Opening Ceremony was attended by over 100 guests with opening speeches provided by Rod Wood, Managing Director for Community Windpower Ltd, Nick Ward, Head of Onshore Sales for Siemens, Richard Simon-Lewis, Senior Director of Renewable Energy at Lloyds Bank and Kenneth Gibson MSP.

Now that Millour Hill Community Windfarm is in full operation, and as part of our commitment to the local community, Rod Wood was delighted to announce that Community Windpower Ltd have pledged a generous donation of £100,000 towards the refurbishment of the Dalry Scout Hall. Mr Wood presented a large cheque to the leaders of Dalry Scout Group, Steven and Angela Horswell, who were totally overwhelmed and elated at this announcement. Refurbishment of the Scout Hall in Dalry will deliver a valuable focal point for the local community providing an affordable hall which is a safe and clean environment for local groups and clubs to use.

Following the speeches, coaches transported guests to one of the Millour Hill turbines where a large red ribbon attached to the turbine was cut by Kenneth Gibson MSP accompanied by Greig Macdonald and Elicia Harkins, pupils of St. Palladius Primary School and Shannon Murray and Louis McTaggart, pupils of Dalry Primary School. Together they officially declared the wind farm ‘open’. This moment was observed by all the guests and a class of pupils from each of the two local primary schools who were thrilled to be part of this special occasion.

10/09/2012

THE RECENT REPORT 'BEYOND THE BLUSTER' BY THE INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH (IPPR), THE LEADING PROGRESSIVE THINKTANK CONCLUDES THAT WIND POWER IS AN EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY.

Much opposition to wind power is often based upon the belief that it is an ineffective, inefficient or unreliable technology. This report clarifies some important yet commonly misunderstood issues and shows that wind power is an effective way of reducing carbon emissions and that it is a secure and reliable source of energy for the UK.

Key conclusions that have been drawn from the report include:

• It is inaccurate to describe the output from wind power as ‘unpredictable’.
• In the short term, wind power output is remarkably stable and increases and decreases only very slowly.
• The risks associated with ‘long, cold, calm spells’ have been overstated.
• In the UK, National Grid has reported that up to 30GW of wind power can be accommodated even if no changes are made to the way that the electricity system functions.
• In the longer term, there are numerous technological options to facilitate much greater amounts of wind power – such as improved interconnection with other countries and intelligent management of supply and demand through a ‘smart grid’.
• For these reasons the authors conclude that wind power can play a major role in a secure and reliable future electricity system.

This report therefore, also discredits the recent, unfounded claims about wind power that were made in a letter to the Prime Minister David Cameron by a group of more than 100 MPs, who described the technology as inefficient and less reliable than other types of energy production. The report shows that in fact and unequivocally that wind power can significantly reduce carbon emissions, is reliable, poses no threat to energy security, and is technically capable of providing a significant proportion of the UK’s electricity supply with minimal impact on the existing operation of the grid. Claims to the contrary are not supported by the evidence.

The report was written by the IPPR who worked with GL Garrad Hassan, a leading renewable energy consultancy and the findings have been reviewed by a leading academic. The paper features a foreword by Reg Platt of IPPR, and a technical report by Oscar Fitch-Roy and Paul Gardner of GL Garrad Hassan.

The report can be found at: http://www.ippr.org/images/media/files/publication/2012/08/beyond-the-bluster_Aug2012_9564.pdf

03/09/2012

KITTIWAKE SEA BIRD POPULATION FALL BLAMED ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Scotland's internationally important kittiwake population is at serious risk according to the RSPB this week.

Since the mid- 1980s the UK breeding population has been in steep decline, falling by almost two thirds. The most concerning declines in population are occurring in the far north of Scotland, in Orkney and Shetland.

The once abundantly populated Orkney mainland has suffered an 82 % decline in breeding pairs of Kittiwakes in just over a decade. The population on the mainland has falled from 11,000 pairs in 2000 to 2000 pairs this year.

Doug Gilbert, RSPB Scotland head of reserves ecology, stated: "The counts this year are deeply shocking, especially the loss of kittiwakes at Mull Head.

"We know that kittiwakes in other parts of Orkney are equally affected, and to think of Orkney without thriving colonies of these fantastic birds is a sad prospect.

"It now appears undeniable that the declines in kittiwake and other seabirds are being driven by changes in the marine environment related to climate change.

"The food chain of the North Sea is being profoundly affected and seabirds, at the top of the chain, are suffering."

It is possible that within the next three years local extinction could occur in these areas due to the earth’s changing climate.  

To read the full article, please CLICK HERE.

Herald Scotland, Thursday 23 August 2012.

13/08/2012

THE GREENEST GAMES EVER?

The Olympic Delivery Authority has installed 7 wind turbines at the Olympic Park capable of producing 7,500 kWh each year. The London Olympics has been widely praised for being "the greenest games ever" and is passing on an important cultural message to everyone enjoying the games. The London Olympics have also employed many other sustainable measurements such as the improvement of 80km of cycling and walking routes to the Olympic Park and just under 6,000 temporary bike parking spaces during the games. Numerous methods of recycling have been adopted in order to reduce the carbon footprint of the games, for example water used to clean the swimming pool filters in the Aquatics Centre will be recycled for toilet flushing. One source states that 98% of material from Olympic Park demolition work was reclaimed for reuse and recycling – exceeding a target of 90%!

It seems that the London Olympics have covered everything... rainwater harvesting, improving sustainable transport, using minimal materials in construction, utilising renewable energy sources, creation of new parklands and wildlife areas, and providing substantial waste management facilities such as 4,000 colour-coded recycling bins through the venues and Olympic Park.

With over four billion people watching and over 200 countries involved, the Games are an unrivalled catalyst for sustainable change and Great Britain is leading this essential movement.

For more information on the world’s first truly sustainable Olympic and Paralympic Games, please CLICK HERE.

06/08/2012

RENEWABLE ENERGY ON THE RISE

Both RenewableUK and Scottish Renewables have confirmed that renewable electricity generation has increased this year (2012). The Director of Policy at Scottish Renewables stated that "Renewable electricity sources - mainly onshore wind but also hydro, biomass and other technologies - are delivering power to homes and businesses across Scotland. Each time you boil a kettle in your home, more and more of that electricity will have been generated from a renewable source such as a wind farm".  The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) noted a 3,155 gigawatt hours (GWh) increase in renewable electricity in Scotland alone from the first quarter in 2011 to the first quarter in 2012, a clear example of how green energy is becoming more popular thus bringing numerous environmental benefits.

In the whole of the UK renewable energy increased by 33% in 2011, accounting for 9.4% of all electricity generated in the year. Much of this increase in 2011 is a direct result of wind power as generation from onshore wind rose by 45% to 10,372 GWh and offshore wind rose by 68% to 5,126 GWh. This rise in renewable electricity not only provides the UK with ca cleaner environment but it also brings many social gains such as job opportunities.

The DECC stated that onshore wind provided 8,600 jobs in 2011 (see graph) and was worth £548m to the UK economy. As renewable electricity generation increases so will the job opportunities and the value to the UK economy.

30/07/2012

INTERVENTION FROM THE SCOTTISH FIRST MINISTER

Alex Salmond the Scottish First Minister has written a letter to Ed Davey the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, confirming that Scotland intends to offer 0.9 Renewables Obligation Certificates to onshore wind from April 2013 and urges the UK government to do the same. In the letter Alex Salmond states that "I am not aware that any robust and convincing evidence exists to support a change from this proposal." The First minister felt that he had to intervene on this matter as he feels that investment in onshore wind is being place at risk because of the continued delay and rumours of cuts to the RO of beyond 0.9 to up to 0.25.

The First minster letter comes in the same month as the CBI has published its report highlighted the importance of the "green economy" and the continued importance of "green business" as one of the "major pillars of our future growth." The report warned of uncertainty in the onshore wind industry fuelled by reports of a reduction in the RO. The CBI report also states that a cut of no deeper than 10% made sense.

The Department of Energy and Climate change issued a report earlier this year that showed that more than 8,600 people are employed in the onshore wind industry, which contributes around £548 million to the UK economy. The report also showed a potential for greater growth in this sector, but only if the renewable energy targets are delivered. The continued uncertainty surrounding the RO may lead to some companies delaying upcoming projects until a firm decision has been made.

Renewable UK’s chief executive Matt Smith said that "Renewable UK is delighted that the first Minister has shown such leadership to protect energy security and UK jobs." He also stated that "These delays are sending shock waves of uncertainty across the whole of the renewable industry blocking much need investment" and urged the UK government to end the RO uncertainty. 

16/07/2012

ICEBERG TWICE THE SIZE OF MANHATTAN BREAKS AWAY FROM THE PETERMANN GLACIER IN NORTHERN GREENLAND

Last week an iceberg comparable to the size of the city of London broke off a tongue of ice at the end of the Petermann Glacier in Greenland.

In 2010 an ice island measuring 250 square km (100 square miles) broke off the same glacier.

The process that spawns icebergs - known as calving - is a natural, periodic process affecting all glaciers that terminate at the ocean.

Scientists have raised concerns in recent years about the Greenland ice shelf, saying that it is thinning extensively amid warm temperatures.

"It is not a collapse but it is certainly a significant event," Eric Rignot from Nasa said in a statement.

Floating "ice tongues" in front of land-based glaciers tend to block the ice flow headed for the sea. When ice chunks break loose, the land-based glaciers behind them often move more quickly, Mr Muenchow said.

The University of Delaware's Andreas Muenchow described the event as "dramatic and disturbing", adding: "We have data for 150 years and we see changes that we have not seen before."

Rising temperatures are expected to cause more significant events of this type.

To see the satellite images and compare the iceberg size with your own postcode, please CLICK HERE.

16/07/2012

GOVERNMENT'S ENERGY POLICIES SET TO SWITCH LIGHTS OFF PAST 2018

Barry Gardiner MP, special envoy for climate change and the environment to the leader of the opposition has been speaking of his concerns for the future UK energy market. This following the publication of the draft bill on electricity market reform and the imminent decision to cut potentially as much as 25% from onshore wind farm subsidies.

The government cannot rely on the market to supply the £110bn of investment in generating capacity that will be required to replace the old nuclear and coal power stations, which are likely to be turned off after 2017. If demand is not met following the decommissioning of old power sources Gardiner suggests "sometime in 2018 or shortly thereafter, the UK will experience a crisis. Electricity supply will not be enough to meet demand".

Gardener has warned that government policies will further deter investment in energy which is essential to meet growing demand in the coming years. The government wants to build new low-carbon generating capacity. This means nuclear or renewables such as wind, marine or solar.

Marine is not yet sufficiently developed at commercial scale and solar is not yet either cheap enough or advanced enough to operate on a commercial scale given the UK weather. So we must look at wind: both on and off shore and at nuclear. Each of these three shares a similar investment profile: They are expensive to build but (relatively) cheap to run. The government's draft bill does not address this.

Of the three low-carbon options, onshore wind is far and away the cheapest to build. So a government that simply wanted to produce a lot more electricity without producing a lot more greenhouse gas would likely favour onshore wind technology. In fact, onshore wind is the government's least favoured option.

Never before has the UK required investment in its utilities sector on the scale this government must achieve, nor in a timeframe so brief, in order to keep the lights on past 2018. The government has begun to close down its energy options and the British public are going to pay the price.

To read the full Guardian article, please CLICK HERE.

09/07/2012

RENEWABLE UK THREATENS LEGAL ACTION ON WIND POLICY U-TURN

Renewable UK said it would consider a judicial challenge if ministers caved in to Tory backbenchers and implemented a major cut in onshore wind subsidies. The Department of Energy and Climate Change is putting the finishing touches to a new Renewable Obligation support system but that only runs until 2017.

Renewable UK's policy director, Gordon Edge, said the industry might have a case for judicial review if the cut exceeded 10%. Edge told BBC News "It's really important this process is seen to be evidence-based and rational … The government took technical guidance on this issue. If, at this point, the government says we are going to do less for onshore wind than it proposed that will be seen as nakedly political,"

The solar industry has already successfully taken ministers to court as has Greenpeace over nuclear policy. The wind industry may have to look to follow suit.

02/07/2012

BIG INCREASE IN SCOTTISH RENEWABLES OUTPUT

The UK government has revealed that the Scottish renewable output had increased by 45% in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year.

This amounted to 1,435 gigawatts per hour (GWh) increase. This increase has meant that the Scottish Government is on target to achieve 100% of electricity generated from from renewable resources by 2020. The Scottish Government has stated that this data reveals that in 2011 it had surpassed its interim target of 31% with an estimated 34% of electricity generated from renewable resources.

The Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing stated: "The increase of 45.5% in renewable output in quarter one 2012 compared to quarter one 2011 is particularly encouraging when you consider that 2011 saw the highest output from renewable energy to date."

The other benefits for Scotland are self evident as Jenny Hogan, director of policy at Scottish Renewables, stated, "Not only does the renewables industry now employ more than 11,000 people in Scotland, it's helping to reduce our carbon emissions, tackle climate change and insulate us from volatility in the gas market which has been responsible for the major hikes in energy bills over the last few years."

Keeping Scotland on track to achieving its target will ensure economic and environmental benefits for Scotland and the rest of Britain in the future.

To read the full article please, CLICK HERE.

25/07/2012

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT TO OFFER LOANS FOR ECO-FRIENDLY HOME IMPROVEMENTS 

The Scottish Government announced on Friday that they are now making loans available to the general public to install new green energy heating systems in their homes.

Energy minister Fergus Ewing said an extra 5 million pounds will be available as loans of up to £10,000 for renewable heat technology projects such as biomass boilers and heat pumps in homes.

"The Scottish Government has the most ambitious renewable energy targets in the world, but the growth of microgeneration is not simply about meeting targets," Mr Ewing said.

"This work can help contribute to Scotland’s transition to a low carbon economy, it can support jobs in Scotland and create new ones, and it can help energy efficiency, reducing bills and taking more households out of fuel poverty.

It is part of a national drive, launched last week by Mr Ewing, which aims to encourage people to install "microgeneration" technologies in their homes, businesses and schools.

The Government wishes to make the process easier for people to obtain the loans on offer by making the planning and regulation system simpler and ensuring there are enough people with the necessary skills to install the equipment. This initiative aims to encourage investment in Scottish Jobs and the economy whilst reducing carbon emissions and meeting ambitious renewable energy targets.

To read the full article, please click HERE.

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