(458 results)
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES - Jun 3, 2019
Meeting Net-Zero GHG not possible without Bioenergy
A new report from the UK’s leading renewable trade association has found that the sustainable use of bioenergy is core to the UK meeting its legally binding 5th Carbon Budget. By increasing its deployment by a factor of 2.5 by 2032, sustainable bioenergy, which is currently the UK’s leading source of renewable energy, has the potential to meet both the Committee on Climate Change’s (CCC) projected shortfall of the 5th Carbon Budget and the impending nuclear gap by providing an additional 117 TWh across heat, transport and power.
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES - May 31, 2019
RHI Grace Period to be extended following industry campaign
The Government announced that they will be extending the RHI grace period following a coordinated industry campaign.Under previous RHI regulations, all plants with a Tariff Guarantee would have needed to commence injection of biomethane by 31st January 2020 or 183 days after the date on which the applicant expected the injection to commence..
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES - May 29, 2019
REA comments on EV charging sites outnumbering petrol stations for the first time
Figures from Zap-Map reveal that as of 22 May, the number of public EV charging locations now exceeds the number of petrol stations.
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES - May 24, 2019
Welcome RIIO2 boost for Green Gas sector following REA and REAL Campaigning
Ofgem published their RIIO-GD2 specific methodology. The announcement sees Ofgem encourage the deployment of biomethane. REA and REAL welcome the announcement having campaigned for the greater use of biomethane, reversing earlier proposals that did not include the technology.
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES - May 16, 2019
Labour to fit 1.75 million homes with solar panels as UK solar sets a new generation record
Jeremy Corbyn and Rebecca Long Bailey outline Labour’s plans to reduce energy bills by installing solar panels on 1.75 million homes. This initiative is part of Labour’s Green Industrial Revolution and promises to reduce the energy bills of low-income households by an average of £117 a year. This comes just two days after UK solar generation broke records by providing 26% of the country’s total power output.
BLOG - May 14, 2019
Bioenergy: the key to unlocking a low carbon future?
Having spent a large part of my career intermingling in numerous bioenergy circles, it has become clear that the lack of an all-encompassing bioenergy bible (so to speak) has become a hindrance to the progression of the technologies it comprises of.
BLOG - May 10, 2019
First do no harm
Sitting on the board of Women in Science and Engineering, it’s been my passionate hope that we can inspire a new generation of young women to take on the mantle and find solutions to the biggest problem we face in the world-climate change. Yet I never thought a 16 year old girl with her simple, clear and no holds barred message would inspire me so much in return. On the other end of the scale, a 92 year old is hoping to do for climate change what he did for the plastics debate over a year ago.
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES - May 9, 2019
Public support for renewables remains high as Britain goes a full week without coal
BEIS today published their quarterly Public Attitudes Tracker. The report found that support for renewable technologies including solar and wave and tidal reached their highest levels since the survey began in 2012. Support for the use of renewable energy remained high at 84%. This report comes as it is announced that Britain went a full week without coal for the first time since 1882.
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES - May 3, 2019
Tax rate hike for domestic Solar, Storage and Biomass Boiler markets contested by industry
A sudden consultation released by HMRC, which closes today, proposes to increase VAT rates for technologies such as solar, biomass boilers, and energy storage. The VAT rate hike from 5% to 20% for many domestic installations will make it more expensive for households to reduce their carbon footprint and further slow deploymentThe hike comes off the back of wider withdrawal of policy support and in the same week the UK Parliament declared a ‘climate emergency’ and the Committee on Climate Change published its report recommending the UK reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050Supplies of coal fuel for home use still receive a reduced 5% VAT rate. The REA has come up with possible solutions in its consultation response and urges government not to proceed with this hike or reclassify solar, biomass boilers and energy storage, to ensure incentives for decarbonising homes are supported.
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES - May 2, 2019
CCC confirm that the fall in the cost of renewables will enable ‘net zero’ Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) publish their long awaited report on setting the UK’s long-term emissions targets. The report highlights that the significant decline in renewable energy costs makes this more ambitious target more affordable. REA support report but argue that to secure economic advantages of being a first mover, long-term investable policy is required.
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES - Apr 8, 2019
REA comments on the introduction of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)
On the 8th April the Ultra-Low Emission Zone will come into force in Greater London.
BLOG - Apr 1, 2019
Renewables in Buildings; Building ‘Power’ful Homes of the Future
Emissions reductions from the UK’s 29 million homes have stalled, while energy use in homes – which accounts for 14% of total UK emissions – increased between 2016 and 2017. Our homes are just not good enough to deal with climate change, the CCC warns in its recent report. Energy nerds realise the low hanging fruit is being picked (decarbonising power), and that we now need to focus on encouraging new sectors (especially construction and transport) to join the renewables transition. The Government’s spring statement highlighted their dedication to decarbonising the buildings sector, so this blog looks to review targets and policy framework, understand what the future homes package looks like, and explore its real value.
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES - Mar 28, 2019
Total energy production from renewables is now nearly 13 times higher than coal
Government data shows that the overall energy output from bioenergy and waste, wind, solar and hydro is now nearly 13 times higher than coal. This comes just seven years after generation from coal was greater. Renewables share of electricity generation was at a record high in 2018 producing 111 TWh with a 33.3% share.
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES - Mar 27, 2019
Shortlist announced for the UK’s most prestigious renewable energy and clean technologies awards
The REA has today released the shortlisted nominees for the 2019 British Renewable Energy Awards, the UK’s most prestigious awards for renewable and clean technology sectors. Nominees will be considered by an esteemed judging panel on the 23rd May. The full list of judges will be announced over the coming weeks. Now in its fourteenth […]
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES - Mar 26, 2019
REA: BIOENERGY IS THE “LITTLE-KNOWN LEADER” IN BRITISH RENEWABLES
The UK’s leading renewables trade body has called on Ministers to renew long-term plans for a world-leading bioenergy industry.
Bioenergy, which uses sustainable biomass and biofuels produced from wood, crops and food wastes, is already the UK’s leading source of renewable energy, meeting 7.4% of our total energy needs. Only wind exceeds its output in the renewable power sector.
The Committee on Climate Change projected last year that bioenergy could double as a proportion of the UK’s primary energy supply by 2050. However, promises made in 2012 by the Coalition government to renew its strategy by 2017 failed to materialise, leaving the sector to drift. The gaps in the policy and regulatory framework are now growing, with existing support mechanisms ending, and the pipeline for future bioenergy projects being constrained.
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES - Mar 21, 2019
16MW Solar PV Projects could be “Ghosted” by Government due to FiT deployment cap breach
With the closure of the government support mechanism for microgeneration just 10 days away, the Feed-in-Tariff band for over 50kWp rooftop solar projects has been breached. Ofgem’s weekly capacity updates show that an additional 16MW of projects (which could power over 3300 homes) have been registered, although these risk being “ghosted” by the government scheme due to stringent capacity band caps.
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES - Mar 19, 2019
REA comments on the Future of Urban Mobility Strategy
The Department for Transport released their Future of Urban Mobility Strategy alongside a response to the Last Mile Call for Evidence. The Government claims the new Strategy will aim to maximise the benefits from transport innovation in cities and towns. The Strategy includes a £90m funding competition to support local leaders and industry in trialling new mobility services, modes and models and an ambitious regulatory review covering aspects such as data sharing. The REA urges the Government to address the issues outlined in the Last Mile Delivery consultation and prioritise the interoperability of public EV charging as outlined in the REA’s The Interoperability of public EV charging networks in the UK report.