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A worldwide expansion of relatively cheap shale oil could put investment in renewable energy and global emissions targets under threat, as well as posing other environmental risks.
The shale oil industry is still in its infancy, but has the potential to reach up to 12 per cent of global production, potentially pushing down oil prices by as much as $50 per barrel by 2035, according to a new report by consultancy firm PwC.
Local authorities, housing associations and other social housing providers are reaping the benefit of free solar photovoltaic panels from Nationwide Solar (NWS), one of the UK’s leading suppliers of solar PV to the social housing sector.
RCT Homes, which manages almost 11,000 council homes on behalf of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council in South Wales, has recently reached an agreement with NWS to fit free solar panels to the roofs of up to a thousand rented properties. The agreement means a large number of RCT Homes’ tenants will escape fuel poverty, as well as being able to reduce the carbon footprint of their homes.
Orta Solar, the team that have developed one of the UK’s largest Solar Farm portfolios to date, has today announced that it has been awarded planning on another 5 Solar Farms in the South of the UK. “I’m thrilled for our team who have worked so hard for this success. It represents another 40MWp of UK Solar Farming in sensitively chosen locations working closely with our terrifically enthusiastic farmer partners”, declared Nick Pascoe, the business’s Managing Director.
Orta’s five most recent planning awards now brings the total that the team’s members have won positive planning on to over 20 successfully planned UK Solar Farms representing nearly 150MWp, as many as any other team in the UK. Four are being commissioned now (constructed by Martifer Solar UK), namely the Hatchlands Farm in Devon, Rudge Manor Farm in Wiltshire and the two Shipton Bellinger Solar Farms in the Test Valley. The 5th is also in Wiltshire, the Marsh Farm p roject due to be constructed later in 2013. “We’re aiming to develop approximately 100MWp or 12 Solar Farms in ‘13 / ’14 and similar the following year”, stated Mr Pascoe.
In association with The Bournemouth & Poole College, Save Energy Group organised the second in a series of joint events for the professional development of Architects and Developers on the subject of renewable technologies. The sessions are designed to arm industry professionals with the tools and knowledge that will assist them in putting an environmental stamp on the homes and commercial buildings of tomorrow.
A solar power company capable of "printing" colourful glass that can generate electricity from the sun's energy announced a £2m funding boost on Tuesday.
Oxford Photovoltaics, a spin-off from the University of Oxford, said the investment from clean-tech investors MTI Partners will help its solar glass, which can be dyed almost any colour, take a step closer to the commercial market.
