Sign up or risk ‘Significant Consequences’

The government has issued developers with legally binding contracts that will commit them to pay for the repair of unsafe buildings.

Under the contract, developers will commit an estimated £2bn or more for repairs to buildings they developed or refurbished over the past 30 years. This means that, together with the Building Safety Levy, industry is directly paying an estimated £5bn to make buildings safe.

The contract also requires developers to reimburse taxpayers where public money has been used to fix unsafe buildings.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has set a six-week deadline for compliance, and warned that companies who fail to follow through will face “significant consequences”.

Legislation will be brought forward in the spring to create a Responsible Actors Scheme (RAS), giving levelling up secretary Michael Gove powers to prevent developers from from carrying out development and from receiving building control approval if they fail to sign or adhere to the terms.

The department will also take action to ban managing agents and freeholders from taking commissions when they take out building insurance. This is in response to a report from the Financial Conduct Authority that suggested commissions make up almost a third of premiums.

The government will also bring in further measures to make service charges more transparent and empower leaseholders who want to challenge their bills.

The issuing of the contracts follows Gove’s demand for developers to be held to account, which led to public pledges from 49 of the country’s leading developers that they would take responsibility to fix their own buildings, which will now be turned into legally binding commitments.

 

“In signing this contract, developers will be taking a big step towards restoring confidence in the sector and providing much needed certainty to all concerned,” Gove said. “There will be nowhere to hide for those who fail to step up to their responsibilities – I will not hesitate to act and they will face significant consequences,” he added.

 

Mick Platt, director of the Residential Freehold Association (RFA), commented: “The RFA has been calling for tougher legislative action on developers for some time and so we welcome the six-week deadline for them to commit to fix buildings where they were responsible for fire safety defects. But there remain serious issues with the government’s current approach toward building safety, including significant ongoing complications which are preventing building owners from accessing government funding for repairs.

“The announcement also doesn’t rectify the fact that many unsafe buildings don’t have a recognised developer to draw funding from. This means freeholders, and potentially leaseholders – neither of whom contributed to this crisis – could still end up having to fund certain projects. The government’s slow movement on funding means currently only a trial exists for funding repairs to these properties, meaning more residents will unfairly be stuck in unsafe buildings for longer.

“If Mr Gove is serious about ensuring those to blame are held to account for fixing this problem, then he will revisit the current policy which passes costs onto leaseholders and freeholders who played no part in the creation of this crisis including seeking legally binding commitments from the cladding manufacturing industry who should also provide funding for remediation.”

 

Source: Property Eye

/0 Comments/by

Retrofit continues to expand at Futurebuild 2023

,

…………UPDATE:  The Retrofit Academy Awards 2023

– Deadline Extended to 7th Feb 2023

Be Recognised for Your Passion and Commitment to High Quality Retrofit …………

The Retrofit Academy CIC will be returning to Futurebuild 2023, 7th – 9th March,

curating the Retrofit Seminar programme, and at the heart of the thriving Retrofit Zone.

The first day will also culminate in the prestigious Retrofit Academy Awards,

which will take place on the main stage at 6.30pm.

The Importance of Retrofit

Futurebuild is a chance for building industry professions to access inspiring ideas, innovative solutions, and knowledge sharing to drive sustainable construction to achieve net zero. One of the busiest sections of the show last year was The Whole House Retrofit Zone, in partnership with The Retrofit Academy CIC (TRA), the zone will be returning this year, bigger and better.

Visit to find a showcase of the best solutions, technologies, and services, that together, can unite and strengthen the delivery of whole house retrofit at scale. With an even larger space for 2023, the area will identify products, technologies and systems that can help scale up and meet the challenges of delivering retrofit at an unprecedented scale.

CPD-accredited Seminar Programme

Over the three-day show, the diverse, fresh, and cutting-edge retrofit seminar programme will be curated by TRA and sponsored by Elmhurst Energy. The line-up will feature industry leaders, pioneers and innovators who are driving forward with retrofit. Speakers include Jarrod Green, Retrofit Technical Solutions Manager – EQUANS, Edith Colomba, Senior Sustainability Consultant – Useful Simple Trust, Antonia Craze, Senior Energy Officer – Portsmouth City Council, and many more.

“The Futurebuild show aligns with our values and goals at TRA, as we forge a path for safe and high-quality retrofit. The Retrofit Seminar programme is designed to offer valuable insights at all levels from assessment, coordination, deployment, and evaluation,” said David Pierpoint, CEO at The Retrofit Academy. “We’re about to undertake one of the greatest infrastructure challenges in history to deliver the UK Government’s commitment to net zero by 2050. Futurebuild is another opportunity to provide access to knowledge and skills development as we continue to make a difference together.”

The Retrofit Academy Awards

There is still time to enter the Retrofit Academy Awards and be a part of the celebration at Futurebuild on Tuesday 7th March. As well as increasing credibility, the awards set out to recognise the rising stars in the industry and showcase the hard work and dedication going into outstanding retrofitting projects across the UK, being made across all levels, including retrofit coordinators, installers, social housing, local authority delivery programmes, and individual projects.

There’s still time to enter – nominate yourself, your business, or another individual or business in one of the eight award categories. Entries close 31st January.  NOW EXTENDED TO THE 7TH OF FEBRUARY

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

/0 Comments/by

GO AHEAD TO DEVELOP ’GREEN’ BARNSLEY BUSINESS PARK

Gregory Properties (Leeds) Limited has secured reserved matters planning approval to deliver 124,700 sq ft of industrial and logistics space at Rockingham in Barnsley.

The ten-acre site is well located fronting the A6195 Dearne Valley Parkway with direct motorway access to Junction 36 of the M1.

Gregory Properties plans to speculatively build out the scheme which consists of three detached high quality industrial/warehouse units of 25,560 sqft, 43,000 sqft and 56,140 sqft.  Each designed to a market facing specification including first floor office accommodation, secure service yards and institutional HGV loading provision and eaves heights.

 

Nick Gillott, Development Director at Gregory Properties, said, “We are excited at the prospect of starting to deliver these three high quality purpose-built logistics units. It’s a superb scheme, situated less than half a mile from the M1, in an established location.  We are confident that the development will attract strong occupier interest.”

The Yorkshire industrial and logistics team at Knight Frank have advised Gregory Properties throughout the acquisition process and will be retained as marketing agents, Iain McPhail, Partner at Knight Frank says “It’s a highly prominent site, in a desirable area for industrial, logistics and distribution.  In addition to this, the area offers a vast array of amenities within close proximity.

On the ESG front, these will not be the usual grey boxes; they will be much more sympathetic to the surrounding natural landscape and complement the local area with neutral green tones. They are also set in generous landscaping, backing onto woodland. The impressive design doesn’t stop there, the units will have strong environmental credentials, green in more ways than one!”

 

Harry Orwin-Allen, based in the Sheffield office of Knight Frank said “The industrial and distribution sector across Yorkshire continues to be buoyant, with demand from a range of sectors.  The proposed development at Rockingham will help to provide occupiers with much needed, immediately available premises within a stone’s throw of Junction 36 of the M1.  We are excited to be involved in this project.”

Gregory Properties hopes to start the speculative development on site Summer 2023 and be ready for an Easter 2024 occupation.  The three new units will be offered to let.

 

/0 Comments/by

£1.2bn UK-France interconnector to be reconsidered after High Court ruling

Former business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng’s decision to refuse planning permission for the £1.2bn Aquind Interconnector between England and France has been overturned in the High Court.

The Aquind Interconnector project involves laying of HVDC cables to carry 2GW of power between the south coast of England and Normandy in France.

Kwarteng ruled against the proposals last January, stating that the “adverse effects” of the scheme “weigh against the proposed development”. These effects include the possible delay of the North Portsea Island Coastal Defence scheme due to the overlapping of construction compound areas.

However Aquind subsequently challenged the decision in the High Court after being granted a judicial review. Following the verdict, the project is expected to be referred back to current business secretary Grant Shapps to make a final decision.

In a statement, the government said it was “disappointed by the outcome but we will be considering the judgment carefully before deciding next steps”.

Aquind director Richard Glasspool welcomed the ruling. He said: “This is wonderful news for the Aquind Interconnector project. We were dismayed and disappointed when Kwasi Kwarteng refused the Development Consent Order. We look forward to re-engaging with local residents, stakeholders, environmental experts, and energy professionals in order to pursue the commitment to meeting the UK’s net zero energy target.”

Approval of the project was already delayed due to Brexit, with French energy regulator CRE stating that it cannot anticipate how interconnectors will be regulated now the UK is outside the EU, or how they will impact the European energy market.

Meanwhile, MP for Portsmouth North Penny Mordaunt, a UK trade minister and former defence secretary, has reportedly spoken out against the scheme. According to The Times she said it would make Britain more reliant on France, which has threatened to interrupt supplies in disputes over fishing.

“The French have already said they will turn off the power, they will use future energy supply as a bargaining chip,” she told The Times. “That doesn’t help our energy security.”

Registration of interested parties – part of the planning process – began for the interconnector in January 2020, but in March 2020 concerns were raised that the proposed project would impact the construction of a windfarm on the Sussex coast.

RWE Renewables UK (RWER) said the suggested route for the marine cables of the interconnector crossed the site of the proposed Rampion Extension offshore windfarm, which is located off the coast between Brighton and Worthing.

Responding to the Aquind’s development consent order application – published on the National Infrastructure Planning website – windfarm shareholder RWER said that the routing criteria outlined in the Aquind Environmental Statement (ES) “specifically precludes the location of any offshore windfarms”.

However, it added: “While the developer of the Aquind project refers to the proposed Rampion extension site within the ES in consideration of impacts on other sea users, there has been no communication or consultation with RWER to date.”

RWER said it wanted to understand “any potential impacts” that the interconnector could have on the development, construction and operation of the wind farm.

Two other proposed projects connecting the UK and French power networks are the 160km Gridlink project between Kingsnorth and Dunkirk and the 220km Fablink project between Menuel and Exeter.

The three interconnectors would allow increased energy trading between the UK and Europe, which is seen as increasingly vital as reliance on renewable energy sources increases.

Until recently the UK shared just one interconnector with France, which was commissioned in 1986. National Grid has now completed a second link, called IFA 2, which began operating in January 2021.

In total, Ofgem has approved nine new interconnector projects, including the three new connections to France. If all nine are delivered, they will treble the UK’s connected capacity to Europe from 5GW to 15GW.

 

Source: New Civil Engineer

/0 Comments/by

The transformation of Smithfield Birmingham

Designs for a landmark scheme that will regenerate Smithfield Birmingham have been submitted to the City Council, following an extensive consultation on the proposals.

The site played a central role in the hugely successful Commonwealth Games last summer, during which it hosted several games venues as well as the Smithfield Festival. Now this 17-hectare development in the historic heart of the city is set to transform Birmingham and create major economic opportunities, including an estimated 8,000 new jobs.

This once in a generation opportunity has the potential to reshape Birmingham’s city centre. A market has operated on the site for over 200 years and, continuing this long history, the new scheme will provide a home for the city’s historic Bull Ring markets, which will celebrate Birmingham’s roots as the ‘city of a thousand trades’. This will form an iconic new centrepiece for the city centre and include a rooftop garden, dining hall and new market square.

The plans reveal ambitions to make Birmingham a new business hub where organisations can grow their networks and ideas. The masterplan creates a workspace campus of over one million square feet, featuring a range of workplaces designed to foster partnerships and knowledge-sharing, from Grade-A workspace, to flexible creative space and makerspace.

Designed with health and wellbeing at its heart for a post-Covid, low-carbon future, the proposals will nurture a diverse range of companies and individuals. This will ensure that Birmingham continues to grow and retain its best talent and ideas, as well as attract new businesses to the city from across the UK and all over the globe. Integrated public transport, an enviable location close to Birmingham New Street station, along with easy access to the upcoming HS2 rail link, will make Smithfield one of the most well-connected areas to conduct business in the country.

Taking advantage of the site’s location next to the artistic and cultural district of Digbeth, the plans submitted for approval also include a brand-new events and gathering space, Festival Square, that will play host to cultural events for thousands of people. Designed by James Corner Field Operations, the world-leading landscape architects responsible for the much-loved High Line in New York, the new square will be a space where musical and artistic communities come together to put on live performances for all ages.

If approved, 600 sustainable and modern homes will be delivered in a green setting as part of the first phase of work – with a total of 3,000 homes planned for the whole site over the coming years, including affordable homes, all supported by modern community facilities.

Smithfield Gardens will provide residents with access to nature on their doorstep and provide visitors with a new green space to unwind and keep fit. Meanwhile expanded cycling routes and improved eco-friendly transport options will be complemented by new and improved green walking routes, connecting the centre of Smithfield towards the Bullring, central Birmingham and Highgate Park. This will stitch the development into the fabric of the city, enhancing the existing offer while reinvigorating the centre of Birmingham.

The scheme is a joint venture between Birmingham City Council and Lendlease, an international real estate and investment group with core expertise in shaping cities and creating strong and connected communities. And the plans submitted for approval have been shaped by local people from across Birmingham’s diverse communities; including local residents, businesses and community organisations, market traders, and a dedicated youth panel.

Alongside masterplanners Prior+Partners and David Kohn Architects who are designing the new market, Lendlease’s design team includes a host of international and local architects and landscape architects, including dRMM, Intervention Architecture, Haworth Tompkins Architects, Minesh Patel Architects and RCKa with James Corner Field Operations designing the significant new public realm and landscape.

Birmingham residents can view the proposals that have been submitted to the council at www.smithfieldbirmingham.co.uk

 

Colin Murphy, Project Lead at Lendlease, said: “Throughout 2022 we’ve been part of a city-wide conversation with people who live and work in Birmingham, inviting comment on our plans from all corners of the city including those who are at the heart of today’s Bull Ring Markets. And the submission of our planning application is a pivotal moment for a £1.9bn development that will provide thousands of new jobs and homes.

“This really is an exceptional opportunity to create and celebrate the next chapter in Birmingham’s transformation as an international city. Smithfield will provide the opportunity to create a destination market experience to rival Europe’s best; as well as an international office hub with access to outstanding transport links.”

 

A decision on the planning submission is expected in early 2023. If approved, construction on site would begin later in the year.

For further information on Smithfield, please visit www.smithfieldbirmingham.co.uk where you can sign up for updates on the proposals.

/0 Comments/by

NEW FIRE SAFETY REGULATIONS WELCOMED

Leading electrotechnical and engineering services body ECA and the Fire & Security Association (FSA) have welcomed the new Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, which came into effect this week.

ECA Technical Director Mike Smith said:

“Although it has taken some time since the tragic fire at Grenfell in 2017 to introduce new legislation and guidance relating to fire safety in residential buildings, ECA and FSA welcome the introduction of these new regulations and supporting guidance.

“These provide much-needed detail and impose duties on responsible persons for buildings which have two or more sets of domestic premises and contain common parts through which residents would need to evacuate. We are also pleased to see more stringent requirements for buildings over 11m in height and high-rise buildings.”

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 require designated ‘responsible persons’ for high-rise residential buildings in England to:

  • Provide local fire services with up-to-date electronic building floor plans and to put a hard copy in a secure information box on site
  • Provide local fire services information about the design and materials of the building’s external wall system and to inform them of changes to these materials.
  • Provide information about the level of risk the external wall structure gives rise to, and mitigating steps taken
  • Undertake monthly checks on the operation of lifts and the functionality of other pieces of firefighting equipment, informing the fire service of faults as soon as possible if it cannot be fixed within 24 hours – the outcome of checks should be made available to residents
  • Install and maintain a secure information box containing the name and contact details of the responsible person
  • Install wayfinding signage visible in low light or smoky conditions identifying flat and floor numbers in the stairwells of relevant buildings

In residential buildings with storeys over 11 metres in height, responsible persons will be required to:

  • Undertake annual checks of flat entrance doors and quarterly checks of all fire doors in the common parts

In all multi-occupied residential buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises, responsible persons will be required to:

  • Provide relevant fire safety instructions to their residents, including instructions on how to report a fire what to do once a fire has occurred, based on the evacuation strategy for the building
  • Provide residents with information relating to the importance of fire doors in fire safety

The full Regulations document can be read here.

Find out more about the FSA here.

 

/0 Comments/by

RINNAI: UK ENERGY FOR THE FUTURE

A GUIDE TOWARDS NET ZERO AND LOWER CARBON EMMISSIONS – UK ENERGY FOR THE FUTURE

 

 

 

Rinnai’s Chris Goggin lists a brief guide to national & local power variables that do, and might, in the future, supply the UK end-user and consumer. He looks at what is currently on offer and how that energy is manufactured and operates within the total UK mix of fuels.

 

As the UK is now firmly in an era of energy transition it is important that all interested parties – heating engineers, contractors, consultants and end-users – should be aware of what alternative energy is currently available and future options being actively considered.

Carbon heavy fuels are currently being phased out and replaced with a variety of low carbon alternatives. Instead of oil, natural gas and fossil fuel-generated electricity, renewable sources such as wind, wave and solar are being gradually introduced into the UK energy mix.

Biofuels such as BioLPG and RDME could also become UK market relevant along with green gasses such as hydrogen, which is supported by the UK hydrogen strategy and a myriad of pilot schemes across the UK. Energy policy in the UK is also planning to increase nuclear capacity with the construction of several new facilities, with the objective of providing low carbon electricity and potentially hydrogen. Following is a short exposition of each energy vector.

 

HEAT PUMPS

Heat pumps are an old but current technology – the first was invented by Peter von Rittinger in 1867. They can be considered zero carbon at the point of use. However, the carbon intensity of the system is dictated by the electrical grid generation method. A heat pump works by extracting heat from air outside and elevating its temperature using a compressor. Compressed heat Is then transferred into a body of water for heating and DHW.

Residual heat is stored in a hot water cylinder used for showers and baths. If installed correctly on to an appropriate property a heat pump will prove to be an energy efficient, effective tool of decarbonisation to the end-user.

Heat pumps are widely used in Scandinavian countries and other major European economies such as Germany. Mainstream UK media support heat pumps as do governmental grants that supply most initial purchase costs. Heat pumps are available with approved technology that encourages decarbonisation.

SOLAR ENERGY

 

Solar energy absorbs sunlight into photovoltaic panels which produces an electrical charge. This charge of electricity is then converted and transported into a domestic or commercial application. The UK government encourages domestic renewable energy installation. Homeowners can partly subsidise their solar panels through several governmental grants.
One example of UK homeowners incentivised towards solar thermal installation through a governmental scheme is the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) which allows homeowners to receive payments for unused excess energy exported back to the national grid.

Solar power is viewed as holding the potential to contribute meaningfully towards the current and future domestic UK energy mix as well as multiple others across the globe. Only recently it was announced that Global renewable energy company – Low Carbon, has announced construction of 3 new large solar farms in Essex, Derbyshire and Buckinghamshire. Construction in Buckinghamshire will begin immediately. Once complete the facility will provide clean power to more than 7300 homes. Capacity of this site will be 23.4MW. Work on the 28.8MW Derbyshire and 23MW Essex locations will begin in the early new year – 2023. Similar installations are being constructed across every continent.

WIND ENERGY

Renewable wind energy is created when wind turbines are pushed by natural currents of air which is then converted into electricity via a generator. Current UK direction of onshore wind energy is convoluted. At present there is a ban on installing new onshore wind farms inside the UK. However, some media outlets report that the ban is lifted, others maintain the ban is still in effect. Offshore wind farm capacity is being expanded to meet future demand. There are several new installations being constructed inside UK and Irish waters.

Offshore wind facilities under construction and due to begin operations. Amongst the new sites to be introduced is the Dogger Bank Wind Farm off the coast of Yorkshire, Northeast England which will begin operations in 2025. £8.27 billion has been invested into this project and is a joint venture undertaken by SSE Renewables, Equinor and Eni Plenitude.

WAVE ENERGY

Wave energy is created once captured kinetic energy gathered by tidal movements pushes a turbine, which in turn produces electricity. Wave and wind energy rely on the same concept of utilising kinetic energy to generate power. Wave energy is considered 100% carbon neutral. Wave energy is expensive to produce and maintain but is also effective. UK policy adjustments in market and planning legislation could see wave power become expanded to meet future demand.

Further on-land construction work is continuing on the £35 million Holy Island Tidal Energy Scheme, in North Wales. 35 sq km of seabed will be used to generate as much as 240MW of clean tidal electricity, enough to power 180,000 domestic properties.

rDME

Renewable DiMethyl Ether – known as rDME – is a molecule-based fuel that can be produced through a wide range of renewable feedstocks which allows for quick and long-term sustainable production. rDME contains a similar chemical composition to Butane and propane and can be mixed with LPG in existing appliances to continue product operations.

rDME combusts cleanly and releases no “soot” emissions. It has many fuel properties that make it easily used in sites and appliances currently using diesel as a fuel. It has a very high cetane number, which is a measure of the fuel’s ignitibility in compression ignition engines.

Future capacity of rDME is set to rise sharply, further increasing the likelihood of rDME being introduced nationally at some stage soon. A demonstration plant is to be opened later this year, whist the first operational commercial site manufacturing rDME will be on-line in 2024 in Teesside.

LGP & BioLPG

LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) is a low carbon fuel source that is supplied in two forms – propane and butane. BioLPG is 100% carbon neutral and produced through renewable feedstocks such as plant and vegetable waste. Both are considered future forms of carbon friendly energy.

LPG producers see a role for Bio-LPG in the future whether that be blended with LPG or BioLPG. The fuel can be theoretically drop in, meaning limited disruption and user familiarity. Companies have invested over £260 million to date in developing clean liquid gases, including bioLPG and rDME to market. During the transition to renewable liquid gases LPG will remain a valuable part of the low carbon energy mix.

As economies and industry attempt to decarbonise fuel supplies, demand for LPG and BioLPG will rise. Legislation amendments introduced by the US, EU and Japan could see both demand and produced volume of BioLPG increase.

NUCLEAR ENERGY

Nuclear energy occurs when a reaction from either uranium or plutonium is stimulated to generate electricity. The UK government is keen to expand nuclear capacity.

As of writing, it has been confirmed that the UK government will inject £700 million of taxpayer’s money in developing Sizewell C nuclear power plant. Doing so will provide 6 million homes with low carbon electricity for more than 50 years and strengthen national energy security.

HYDROGEN

Hydrogen is produced in various forms signalled by a spectrum of assorted colours: blue, green, pink, brown, grey, yellow and turquoise.

 

  • Blue hydrogen is formed once natural gas is heated with steam in a process called Steam Methene Reforming (SMR). Hydrogen and carbon dioxide are created as a result meaning that emissions must be captured and stored for blue hydrogen to become a low carbon fuel source.
  • Grey hydrogen uses Steam Methene Reforming without capturing any emissions.
  • Green hydrogen occurs once water molecules are split into oxygen and hydrogen using renewable energy to power an electrolyser which sits in a water basin. Green hydrogen is considered 100% carbon neutral and is regarded as a source of future clean energy.
  • Pink hydrogen is created through nuclear powered electrolysis whilst yellow hydrogen is produced through solar powered electrolysis.
  • Turquoise hydrogen is made using a process called methane pyrolysis which produces hydrogen and solid carbon.

 

An extensive list of major international energy companies, such as BP and Equinor has announced various projects costing billons that explore the introduction of hydrogen as a major contributor towards future global energy needs. Spanish renewable energy company Iberdrola are planning to develop a green hydrogen production facility at the UK’s largest port in Felixstowe. Iberdrola is prepared to invest £150 million in the project which is expected to be operational in 2026.

Closer to home the UK issued its Hydrogen strategy in 2021, with the objective of achieving 10GW of Low Carbon Hydrogen by 2030. The strategy is also seeing rapid developments in pilot schemes using 100% hydrogen across the UK.

CLICK HERE

For more information on the RINNAI product range

 

 

/0 Comments/by

UK Risks Losing Green Energy Projects to the US

By Nicholas Earl

 

The UK and European Union (EU) are at risk of losing green energy projects to the US – if they fail to match its new investment environment, warned two fast growing energy companies.

 

James Basden, founder and director of clean energy storage specialist, Zenobe Energy (Zenobe), said that his company was going to “accelerate what we’re doing in America because of the tax credits.”

He said: “We’re not alone. The UK and the EU are going to have to change, I’m afraid, because markets move very fast.”

 

Zenobe has been establishing roots in the US over recent months, signing a memorandum of understanding with JERA Americas, the US subsidiary of Japanese power company JERA, to jointly develop utility-scale battery storage projects in New York and New England.

The company mission statement is “to make clean power accessible across the world.”

So far, it has secured funding to pursue e-buses and charging infrastructure, alongside large-scale battery facilities in the UK – which aim to provide renewable energy in response to wind farms being switched off, as an alternative to gas supplies.

 

Nils Aldag, chief executive of German hydrogen technology experts Sunfire, was also weighing up the possibility of pivoting projects and investment Stateside if the EU failed to provide with more support.

“We will have to consider the US if we do not see Europe respond in time,” he said.

 

The looming possibility of a mass exodus of clean energy players follows the passing of the US Inflation Reduction Act in Washington last August.

The legislation, ostensibly focused on reducing the deficit, provides significant opportunities to invest in renewables.

The bill will raise $738bn, which includes $391bn of committed spending on clean energy – making it the largest piece of federal legislation ever to address climate change.

This includes $128bn for renewable energy and grid storage, $30bn for nuclear power, $22bn for home improvements and $13bn for electric vehicle incentives.

It also features hefty production tax credits to help US manufacturers accelerate production of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries, and process key minerals.

 

Over half of the US Inflation Reduction Act is committed to green energy and climate change (Source: Politico)

 

By contrast, the UK has imposed a fresh levy on electricity generators, snatching 45 per cent of revenues for legacy operators that have provided clean power to meet the country’s energy needs for decades.

EU has to back green energy goals with policies

The EU has its own ambitious generation targets for renewable energy as part of its RePowerEU plan – designed to reduce its reliance on Russian imports following the country’s invasion of Ukraine last year.

Sunfire is a nascent, high-quality electrolysis company, developing hardware for green hydrogen production industries and businesses developing green energy projects.

This makes them highly appealing to the EU, which has included 200GW of hydrogen generation over the coming decade – including 10m tonnes of production and 10m tonnes of imports.

 

However, Aldag feared Europe was missing the “unlocking factor” of regulation and support schemes to allow its hydrogen goals to be realised.

He said: “It’s really the regulatory framework in Europe that is not yet sufficiently in place for this target to actually be met. The US has basically given a whack to the whole industry, and European regulators understand they have to act quickly now.”

 

In his view, the EU and US were not just competing for projects and could be each other’s second market if an attractive investment environment was created across the West.

This would ensure a strong market to compete with the growing influence of China and India in the renewables sector.

The EU has initiated plans to take on Biden’s legislation, through loosening subsidy restrictions and speeding up permits across the bloc for green energy projects.

 

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos yesterday that Brussels would also water down state aid rules and offer more funding support to strategic industries that were climate friendly.

She said: “To keep European industry attractive, there is a need to be competitive with offers and incentives that are currently available outside the European Union.”

 

UK waking up to Biden’s challenge

In the UK, the response has so far been more muted despite its own highly aggressive generation targets for domestic renewable production over the coming decades.

However, the publication of Tory MP Chris Skidmore’s net zero review suggests there could be more pressure in Westminster on the Government to compete with the US.

In his report, Skidmore labelled net zero as the “economic opportunity of the 21st century’ and called for more and called on the Government to boost investment in green energy projects.

When approached for comment, the government argued that the UK is already committing enough funds to renewable projects.

 

A Treasury spokesperson said: “The government is taking significant action to encourage investment in renewable generation including committing £30bn to support the domestic green industrial revolution from March 2021 to April 2028.

“Our contracts for difference scheme has been hugely successful in driving the deployment of renewable energy with our most recent auction delivering a record capacity of almost 11GW of clean energy. To date CfD generators have received almost £6 billion net in price support through the scheme”

 

However, BEIS Select Committee member Alexander Stafford said the US Inflation Reduction Act means the “global race to net zero is well and truly on”.

The first step, in his view, was to offer clean energy firms an investment allowance in line with the windfall tax for oil and gas firms, so that the Electricity Generator Levy does not “deter investment and push firms overseas.”

 

He said: “The US hopes to lure electric car manufacturers and renewable energy firms into crossing the pond through its Inflation Reduction Act’s generous tax credits.  If the UK is going to compete, ensuring these new industries and better-paid jobs come here, we need to back these clean enterprises wholeheartedly.”

 

This outlook was shared by Jack Richardson, senior climate programmer at the Conservative Environment Network, a leading Westminster body supported by green Tory MPs.

He also called for a speed up of planning decision and a contracts for difference scheme to subsidise sustainable aviation fuel.

 

Richardson said: “We have an opportunity to lead the world in so many clean industries because we were the first major economy to legislate for net zero by 2050. While we have an early lead, we need to double down to develop and keep clean industries here in the UK.”

Source: CITY AM

/0 Comments/by

STONEMASONRY SKILLS SURVEY

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has today (Wednesday 18 January) launched a survey of stonemasonry in Scotland to better understand the current status of the sector. 

The survey seeks to gather information on the number of stonemasons there are in Scotland, where the business that employ stonemasons are based, and the need for stonemasonry skills across the country.

The survey is the first in a series examining stonemasonry in Scotland and is an action arising out of the work of the Stonemasonry Training Working Group of sector partners and stakeholders, convened by HES. The data gathered will be used as a first step to building understanding of how the stonemasonry sector looks across different parts of Scotland, and ensuring it is equipped to meet the challenges of the future. The aim is to create a stonemasonry specific dataset that will enable better sector engagement and consultation, as ideas and proposals on the future of stonemasonry training are developed.

HES supports the delivery of stonemasonry skills training at its Skills Training Centres in Elgin and Stirling, in partnership with Forth Valley College.

Colin Tennant, Head of Technical Education and Training at HES, said: “With our built environment in Scotland predominantly made of stone, it is crucial we ensure a continuing supply of trained stonemasons to repair, maintain and conserve this heritage.

“Stonemasonry is also a sustainable traditional skill which supports both green jobs and a circular economy which helps maximise our existing resources, crucial for our national net-zero ambitions.

“We want to ensure the sector can thrive into the future, which is why we’re launching this survey to gather information which will help us build a comprehensive picture of stonemasonry in Scotland. To help us to that, we would urge as many stonemasons and employers as possible will take part in the survey.”

The survey will be open until Tuesday 28 February and can be accessed on the HES website.

 

/0 Comments/by

Insulating EU homes could reduce energy demand

Insulating EU homes could reduce energy demand by 44%, saving up to 777 TWh
 
A new study by BPIE (Buildings Performance Institute Europe) shows that improving the insulation of existing residential buildings in the EU would significantly contribute to securing the bloc’s energy independence and achieving the EU target of reaching climate neutrality by 2050. Improved insulation of EU residential buildings would result in a reduction of energy demand for heating in buildings by 777 TWh, or 44% compared to 2020: 46% in gas savings, 44% in heating oil savings and 48% in coal savings.

“The results speak for themselves,” says Oliver Rapf, BPIE Executive Director. “Buildings must be treated as vital infrastructure contributing to EU energy security and climate neutrality. Deep renovation should be one of the EU’s highest priorities facing the energy crisis.”

In this analysis, BPIE modelled two renovation scenarios until 2050: The 2% Renovation Scenario and the Full Renovation Scenario.

The 2% Renovation scenario – following the goal renovation rate prescribed by the European Commission in the Renovation Wave Strategy – assumes that a 2% renovation rate is reached by 2030 and remains at that level until 2050. The Full Renovation scenario assumes that after 2030 the average renovation rate (now at 1%) will continue to grow at the speed needed to renovate all existing residential buildings before 2050.

The analysis shows that achieving a stable 2% renovation rate is insufficient to achieve EU climate goals and significantly contribute to energy independence. Under this scenario, 30% of buildings will be left unrenovated by mid-century and 235 TWh of potential final energy savings will be wasted.

To fully benefit from the savings potential (777 TWh), the entire residential building stock must therefore be renovated.

To reach EU climate neutrality goals by 2050, this means the current renovation rate of 1% must be at least doubled by 2030, reach 3% by 2035, and 4% by 2040.

Achieving this level of ambition means that EU building policies must carefully align short-term actions with long-term needs and ambitions.

“Building renovation activity must seriously ramp up in this decade,” continues Rapf. “The final negotiations of the EPBD in the coming months should define deep renovation as the standard and agree renovation requirements which deliver on this standard, are fair and backed by attractive financial support for all who need it.”

The report concludes that the EPBD recast should require that financial programmes and advisory services prioritise projects achieving deep renovations. Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) should be designed on a differentiated basis according to ownership structure, and focus on worst-performing buildings across all segments first. Even in a step-by-step approach, all renovations and especially the first step should pull the building out of the worst-performing category. Public funds including emergency relief, recovery funds and subsidy schemes should all be designed towards supporting deep renovations of buildings. Member States should not wait for a ban of fossil fuel boilers to be introduced by the EPBD, and should stop fossil fuel subsidies immediately.

Read the report

/0 Comments/by