News
News
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UK government unveils ‘guarantees’ scheme to boost investment
The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne yesterday unveiled a new ‘guarantees’ scheme aimed at accelerating investment in major infrastructure projects in the transport, utilities, energy and communications sectors. UK Guarantees is now open for applications from ‘nationally significant’ infrastructure projects that have stalled because of adverse credit conditions. The government estimates that some […]
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Isle of Wight to become UK’s hydrogen fuel test bed
The Isle of Wight off the UK’s south coast is to become a test bed for hydrogen fuel technology in a £4.66 million project led by energy storage and clean fuel company ITM Power. With a £1.3 million grant from the government-backed Technology Strategy Board, ITM Power will partner on the project with Ecoisland Partnership […]
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Chinese per capita emissions now equal the EU
Chinese per capita emissions of CO2 now stand at 7.2 tonnes, only just under the EU level of 7.5 tonnes, according to the latest figures from the European Commission. The report by the EC Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) reveals that overall global CO2 emission rose by 3% in 2011 to reach […]
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UK transport taxes not ‘environmental’, rules Treasury
The UK government’s definition of environmental taxes published yesterday does not include any transport-related taxes on vehicles, fuel or air travel. The new definition published by the Treasury yesterday instead focuses on taxes that are explicitly linked to environmental objectives, specifically encourage environmental positive behaviour change or are levied to increase the more environmentally detrimental […]
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UK electricity demand to rise despite government policies, warns report
The UK Coalition’s policies will not be sufficient to achieve the electricity demand savings that are possible over the next twenty years, warns a draft report. In the report commissioned by the government, Capturing the full electricity efficiency potential of the UK, McKinsey calculate that only around a third of the possible efficiency savings to electricity demand […]
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Feature: Smart water network needed to drive efficiency gains
Water shortages and inefficiencies remains an ongoing problem across the UK, warns Andy Slater of smart technology specialist Sensus. Climate change, increases in energy prices, and ever rising levels of demand, mean water companies are under increasing pressure to make the best use of a finite and limited resource. And with the population expected to increase […]
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GE Energy makes electric car charging simple with PayPal
GE Energy has entered into an agreement with PayPal to use its payment service for electric vehicle charging fees. The agreement will enable electric car drivers using GE’s WattStation charging platforms to pay charging fees through the WattStation Connect mobile app and PayPal. The new app, which is available through Apple iTunes, will locate the […]
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Leaving green computer scheme “a mistake”, says Apple
US computer giant Apple has rejoined the green computer certification scheme it withdrew from last week after the move sparked widespread negative customer feedback. In a letter posted on the company’s website from Bob Mansfield, senior vice president of hardware engineering, branded the decision to remove its products from the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool […]
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UK government’s £9 billion rail investment promises efficiency savings
In the “biggest expansion in railways in over 150 years”, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg today outlined a £9.4 billion investment in network upgrades. The ‘high level output specification’ programme, which will run for five years from 2014 in tandem with the government’s High Speed 2 plans, will expand the government’s plans to electrify track […]
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UK government taps into water industry reform
The UK government yesterday unveiled its plans to reform the water industry, washing away unnecessary red tape, opening the sluice gates for new entrants and innovation in the market. The proposals, which are now open for pre-legislative scrutiny, will allow businesses and public sector organisations in England to switch their water and sewerage suppliers from […]
Quotes
The cheapest kWh of energy is the one you don't use Delvin Lane, Head of Energy 360, British Gas