New European Technology Platform for Wind Energy

This autumn the European Technology Platform for Wind Energy is scheduled to go fully operational. The platform is aimed at providing a single voice for wind energy research.

European Wind Energy Association, EWEA has received 100% funding from the European Commission to establish the secretariat for a three-year period. The platform will represent manufacturers of turbines and components, end users, developers, environmental NGOs, research organisations, laboratories, universities, financiers, representatives of the wider energy sector, EU institutions and national government representatives through the Member States Mirror group. It will establish links with other technology platforms, such as Smart Grids (grid integration) as well as technology platforms for wind energy emerging at a national level, like in Spain and the Netherlands.

A Steering Committee will be the primary decision making body, made up of high-level individuals from throughout the sector.

Further information: EWEA

Large UK offshore wind farm launched

Last month a 90 MW offshore wind farm off the coast of the UK at Barrow-in-Furness (North West England) came into full operation. The offshore farm is owned by Barrow Offshore, a 50/50 joint venture of British energy group Centrica and Danish energy group DONG. They have invested over € 150 million in the development of the 90 MW wind farm in the East Irish Sea.

The 30 turbine Barrow wind farm is the first of several large scale renewable energy projects planned for the Irish Sea, which is one of three strategic zones laid down by the Government for offshore wind farm development.

New venture capital fund UK Carbon Trust

The Carbon Trust has announced that it will establish a new venture capital fund for low carbon and clean energy technology sectors. The Carbon Trust Investments Clean Energy Fund will be launched this autumn and will have an independent board. The fund will seek to raise up to £75 million (110 M€) for investment in technologies including solar electricity generation, fuel cells, biofuels and synthetic fuels.

Tom Delay, CEO of the Carbon Trust: “Over the last four years we have invested in a range of companies...[and our]...portfolio is generating returns that are being used to support further investment activity. The Carbon Trust investment team has a successful track record in early stage investments in companies such as CMR Fuel Cells, Ceres Power and Ocean Power Delivery.”

Further information: Carbon Trust

Northern Ireland: renewable energy becomes compulsory

The UK Government is proposing changes to the Building Regulations in Northern Ireland to make the use of renewable energy compulsory in all new build from April 2008.

The change to the Building Regulations was announced in July and will apply to all new homes, companies and public buildings.  The rule will make the installation of microgeneration such as solar thermal, photovoltaic panels or small wind turbines mandatory in under two years time.

Renewable energy companies top sustainable business list

The renewable energy sector has come out on top in a list of the twenty best companies in the sustainable business sector as seen by SustainableBusiness.com.

According to Rona Fried, CEO of SustainableBusiness.com, the goal of the list is to showcase companies that have made substantial progress toward sustainability within their business or are leading the way with sustainable technologies. The list includes companies of all sizes from many regions of the world and the finalists were chosen by a panel of leading social / environmental investment analysts.

Companies from Spain, Germany and the USA are dominating the list. Conergy (Germany) and SunPower (USA) from the solar sector were chosen because of their unique business offerings. Abengoa (Spain), which builds various types of solar, bioethanol, and desalination plants is the world's second-largest bioethanol producer and a leading innovator in cellulosic biomass. Gamesa is the world’s second largest wind turbine manufacturer and also develops wind parks and has started a solar division.

Further information: SustainableBusiness.com