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Ecobuild at Earls Court

Eco₂Solar exhibited at Ecobuild this year. A huge number of people attended the exhibition, including architects, building engineers, M&E specialists, businesses and homeowners; many of whom stopped by our stand. Thank you to all who took the time to speak with us and we trust that you enjoyed the show.

“Paul and visitors see the funny side”

“Ryan deep in conversation”

Eco₂Solar exhibiting at Ecobuild; March 2 – 4 2010 Earls Court

Eco2Solar is excited to announce that we will be exhibiting at Ecobuild 2010 this year, the biggest event in the world for sustainable design, construction and the built environment which takes place at London’s Earls Court on Tuesday 02 – Thursday 04 March 2010. As well as all the latest initiatives and news from Eco2Solar you’ll be able to see the biggest showcase of sustainable construction products anywhere in the world.

We look forward to seeing you on stand 470 at Ecobuild.

Showtime for Eco₂Solar

Eco₂Solar have attended a variety of shows and exhibitions recently. We have taken stands to showcase our renewable energy solutions at the Discover Bewdley Weekend, the Malvern Spring Show and the Alternative Energy Exhibition in Gloucester Cathedral.

Each of these was extremely well attended with the Malvern Show attracting over 92,000 visitors. This has obviously generated has generated a huge amount of interest in our solar energy solutions and our new sales person, Mark O’Brien, is now very busy following up all of the enquiries.

Gas prices could be "very, very frightening" in future, MPs told Households have been warned to expect "very, very frightening" gas and electricity bills in two years' time, according to the industry regulator.

From Telegraph.co.uk

Consumers who were expecting significant falls in their energy bills over the next few years – which have risen by more than 40 per cent in 2008 – could be disappointed, Alistair Buchanan, the chief executive of Ofgem, told an influential group of MPs

Britain does not have enough storage capacity to buy and hoard gas when it is cheap, and the credit crisis has delayed projects which would have improved the situation.

To make matters worse, the financial turmoil means that gas and electricity wholesale companies are now demanding a higher deposit for energy because they are worried that their customers – the retail distributors – will not have enough money to honour their commitments in the future.

Mr Buchanan told the Business and Enterprise Select Committee on Energy that gas companies were being charged considerably more by their banks to borrow money.

"Companies are having to decide how much of this should be pushed through to consumers. This is very, very frightening," he said.

His comments will come as a severe blow to hard-pressed consumers, who have had to cope with a series of bills increasing this year. The average joint gas and electricity bill has jumped from £912 at the start of the year to £1,303.

While the cut in Value Added Tax, announced this week by Alistair Darling, will bring down some bills, it will not affect energy bills, which incur a VAT rate of just 5 per cent.

Most experts predicted that energy bills would start to come down in 2009 because of recent heavy falls in the gas wholesale market. However, Mr Buchanan warned that customers might fail to see much long-term reduction in their bills, because of gas companies escalating costs.

"Our British utility companies have significant refinancing to achieve in the next 18 months. They are very healthy companies but they have to refinance their debt," Mr Buchanan said.

Peter Luff, the Conservative chair of the Committee said afterwards: "This has to hit consumers. It has to. They will be puzzled to see oil prices tumbling and no reduction in their gas bills, but the forward gas market remains ahead [of the current price] throughout 2010 and 2011."

Most gas companies buy their energy on the 'forward market', which allows them to purchase contracts at a set price in the future.

According to energy consultants ICIS Heren, the price of wholesale gas in summer 2009 is 49.87p, but rises to 53.5p in summer 2010 and to 55.p in 2011.

Though this price has fallen very sharply since the peak they reached this summer, Ed Cox at the company said, "They remain very high in historical terms compared to a few years ago.

"The era of cheap energy is very much over."

Most experts agree that consumers will never see prices return to where they were five years ago, when the average gas and electricity bill for a family was nearly half its current level – at just £534 a year.

Mr Luff agreed that forward gas prices had calmed down since the summer – which could see suppliers trim their bills in the New Year. But, in the longer-term in the UK, the cost of energy was much more expensive than both Europe and America.

"In the past Europe set a ceiling for prices, now it sets a floor," he said.

According to figures submitted to the committee the forward price of gas in 2011 is lower in Europe by at least 5 pence a therm, and even lower in America.

He blamed the lack of storage capacity for imported gas. Britain can store between 10 and 12 days' worth of gas, compared with an average of 70 days' worth of storage in Europe.

Various projects to increase capacity in this country have run into trouble because of the credit crisis. Portland Gas, which was planning a major facility in Dorset, admitted earlier this month that it will be seriously delayed.

Not only will consumers need to get used to annual energy bills of well above £1,000, business users will be very heavily hit.

Jeremy Nicholson, the chief executive of the Energy Intensive Users Group, which represents glass, paper, chemical and brick factories, all of whom consume vast quantities of energy, said: "Britain is no longer competitive with Europe and the gap has widened in recent years, despite repeated protestations from Ofgem and ministers that the problem will sort itself out.

"Everyone will be hit by these high forward energy prices – consumers and businesses."

Mr Buchanan defended himself from accusations by Committee members that the regulator was a "toothless tiger".

"We are quite comfortable giving the industry a good kicking," he said. He also promised to investigate why so many customers, who pay their bills by direct debit, were in credit to their energy suppliers.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3521406/Gas-prices-could-be-very-very-fightening-in-future-MPs-told.html

UK's reliance on gas continues to grow, as domestic fuel reserves diminish
From The Times
December 24, 2008

Britain's dependence on natural gas as a source of energy is growing, even as supplies from the North Sea are running out, figures suggest.

They indicate that the UK is relying increasingly on gas as its primary source of fuel for electricity generation, even though the country is being forced to import more and more as domestic reserves grow scarce.

The use of gas to generate power in the UK soared by 21 per cent in the third quarter of this year, compared with the same period last year, to 44 terrawatt hours, according to Energy Trends, a quarterly report on UK energy use published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Meanwhile, output from Britain's ageing fleet of nuclear power stations, which have been beset by maintenance problems this year, fell by 30 per cent during the same period, to 11 terrawatt hours.

The figures emerged as leaders of some of the world's leading gas-exporting countries met in Moscow yesterday for talks about the formation of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, an Opec-style cartel.
The meeting has alarmed gas-consuming countries, raising fears that the group, which includes Russia, Iran, Venezuela and Libya, would try to massage prices higher by setting production quotas.
Vladimir Putin, the Russian Prime Minister, who is embroiled in a dispute with Ukraine over gas supplies, told delegates at the meeting: “The time of cheap energy resources, cheap gas, is surely coming to an end. Costs of exploration, gas production and transportation are going up. It means the industry's development costs will skyrocket.”

The figures contained in the British Government's latest study reflect the huge challenges facing the country in weaning itself off gas and other fossil fuels.

The report showed that household use of gas in the UK fell by about 6 per cent during the third quarter of the year, mainly as a result of record price rises that prompted consumers to adopt a more frugal approach to energy use. However, the commercial use of gas for power generation is surging, as it displaces other fuels, such as coal and nuclear power.

Overall, UK gas demand in the third quarter was 5.3 per cent higher than during the third quarter of last year.

Although the Government wants energy harnessed from renewable sources, such as wind and waves, to play a much bigger role in electricity production in the long term, it still accounts for only 5 per cent of electricity supplies.

Meanwhile, many coal-fired plants are operating under restricted hours because of tough new European emissions standards, and Britain's nuclear industry, which produces little carbon dioxide, has also struggled with a string of technical problems at key plants this year. Commercial reactors at Hartlepool, Dungeness, in Kent, and Heysham, in Lancashire, were all out of service for repairs this year.
With the depletion of gas from the UK continental shelf, Britain is becoming dependent on imports, either by pipelines from Norway or elsewhere on the Continent or as liquefied natural gas from places farther afield, such as Algeria and Qatar.

Andrew Horstead, of Utilyx, the energy consultancy, said: “Having an energy system that is so reliant on gas at a time when our own supplies are running out is a concern.”

Gas bill
By 2015, the UK is expected to import up to 80 per cent of its gas supplies compared with about 40 per cent now.
The UK was a net exporter of gas as recently as 2004.
UK petrol consumption has fallen by 6 per cent over the past year.
Source: Department of Energy and Climate Change

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article5391435.ece

Eco₂Solar to install solar at health centre in Grimsby

Kidderminster based Eco₂Solar have won a contract to supply a solar water heating system for a prestigious new Primary Care Centre in Grimsby. When complete, the new health centre will add a great deal of convenience for local people, with a number of services available in a single location, saving some visits to the hospital.

The state-of-the-art 7,000 sq m building will accommodate the co-location of the Field House Medical Centre, Dr Collett and Partners and the Woodford Medical Centre, who will provide extensive one stop NHS primary care services to over 30,000 patients in the local community.

An added bonus and convenience for patients is that the new centre will also house the Cromwell Dental Practice.

The 50 square metre solar array heating 400 litres of hot water will be the largest system installed by the Kidderminster firm but this does not daunt Managing Director Paul Hutchens. “We have installed a system similar to this in West Yorkshire during 2008 which is now handed over and running successfully. This installation is just a little bit bigger and incorporates under-floor heating and hot water heated by solar”.

For more details see www.assuragroup.co.uk/uploads/pressrelease-worktostartonnewhealthcentreforfreshneygreen020508.pdf or www.eco2solar.co.uk

Eco₂Solar – as seen on the BBC

01/12/2008

Eco₂Solar was featured on The Politics Show at the weekend for being part of what the BBC called a “recession-busting green jobs bonanza”.

Despite the downturn, the renewable energy sector is thriving. It is estimated that one in four homes will have solar panels within 15 years. That's great news for companies like Eco₂Solar, suppliers and installers of solar-powered water heating, who appeared in the West Midlands segment of BBC One’s The Politics Show on Sunday 30 November.

In the feature, filmed in Wolverley, Worcestershire, the BBC’s Colin Pemberton asked Paul Hutchens of Eco₂Solar about the jobs created in the renewable energy sector.

“The potential’s huge, and I think actually we’re going to have a skills gap,” explained Paul, who has just recruited a new team member for the commercial side of the business. “The construction industry is suffering, but we’re taking lots of people on to install solar panels.”

Paul told finditinsandwell that Eco₂Solar will be hiring two more installation staff in the new year, and that the company has just landed its biggest contract yet: to install 20 solar panels for a health centre in Grimsby. He believes the boom in the renewable energy sector can be attributed to two things:

“Firstly, there is the green issue: the drive towards sustainability and the efforts to curb climate change,” he says. “But also, with fewer people moving house at the moment, there is a need to save money and add value to a property.”

Eco₂Solar create “solar ready” apartments in Birmingham

Kidderminster based Eco₂Solar have won a contract to supply solar hot water cylinders and pipework for a prestigious new development in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham. Purchasers of these apartments at the Spencer Point complex, which comprises offices, apartments & a penthouse, will be able to add solar power at a later date at a massively reduced cost thanks to the innovative thinking of the developer.

PCPT Managing Director, David Mahony, is unequivocal “to my mind it is a ‘no brainer’ and everybody should think of buying property with this sort of provision. It makes sense in every way.” For more details see www.spencerpoint.co.uk

Eco₂Solar Managing Director, Paul Hutchens, added “we are delighted to be involved in such prestigious and high profile projects. It really does demonstrate that solar energy has entered the mainstream and is suitable for regular homes and buildings”.

Eco₂Solar to fit solar at London School

Eco₂Solar have won a contract to install their Ecotube solar water heating system at Virgo Fidelis Convent Senior School near Norwood in south London. The new teaching Block will be opening in the Autumn 2008 for the new school year. The new block will provide state of the art resources for Mathematics, ICT, Business Studies, Media Studies, Student Support and Special Needs. - www.virgofidelis.org.uk

It’s a Solar Revolution – and we are ready!

Solar energy systems have today been accepted as a key part in the Government’s energy strategy as launched by Gordon Brown. The Solar Trade Association welcomes the new strategy document and the solar industry is ready to deliver its’ part immediately. Solar water heating is the most widely used domestic renewable energy system in the UK with over 100,000 systems installed already. Not only is it affordable and easily adopted, it will also fit nearly every UK home without major disruption. After insulating the property, it is the next step for homeowners who want to generate their own energy. Experience shows us that homeowners who install solar also make other lifestyle changes to reduce their carbon footprints. 26/06/08: www.solar-trade.org.uk

Eco₂Solar achieve UK Microgeneration Certificate

Eco₂Solar have just been awarded the coveted UK Microgeneration Scheme certificate – one of only 14 solar water heating installers in the UK to achieve this award! “The audit process rigorously tested our ability to design and install solar systems safely and competently” commented Managing Director Paul Hutchens “but much more than that we had to demonstrate that processes and procedures were in place for ordering material, handling enquiries, testing equipment and health & safety – much of it to ISO 9001 standards.

See www.greenbooklive.com for more details

This certificate means that Eco₂Solar are now ahead of the game and able to offer government grants until at least 2010. The company also has the capability to design and install large solar systems for commercial and community buildings such as apartment blocks, health centres and care homes.

Eco₂Solar exhibit at national home building show at the NEC

We have just exhibited at the national Homebuilding & Renovating Show at the NEC. Out of 50,000 people who attended the show many visited our stand and we have been busy since compiling quotes for potential customers and installing the first system ordered following the show.

Grants of up to £1400 available for Wyre Forest residents to install solar

Residents of the Wyre Forest area may be eligible for a £400 grant from the government AND a £1000 grant from Wyre Forest District Council totalling a whopping £1400 if they have a solar heating system installed by Eco₂Solar. See www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk for more details

No planning permission required from 6th April 2008 as solar collectors become Permitted Development

(That is, no planning permission is required if the property is not a listed building or is not in a conservation area)

The microgeneration industry today welcomed new Government legislation which will slash planning red tape to make it easier for people to install microgeneration technology. From 6 April 2008 microgeneration technologies will become permitted development which means householders will be able to take up microgeneration, within sensible limits, without having to apply for planning permission.

Dave Sowden, Chief Executive of the Micropower Council said: “Today is a landmark in removing red tape for the microgeneration sector. From 6 April, most householders in England will be able to install microgeneration technologies without the constraints that have so far acted as a significant brake on the industry’s growth. The industry fully supports this important move by the Government, and welcomes its clear and unambiguous promise to Parliament to extending similar freedom to micro-wind and air source heat pumps as soon as a minor, routine, legal hurdle has been cleared”.

Source: Micropower Council

Boost for local renewable energy from new planning rules (17 December 2007)

A new wave of local renewable energy supply and community power schemes will get government backing today.

Changes to the planning system will mean all councils will be expected to provide for on-site renewable energy and local community energy schemes to help cut carbon emissions from new developments, Yvette Cooper said today, as she published a new Planning Policy Statement on Climate change.

Planners must now promote green growth. New planning rules on economic growth (PPS4), also published for consultation today, will expect councils to provide greater flexibility in their plans to allow different businesses to succeed and create jobs. Councils will be expected to give greater consideration to regeneration and economic factors including by identifying more sites which can be used flexibly if business needs change.

The Government is clear the planning system should do more to support jobs but should also deliver higher environmental standards at the same time. By publishing the climate change statement alongside the draft one for economic development the government is making clear that action on climate change must run alongside economic growth and increased housing.

Click this link to find out more

Eco₂Solar presents at Low Carbon Cities & Communities conference at the NEC

Eco₂Solar were invited to participate in a workshop on "low to zero carbon homes" at the NEC as part of the 7th Delivering Low Carbon Cities & Communities Conference, on 23rd November in the Gallery Suite - see www.climate-change-solutions.co.uk 

The conference was a big affair with Minister Joan Ruddock speaking during the day about the “Meeting the Energy Challenge UK” White Paper promoting decentralised energy combining renewable energy and resource efficiency with ESCo’s (energy partnerships) to deliver low carbon cities, towns, schools, housing, hospitals, business parks etc.
 

Eco₂Solar exhibit at Three Counties Autumn Show, Malvern

60,000 people attended the Autumn Show at the Malvern Three Counties Showground at the end of September. Eco₂Solar showed off their latest installations on a laptop presentation and attracted a huge amount of interest from people all over the country – even some from France and Germany. We have two installations near Malvern already – hopefully this will lead to some more!!

 

Green energy set to be compulsory in new homes across Britain

Daily Mail 21st August 2007 Green energy devices such as wind turbines and solar panels are to be made compulsory on millions of new homes and offices under government plans to boost green energy.

Housing minister Yvette Cooper is determined to push ahead with moves to force developers to cut their carbon emissions by using renewable sources of power. New planning policy guidance will make clear that ministers stand by council planners who refuse permission for buildings which fail to generate their own energy.

The measures are part of Gordon Brown's aim to make all new homes "zero-carbon" by 2016 and to meet a target for Britain to obtain 20 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.

According to The Evening Standard newspaper the guidance, to be published later this year, will impose an obligation on town halls to adopt targets for green energy.

In some cases, new developments will have to obtain all their electricity from renewable sources, with others having a 50 per cent target.

Contrary to fears expressed by some environmentalists, Ms Cooper will not be abolishing the Merton Rule, a policy that lets councils insist that all new commercial buildings must take at least 10 per cent of their energy from green sources.

The rule, named after the London borough that pioneered it, has been adopted by more than 150 local authorities. Last year, Ms Cooper gave it her full backing, even suggesting all councils should take it up.

The House Builders Federation, which fears the measure will be applied to housing, has been lobbying strongly to abolish it, claiming it imposes unnecessary costs on developers and is too heavy-handed.

The federation's chairman, Stewart Baseley, wants a national strategy phased in over 10 years and says action at local level will lead to confusion and higher costs.

 Renewable energy companies say the rule is much more important to them than the Government's low carbon buildings programme, which provides grants but has run out of money repeatedly and had its rules changed.

But according to the Standard, ministers intend to "widen, not abolish" the rule. "In some instances, we want to see councils going way beyond 10 per cent," a Whitehall source said.

"The rule is not ours to abolish. We want a wider use of renewable energy, for housing as well as commercial buildings."

In areas such as Woking, where the council has pioneered combined heat and power generators, all new housing may have to be linked to such schemes.

A spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government denied the planning guidance would ditch the Merton approach.

"Councils will be required to deliver more ambitious carbon-saving measures and set tougher targets for renewable energy for new developments," he said.

The Merton Rule was introduced in 2003. Merton council's cabinet member for the environment, Tariq Ahmad, said: "We would strongly urge the Government to continue letting councils implement renewable energy policy at a local level."

One development where the rule has had a big impact is the housing estate on Arsenal's former ground, Highbury. The scheme will obtain 10 per cent of its energy supplied from renewable sources on the site.
 

Eco₂Solar and Oxford go environmental
Eco₂Solar has teamed up with the Oxford Environment Centre as the solar energy partner in their range of sustainable energy technologies that they provide including wind turbines and ground source geothermal heat pumps. OEC are proactive in their campaigns to bring microgeneration to Oxfordshire and have even recuited the Conservative leader of the opposition, David Cameron, as a supporter. If you are in the Oxford area - pop in and see them in Witney or Charlbury.
 

Paul is going green! - eco₂solar featured in the Kidderminster Shuttle
The Kidderminster Shuttle & Times, the Wyre Forest’s premier newspaper, recently featured Eco₂Solar in their business section. They said “a petrol-head turned eco-warrior is encouraging more people to go green after starting a business specialising in renewable energy”. The article went on to describe the business of eco₂solar, painting a picture of the contrast between Director Paul Hutchens’ previous motor racing hobby and his new commitment to renewable technology. As Paul himself said “I am a convert to green energy”.


Planning law eased…. BBC News

Installing wind turbines and solar panels on homes should not necessarily require planning permission, the government has suggested.

If there is little or no impact on neighbouring properties then homeowners should not have to apply to their council, Ruth Kelly said.

The communities secretary said planning laws should not be a barrier to tackling climate change. Tory leader David Cameron had to remove a wind turbine from his home recently. It was removed within days of being erected because builders had attached it to a wall rather than the chimney stack, as specified in the planning permission. Ms Kelly, in a speech to environmental group the Green Alliance on Wednesday, said such "microgeneration" items should not be used as a "fashion accessory".
 

Eco₂Solar are exhibiting at the Ragley Green Fair at Ragley Hall
Set in the historic park Ragley Green Fair aims to promote environmental awareness by staging an exhibition that will showcase practical ideas and technologies for a more sustainable future. This will be a family event including children's activities and entertainment for all.

Attractions include "Greening the Home" Awareness, Local Food Marquee, Alternative energies Workshops and Talks, Green and Local Crafts, Entertainment Stage and Entertainers and Kids Green Zone.

Come for a great day out and enjoy all of Ragley's attractions on 5th, 6th and 7th May 2007, Ragley Hall web site.
 

Government Support for Renewable technologies

Government announces in the budget that it will allocate a further £6 million – making a total investment of over £18 million – to Phase One of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme for households.

 

Our partner company Riomay wins award
Riomay has won Installer of the Year at the South East Renewables Energy Awards.

The award, given by GOSE (The Government Office for the South East), SEEDA and the Regional Assembly, was for an outstanding product and service, creative use of panel systems and expert handling of large scale projects.


New large scale project in London
Riomay has just been awarded the contract to install an array of 70 solar thermal panels at the prestigious new Haringey Sixth Form Centre. The new educational centre, being built by Willmott Dixon Construction on the Middlesex University campus in White Hart Lane, Haringey, is part of an £86m regeneration project in the London borough.

Covering an area of more than 200 square metres the solar thermal panels will cover a huge area of the roof of the college with state-of-the-art, low maintenance solar panels at a cost of £188,000 for the whole project

As part of the project, Riomay will install an electronic display in a communal area of the college, giving a visual read out of present and cumulative performance of the system. The solar installation will provide an educational resource for the sixth form centre and schools in the area as well as achieve the Government's target of 10% of energy for new buildings being renewable.

Contact us for more information