Network Update – November 2015

Welcome to November’s Network Update. This month: Energiesprong; Raising Green Investment; Time-of-use tariffs; World energy outlook; Christmas networking; Wakehurst Place report; Community energy; Tendering Masterclass and Magic Maps!

Energiepsrong! Whole house retrofit in an afternoon

In needs to be seen to be believed. Devised in The Netherlands a new cost-effective approach to upgrading energy inefficient housing into zero-carbon homes could be on its way to the UK. After precision laser measurements are taken on site, new insulated walls are manufactured then delivered and installed along with a full solar PV roof and ‘energy unit’ containing a heat pump and mechanical ventilation system. It’s Friday – watch the video on the Energiepsrong website!

Environmental Best Practice
at Wakehurst Place

Barney the storm didn’t put off 50 delegates joining us for a behind-the-scenes tour of Wakehurst Place and the Millennium Seed Bank to find out how they have been reducing environmental impact.

Visit our website to find out what they’ve been up to. The tour was part of the Green Growth Platform events programme.

Community energy news…

Last month we reported a crowd funding campaign was about to launch to build a solar farm in Balcombe. Unfortunately the villagers’ plans have been dashed, as following the government’s decision to remove tax relief for investors in community energy the fund-raising was deemed unfeasible. The solar farm will still be built, just owned by a developer rather than the community.

Three local groups are still hoping to raise funding however before the end of November when the tax rules change; Meadow Blue Community Energy for a solar farm near Chichester; BHESCo  for solar PV and biomass projects around Brighton and Brighton Energy Co-op for solar PV projects in Brighton and Maidstone.

Brighton Energy Co-op’s Community Fund is also open for application until the 23rd November, with £2,500 on offer towards local energy efficiency or renewables projects.

Time-of-use tariffs on their way for larger electricity users

The price paid by energy suppliers to buy and transport energy to their customers  is currently based on estimates of how much energy these customers use at different times of day. Ofgem want to make this pricing arrangement more accurate and have passed new rules that require energy suppliers to monitor half-hourly energy consumption by their larger customers (meter profiles 05 to 08 and 00) and then calculate and pay energy and network costs reflecting actual usage patterns.

The result of this is that to remain competitive energy suppliers will need to introduce time-of-use tariffs, with lower rates available for energy during off-peak hours, when it is cheaper for the energy supplier to purchase it themselves. Of course this means energy costs for businesses who use most energy during peak periods will also likely rise, though Ofgem hope this will be an incentive to improve energy efficiency. More information can be found in an Ofgem factsheet.

Last month at the Sustainable Business Partnership…

Many thanks to those who attended an event in the last month, such as our breakfast with Go-Ahead and Tendering Masterclass held in partnership with the Green Growth Platform, or the first session of the Museum Facilities Managers Forum which took us into the secret tunnel below Brighton’s Royal Pavilion Gardens!

We’ve also been out energy auditing in Eastbourne, Seaford, Ditchling and Peacehaven and approving grant applications for energy efficiency projects across East Sussex (those applying, don’t forget the deadline is today!). See you at another event soon.

And finally…

World Energy Outlook 2015 – View presentation
How will the world be powered in 2040?

Science Museum to cut ties with Shell – Article
Oil company sponsorship deal ‘not to be renewed’.

Magic map! – Explore
Shows habitats and species of the UK, and outlines special protected areas.

Cost effective delivery through sustainability – Case studies
Local authorities benefiting from actively considering sustainability in their operations and services.

ESOS compliance still sluggish
Environment Agency figures suggest just 647 companies are compliant, of around 10,000 that fall under the scheme.