Legislation News

Scottish planners offered advice on wind farm applications

21-11-08: Scottish ministers publish new Planning Advice Note laying out the issues local authorities should be aware of in determining wind farm applications

Industry concern over level of government support for CHP

20-11-08: Minister notes "very significant" opportunities for combined heat and power sector in new legislation, but industry is concerned at lack of a "joined up" incentive for CHP

Cautious welcome for feed-in tariffs from renewables sector

19-11-08: Feed-in tariffs welcomed by renewables industry, but many are unhappy with the government's 5MW cap; "devil is in the detail" says REA

Government commits to feed-in tariffs for 2010

19-11-08: Energy Bill debate sees minister Mike O'Brien reassuring doubters that guaranteed long-term payments will be brought in for small-scale renewable electricity projects

Government raises renewables feed-in tariff cap to 5MW

18-11-08: Although actual level of feed-in tariff threshold could still be lower, ministers raise proposed maximum level from three to 5MW within today's Energy Bill debate

Ministers seek views on Northern Ireland's energy future

17-11-08: Ministers launch consultation on Northern Ireland's four-year-old Strategic Energy Framework, to significantly increase the amount of renewable power being generated

Energy security key in next wave of European energy laws

13-11-08:

Efforts to boost investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency are central to EU Commission's latest "package" of energy legislation for Europe, unveiled today

Government clashes with Tories over carbon capture

13-11-08: Ed Miliband says energy supply security is "top priority" as he comes under fire for refusing to rule out new non-CCS coal fired power stations

Scots call on Europe to back North Sea renewables "supergrid"

13-11-08: Alex Salmond says supergrid would be "major step forward" for Scotland's renewable energy, as UK government attempts to keep lid on nationalist agenda

Europe unveils £9bn plan to demonstrate carbon capture

11-11-08: Cross-sector group unveils criteria for projects that could be included in EU programme to speed up development of carbon capture and storage in power sector

Renewable Heat Incentive to offer banded system of support

06-11-08: New subsidy system for renewable heat and heating fuels will offer different support levels for different technologies - similar to reformed Renewables Obligation

Government sticks to 3MW cap for microgeneration feed-in tariff

06-11-08: Energy Bill debate fails to sway minister Lord Hunt in setting 3MW upper limit on forthcoming small-scale power incentives to protect larger-scale projects

Warning over EU threat to energy-from-waste efforts

05-11-08: Concern over attempt by certain members of EU Council to redefine biomass, requiring it to be separately collected from waste to count as renewable energy source

Commission defends green energy targets in economic "crisis"

05-11-08: EU energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs says safeguards are in place to protect businesses from increased climate change targets

Energy Bill debate to address "sleeping giant" of climate change

05-11-08: Use of energy for heating purposes - responsible for half UK carbon emissions - to be addressed through proposals in today's Energy Bill debate in House of Lords

Tories: Keep business tax local to help energy planning

04-11-08: Shadow energy minister Charles Hendry says local business rates from wind farms and other renewable energy schemes should remain with local authorities

News in Brief

04-11-08: Including news of a tidal power deal for Edinburgh University; Scottish planning shake-up; Friends of the Earth view on feed-in tariff amendments; and, installation of a biogas refuelling station in Camden

Wind developers "surprised and concerned" by local planners

31-10-08: Flood of wind farm applications being thrown out by planning committees across the UK, even when long feasibility studies and environmental assessments are carried out

Industry welcomes feed-in tariffs for power and heat

30-10-08:

Inclusion of feed-in tariff amendment to the Energy Bill prompts praise from renewables industry, but the REA doubts the government's timetable

Government unveils renewable power and heat feed-in tariffs

30-10-08: Ministers propose separate feed-in tariffs for renewable electricity and renewable heat, within amendments to the Energy Bill ahead of House of Lords debate next week

Ministers announce 10-year smart meter roll-out for households

29-10-08: Energy Bill debate in Parliament sees government announcing decision to make smart meters mandatory for households, to tie in with UK's renewable energy target in 2020

Biofuels "better" than standard jet fuel, says Boeing

27-10-08:

With expectations that aviation will join other industry sectors within tougher climate change targets this week, Boeing says latest biofuels perform well in aircraft

Demand for UK commitment to small-scale heat and power

24-10-08: As government finalises details of feed-in tariff amendment for Energy Bill, Lords says microgeneration and renewable heat "as important" as large-scale green electricity

Curb local planners' powers in renewable energy, say Lords

24-10-08: Report into EU sub-committee inquiry into UK's 15% renewable energy target demands planning reforms beyond government's current proposals

SNP “gambling” with Scotland’s energy future, claim Labour MPs

23-10-08: Glasgow MP John Robertson and energy minister Mike O'Brien claim Edinburgh government's opposition to nuclear power will mean future dependence on foreign gas

Energy minister calls on wind industry to “do its part”

22-10-08: DECC minister Mike O'Brien tells BWEA delegates government will help renewables industry overcome planning and grid barriers, but cannot do it alone