Brexit Spells End to EU leadership in Climate Diplomacy
Britain's exit dashes the European Union's leadership ambitions on efforts to slow climate change, leaving the bloc on the sidelines while others endorse the global pact it championed to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Last week, EU environment ministers jointly called for action "as soon as possible" to avoid being absent when the deal struck in Paris last December to limit global average temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius locks into place.
UK Carbon Emission Goals in Jeopardy if Hinkley Delayed
Britain's carbon emission targets could be at risk if the Hinkley C nuclear power project is cancelled or delayed beyond its planned 2025 start date, the country's energy and climate minister said on Tuesday. The 18 billion-pound ($25.5 billion) project was announced in October 2013 but developer Electricite de France has stalled on making a final investment decision while the firm secures partners and financing.
UK Lawmakers Seek Assurances for Hinkley C Nuclear Plant
A British parliamentary committee has asked the country's energy minister to outline any contingency plans and potential costs if the Hinkley Point C nuclear project collapses. The 18 billion pound ($25.5 billion) project was announced in October 2013 and the plant is seen as vital to securing British electricity supply, but a final investment decision has been delayed while developer EDF seeks partners and financing.
UK Softens Solar Supports Cuts
Feed-in-Tariff for solar up to 10 KW at 4.39 p/KWh; tariff spending capped at 100 mln pounds a year. Britain reduced financial support for domestic-scale solar power by less than expected on Thursday but went ahead with other cost-saving measures on renewables subsidies as expected. The government cut the tariff for domestic-scale solar up to 10 kilowatts in capacity, such as rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) installations…
DW: Opportunity Abound in UK Offshore Wind Sector
In November, Energy Secretary Amber Rudd announced her vision for the energy system: to put consumers first, increase competition and secure electricity generation for the U.K. In addition to a proposal to end unabated coal-fired power stations and prioritize gas-fired power stations, the Energy Secretary disclosed a commitment to offshore wind whereby the government will support the target of 10 GW of capacity by 2020, if costs reduction conditions are met.
UK: Nation Must Move Away from Coal
Coal provided a third of UK electricity in 2014; new gas plants and nuclear must be built. Britain must move away from dirty and aging coal-fired power stations and encourage new gas and nuclear power plants, its energy minister will say on Wednesday when unveiling a new direction for energy policy in the country. "It cannot be satisfactory for an advanced economy like the UK to be relying on polluting…
UK May Use EU Loophole to Dampen Green Cuts Impact
Britain could buy 'statistical transfers' from other countries. Britain is thinking of using an EU loophole to dodge the impact of its own subsidy cuts on renewable energy and escape fines for missing 2020 European renewable targets. Under EU rules Britain could use the loophole, termed statistical transfer, which would see it pay other, greener, EU countries overshooting their targets, to make up the difference.
Forewind Scales Back World's Largest Offshore Wind Project Plans
Forewind has scaled back by a third plans to build wind farms at Dogger Bank in Britain's North Sea, which could nevertheless become the world's largest wind project, it said on Friday. Forewind -- a consortium of energy companies RWE Innogy UK, SSE, Statkraft and Statoil -- gave no specific reason for the decision. It had secured licenses from Britain's Crown Estate to build six projects at the Dogger Bank offshore zone of 1.2 gigawatts (GW) of electricity each.
Dogger Bank Wind Development Consents Total 4.8GW
Today’s planning approval for offshore wind energy at Dogger Bank takes the total of consented projects in the North Sea zone to 4.8 gigawatts (GW), almost equal to all the offshore wind capacity now in operation in the U.K. The consented development, Dogger Bank Teesside A&B is part of the Dogger Bank Zone, the largest of the Round 3 zones and the farthest from shore, but also one of the shallowest…
Britain to Slash Renewable Subsidies
Plans early end to small scale solar subsides; renewable subsidies expected to hit 9.1 bln stg in 2020/21. Britain's government on Wednesday moved to rein in the spiraling costs of renewable power subsidies which it said threatened to push up household bills. The plans include closing support for small-scale solar projects, changing the way renewable projects qualify for payments and modifying subsidies for biomass plants.
UK Onshore Wind Turbines Threatened by Subsidy Cut
More than 2,500 new wind turbines, amounting to 7.1 gigawatts (GW) of electricity production capacity, are now unlikely to be built in Britain because of a fast-tracked subsidy cut outlined by the new government. British energy minister Amber Rudd said an earlier than planned reduction in onshore wind subsidies was necessary to avoid spending more than required to meet Britain's legally binding green energy targets.
Britain's New Government to Kick-Start Shale
Britain's new Conservative government could take control of planning decisions to speed up the development of shale gas and prevent investor money from drying up, lawyers say. Britain is estimated to have enough shale gas trapped below its surface to meet its gas needs for decades. But deployment of the controversial fracking technology required to release gas trapped in rocks has…
Cameron Taps Rudd as UK Energy Secretary
British Prime Minister David Cameron has named Amber Rudd, one of the lesser known names from his party, as energy minister to tackle such controversial issues as government support for onshore wind farms and shale gas. Rudd, a former investment banker who previously served as parliamentary under-secretary in the Department of Energy and Climate Change for less than one year, replaces Ed Davey…
