Irish utility announces financing for new Manchester gas plant

Ireland’s utility ESB has secured financing for a new gas power station on the outskirts of Manchester. Carrington Power Limited, owned by ESB said today a syndicate of international banks will fund the combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant, including RBS, Lloyds, Santander, BBVA and Société Générale. At 880MW, the new plant will generate enough […]

King’s Cross powered by solar

One of London’s major railway station has upped its green credentials and today switched on its new solar system. Covering more than 2,300 square meters, King’s Cross station claims the solar panels are combined into 1,392 custom-made glass units, making it one of the UK’s largest and most complex building-integrated solar system. The 240 kilowatt-peak […]

Greg Barker drums up renewable interest on East Africa trip

Climate Change Minister Greg Barker is leading a trade delegation of UK business leaders to East Africa next week to drum up renewable energy investment. Taking in Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania, the group of around 20 firms will meet with some of the region’s most senior policy and decision makers to “open doors” for UK […]

Mecca plans solar plant to power city

Mecca is aspiring to be the first city in oil-rich Saudi Arabia to have its own utility-scale renewable energy plant. The mayor of the city, home to Islam’s holy shrine which attracts millions with an annual pilgrimage, said it would pick one of 20 bidders to build a solar power plant with 100 megawatts of […]

EVs could form a third of cars by 2050

Electric vehicles (EVs) powered by fuel cells could account for a third (30%) of all cars on the road by 2050. According to Carbon Trust’s new report, UK breakthroughs in polymer fuel cells could make fuel cell cars cost competitive with combustion engine cars. It claims the reduction in costs and market potential has shown […]

Would people bother using QR codes on energy bills?

At the moment they’re mainly used by big brands like Puma and Ralph Lauren to try and sell products – but the Government thinks the black and white QR codes, which smartphones scan to give users more information, could go onto energy bills. So if the codes eventually work their way onto household energy statements, […]

Ooh err could QR mean better energy deals?

Noticed those black and white squares in asymmetrical check patterns on the corner of magazine adverts – the ones you can scan with your smartphone to find out more information? Known as quick response or QR codes, the Government is thinking about putting them onto energy bills. In an announcement last weekend Energy Secretary Ed […]

Railways to use Hydrogen fuel cells

UK railways could soon start using a new range of efficient fuel cell technologies across the rail network. The Hymera fuel cell generator, one of the products approved for use by Network Rail, produces energy by combining hydrogen and oxygen from the air to form electricity and water, creating zero emissions. BOC, a member of […]

Toyota’s massive electric car release fades into distance

Toyota is backtracking on plans to release thousands of a new electric car model. It recently emerged the Japanese carmaker will only release around 100 of its eQ – an electric version of the iQ city car – in the United States and Japan. Instead the firm which has been developing electric vehicle technology for […]

EDF re-launches flagship tariff – with “heftier” price tag

EDF Energy today re-launched a flagship tariff which lets customers fix their energy prices for the next two winters without paying an exit fee – but with a “heftier” price tag of £89 more than its predecessor. Open to both new and existing customers, the Blue+ Promise means people can fix their energy prices until […]