Business energy "missing jigsaw” piece of Chancellor's plans

Business energy users are likely to be feeling hard done by as their predicament was “one big piece of the jigsaw” missing from the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. That’s according to the CBI Director General John Cridland (pictured) who has told ELN: “He didn’t do anything about energy costs on business.” While the recent debate over […]

Repeated calls for Chancellor to tackle rising business bills

The manufacturers’ organisation EEF has called on the Chancellor to do more to tackle rising energy bills for businesses, echoing a similar petition by the CBI last week. Speaking ahead of George Osborne’s Autumn statement due in December, EEF’s Chief Executive Terry Scuoler said: “The Chancellor’s top priority must be action on business energy costs. […]

Double tax rise putting burden on CHP says trade group

A double tax rise on Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is putting a burden on the industry and “sending the wrong signal to investors” according to the Combined Heat and Power Association (CHPA). It complained the Government’s removal of the Climate Change Levy exemption for CHP and its introduction of Carbon Price Support has lumped […]

Industry warns renewable heat projects need funding certainty

The UK Government is being urged to change budgeting rules for its flagship heat policy to unlock “hundreds of millions of pounds” of investment for large-scale renewable heat projects in the country. Two major industry groups, the Combined Heat and Power Association (CHPA) and the Renewable Energy Association (REA), joined forces to highlight the challenge […]

Guest Blog: Graham Meeks – Turn up the heat big boy….

Blink and you would have missed it but last Tuesday week something truly remarkable happened in the increasingly turbulent and tortured world of UK energy policy. You could be excused for missing it, buried under the announcement of further delays to the Renewable Heat Incentive and a commitment of £20m for R&D for nuclear but […]

Plans to make heating networks ‘Britain’s third energy utility’

Plans are afoot to make heating systems which are shared by local communities Britain’s ‘third energy utility’. Local authorities, community representatives and industry developers met last week to back a co-ordinated plan of action which would see district heat operate alongside gas and electricity networks. There’s a ‘pipeline’ of such district projects which could spell […]

DECC unveils new plans for renewable heat scheme

The UK Government has today set out renewable heat scheme plans for commercial, industrial and community organisations. The new updates include a fixed budget for each year of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) to ensure the scheme remains “financially sustainable” and offers good value for money to the taxpayer. DECC said the RHI is designed […]

Relief as Davey says “I’ve not lost sight” of heat sector

There was relief for firms in the heat sector when the Energy Secretary declared he hasn’t “lost sight” of how important it is yesterday. Often firms in the sector including those who use a lot of heat feel they are a ‘Cinderella’, neglected in talks about power. Speaking at the Combined Heat and Power Association’s […]

Cheap US energy should “worry” British firms

Cheap American energy prices “should be a worry” to British and European businesses, the Managing Director of TATA Chemicals Europe warned today. Speaking at the Combined Heat and Power Association’s conference in London, Dr Martin Ashcroft also suggested major energy and heat-using industries are fed up with “simplistic” criticism over being wasteful. Asked about the […]

Public energy procurement ‘must be in DECC’s sights’

The public sector’s procurement of energy contracts must now be in the sights of DECC, says the Energy Management Alliance (EMA). The group which counts some of UK’s leading energy management companies like Schneider Electric and Siemes as well as industry bodies as members, said it was about time the energy department turned its gaze […]