The Market Report – 28th February 2012

The Market Report – 28th February 2012 provided by npower

MPs disappointed with Government’s poor air quality

MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee have revealed their frustration with the Government’s attitude to dealing with the UK’s air quality. The Chair of the committee said the Government’s response to their report set out few policy changes which is likely to result in the UK failing to meet EU targets. Joan Walley MP said: […]

UK smart meter market set to be worth £1bn by 2015

The UK smart meter market is expected to exceed £1 billion a year in 2015, thanks to recent EU and UK laws which require the devices to be installed in most homes by 2019. A new report from IMS Research claims consumers will also feel the benefits through cheaper bills and more flexible tariffs, despite […]

UK could dim A-road lamps to cut carbon

Lights along some stretches of A-roads in the UK may soon be dimmed to cut carbon emissions. A-road lighting levels could be dropped when fewer cars are on the roads at off peak times such as between midnight and 5am. The plans were revealed by Transport Minister Norman Baker in a written answer to Parliament. […]

Scottish energy services company awarded £250 million North Sea contract

A Scottish energy services company has been awarded a major North Sea contract to deliver operations to the Balmoral floating production vessel. Wood Group PSN received the £250 million contract and will provide onshore and offshore operations and maintenance services to the production vessel situated to the North East of Aberdeen. Robin Watson, UK Managing […]

Global Carbon Project launches its first UK office

An international project aimed to develop a complete picture of the global carbon cycle has opened its first UK office at the University of East Anglia. The Global Carbon Project (GCP) provides up-to-date scientific data of carbon emissions and helps provide better estimates of global carbon budgets. The UK office located within the Tyndall Centre […]

Energy Minister: Madness not to use wind

Energy Minister Charles Hendry has waded into the wind power debate by asserting that the UK is “committed to supporting the development of both off and offshore wind.” Mr Hendry responded on his DECC blog to allegations by the Guardian newspaper that wind firms were putting their funds “on hold” as a result of Government […]

Tilbury: crews work through the night on blaze

Crews from Essex Fire Service worked through the night to stay on top of the blaze at the Tilbury biomass power station. A fire broke out yesterday in a fuel storage area, but was under control by the afternoon. Firefighters began to remove pellets from fuel hoppers while maintaining a foam blanket on the affected […]

China launches renewable energy thinktank

China has launched its first ever national renewable energy thinktank. The news comes as China announced plans to slash its industrial energy use by a fifth. The China National Renewable Energy Centre will carry out research and develop new policies to aid the country’s climate change efforts. Liu Qi, deputy head of China’s National Energy […]

Banning discount energy tariffs is ‘barking up the wrong tree’

The price comparison website uSwitch has slammed a report which suggests banning discount energy offers for customers. Over the weekend thinktank IPPR called on Ofgem to stop suppliers offering heavily discounted, “loss-leading” offers to tempt people to switch to them. But price comparison website uSwitch believes this approach is misguided and said the IPPR is […]