Scottish Government cuts biomass support at 15MW

The Scottish Government has removed  subsidy for biomass power plants of more than 15MW due to concerns they will use too much wood. Energy Minister Fergus Ewing made the announcement for future support levels and said wood-fuelled biomass plants with more than 15MW of capacity will only receive support if they operate as combined heat […]

New support levels for solar and biomass

The Government has set out support levels designed to encourage new solar and biomass power generation developments. Under the new package, ground-mounted solar installations with more than 5MW of capacity will receive 1.6 Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) per megawatt hour from April next year and building-mounted systems will get 1.7 ROCs/MWh. The new support levels […]

DECC’s solar cuts “too big and too soon”

DECC’s new proposal to cut tariffs on solar installations are “too big and too soon”. That’s the view of the Solar Trade Association (STA) who have slammed last week’s Government’s consultation on solar support. DECC have proposed a reduction for large-scale solar installations from 2ROCs/MWh to 1.5 ROCs/MWh from March next year. But the STA […]

DECC’s new consultation to provide certainty

DECC has today released its consultation on the level of support for solar and biomass in an effort to provide certainty for investors. The new rates are set under the Renewables Obligation (RO), which are subsidies given to companies for the amount of renewable electricity they generate. The consultation proposes that large-scale solar installations should […]

Deep geothermal feeling sore after subsidy slight

The deep geothermal power industry has been left feeling slighted after the Government decided to freeze the level of subsidy it will get in future. Energy Secretary Ed Davey announced new levels for the renewables obligation (RO) yesterday, confirming the subsidy will be frozen at 2 ROCs for deep geothermal. Dr Ryan Law, Chair of […]

DECC updates Electricity Market Reform plans

The National Grid is to take on a pivotal role in delivering the Government’s new energy policies, says DECC. The National Grid will become the system operator for theFeed-in Tariff with Contracts for Difference and the capacity mechanism under the Government’s electricity market reform. At Parliament today, energy secretary Chris Huhne announced the news in […]

Co-op lends £500bn to renewable projects

The Co-operative Bank has lent more than half a billion pounds to renewable energy projects. Since 2007, the banking arm of the supermarket chain has funded 108 new renewable energy projects with more than £500billion. The Bank specialises in projects with a capital value of up to £25m which are usually taken on by smaller […]

Rocketing ROC support for marine power is "heartening"

Marine energy firms have hailed the Government’s “heartening” new plans for the green energy subsidy, the Renewables Obligation. Tidal stream and wave power are set to be big winners under new proposals for the Renewables Obligation with the support for them due to rocket from 2 to 5 ROCs per MWh. Martin McAdam, Chief Executive […]

ROCs must not hit poor households the hardest

Government must beware subsidies for renewable energy pushing more households into fuel poverty, a consumer body has warned. Yesterday the Government announced that it was lowering subsidy levels for some types of energy like onshore wind, potentially cutting spending by more than £1billion, according to DECC. Announcing the new levels of subsidy for the Renewables […]