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Whitehall deadlines for carbon action
The coalition government has issued a draft cross-government action plan that sets strict actions and deadlines for Whitehall on climate change. The new Carbon Plan sets out what has to happen and by when if the government is to meet tough domestic carbon targets and encourage greater action internationally. It is focused on the jobs and economic oppor- tunities of the low carbon economy and on policies that will help insulate Britain from future energy price shocks. A final version of the plan will be pub-
lished in the autumn and then updated annually. The document details a range of dead-
lines and actions that a number of govern- ment departments will have to meet,
including: the Treasury to legislate to create a floor in the carbon price by April 2011;
DECC to award the contract for the first UK carbon capture and storage demonstration by the end of this year,and identify further demonstration projects by May 2012;
the Department for Business to get the Green Investment Bank opera- tional by September 2012; and
by June 2011,Department for Transport to develop a nationwide strategy to promote the installation of electric vehicle infrastructure.
Internationally,the plan sets out how
the UK will work within the European Union and with other countries to promote ambitious action on climate change,support developing countries to limit emissions and adapt to climate change,and seek further progress towards a global climate change agreement.
Offshore wind farms for Yorkshire and Dorset coasts
E.ON has been given planning approval to build the proposed 230 MW Humber Gateway Offshore wind farm by the Department of Energy and Climate and Change (DECC). To be located 8 km off the Holderness Coast in Yorkshire, the wind farm will have up to 77 turbines. E.ON was granted onshore planning con-
sent for a new substation on industrial land near Salt End earlier this year. The substa- tion will connect theHumberGateway wind farm to the national grid via 30 km of underground cable. Meanwhile,the location for a proposed 900–1,200 MW offshore wind park off the Dorset and Hampshire coasts and to the west of the Isle of Wight has been announced by Eneco,developer of the proj-
ect. At the closest point,the wind park will be approximately 8 miles away from Peveril Point in Swanage,with a northern bound- ary 10 miles from Bournemouth. Last,Belfast Harbour and Denmark’s
DONG Energy have signed a letter of intent for an agreement which could make Belfast one of the UK’s leading renewable energy
hubs.DONGEnergy is progressing a number of offshore wind farm projects in the Irish Sea and its intention is to use Belfast Harbour as a base for its construction and operation. Belfast Harbour is to fund and build a new £40mn quay and logistics space on the County Down side of the Harbour. If a final agreement is signed,DONG Energy will use the facility to pre-assemble both wind turbines and their foundations.
1,000 Green Deal apprentices
At least 1,000 Green Deal apprentices are to receive government funding towards their training,as part of plans to insulate the UK’s homes and businesses against rising energy prices,and to reduce carbon emissions. Funding for the apprenticeships is part of a package of measures announced in March by the government to create a skilled work- force for its flagship Green Dealprogramme. The move has received the backing of
leading companies including B&Q,Carillion, E.ON,British Gas and InstaGroup. Measures to develop the skilledworkforce needed include:
Energy World April 2011
The Department for Business and the Department for Education will provide sufficient funding to match employer demand to train at least 1,000 Green Deal apprentices aged 16 and over.
Employers and Sector Skills Councils will design new apprenticeship frame- works and revise existing ones,for workers to be trained or re-trainedwith the skills that this growth sector will require.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change will work with the sector to set out new standards for Green
Deal installers. The package of measures will help
apprentices become experts in a range of areas including cavity and solid wall insula- tion,new energy efficient heating systems and also learn about new green technolo- gies.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary
Chris Huhne said: ‘The Green Deal is likely to support 100,000 jobs by 2015 and up to 250,000when it reaches its peak, andwill be great news for local economies with local firms encouraged to get involved in this new exciting industry.’
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The first of 177 foundations has been installed at the London Array Offshore Wind Farm, in the Thames Estuary, by project partners DONG Energy, E.ON and Masdar. The monopile, weighing 268 tonnes, was supplied and installed by joint venture company Per Arsleff Bilfinger Berger Ingeniurbeu using A2SEA’s jack-up barge, Seaworker. The transition piece was then lifted into place, completing the project’s first full foundation installation. Eachfoundation consists of a tubular
steel monopile, driven 20 to 50 metres into the seabed, and a large yellow tran- sition piece, which is fixed over the top of the monopile to provide the base for the wind turbine. The monopiles are between 33 and 65 metres long. Over the next nine months, two vessels will install the remaining 176 foundations in prepa- ration for the installation of the two off- shore substations in the summer, and the start of installation of the 175 wind tur- bines towards the end of the year. London Array is being built around 20
km off the coasts of Kent and Essex. The wind farm is to be built in two phases. Phase One includes 175 turbines with a combined capacity of 630 MW and should be completed by the end of 2012. If approved, the second phase will add enoughcapacity to bring the total to 1,000MW.
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