NEWS In Brief
SCOTLAND TO BE PART OF RHI The Renewable Heat Incentive scheme (RHI) is to be extended to Scotland, enabling large producers of renewable heating to be paid for every unit of energy produced. Householders will also receive support for the installation of technologies like heat pumps, solar thermal or biomass boilers under the Renewable Heat Premium Payment.
www.scotland.gov.uk
CARBON PRICE ‘IS HOT AIR’ The government’s carbon floor price policy could add £1bn to bills while doing nothing to reduce emissions. Hot Air, a report from the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR), says that instead of reducing emissions, the Carbon Price Support Scheme due to come into force in 2013 to guarantee a minimum price for carbon, will simply move the problem elsewhere while making carbon more expensive for UK companies.
www.ippr.org
NEW ENERGY GUIDES The Carbon Trust has launched a new Expert in Energy series of free, low carbon business guides, web advice and webinair sessions to help businesses save money and cut energy use. Monthly topics – in guides designed to be straightforward, objective and easily digestible – include refrigeration, energy management and renewables.
www.carbontrust.co.uk
ASSISTED-LIVING ADVICE A new publication, A guide for assisted living, towards LifeHome 21, has been prepared by experts from BRE, 3DReid Research and the Royal Institute of British Architects. It covers housing standards, ergonomics, access, space requirements and digital connectivity, in practical guidance on appropriate design, specification, construction and adaptation of assisted living enabled buildings.
CRC scheme ‘simplified’ to cut down on red tape
l Government responds to complaints over carbon reduction scheme’s complexity
Ten thousand organisations are to be removed from the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC) and businesses will have to report on usage of just four fuel types, as opposed to 29. The CRC is to be streamlined, the Department of
Energy and Climate Change has announced, after businesses and industry complained about the scheme’s complexity. Fuels that will continue to be monitored are electricity, gas, kerosene and diesel. There had also been
concern from affected companies that the levy has been turned into a ‘stealth tax’. When changes to the CRC were announced, following the government’s spending review in the autumn of 2010, they met opposition from some quarters because the money raised from a levy on carbon emissions was to be claimed by the government. Previously, the money was to be redistributed
‘ We have got to help businesses reduce their emissions, not strangle them in red tape’
among the companies in the scheme, with those who reduced their emissions effectively getting a rebate, while the worst offenders would pay the levy in full. Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: ‘Businesses have made clear to me their serious concerns about the overly complex and bureaucratic CRC scheme. We’ve got to help business reduce their
Retail chains are part of the new CRC
emissions, not strangle them in red tape. ‘We’ve already taken 10,000 organisations out of the
scheme, but we’ve got to do more to make it easier for those organisations taking part.’ Some of the organisations that are now exempt are
already having their emissions monitored through other government schemes; others are low-level polluters. In a ministerial statement, Barker said: ‘We have
looked at the interplay between the EU Emissions Trading System and UK regulation; in particular now the UK can best implement the provisions in the directive that allow for smaller emitters to opt out.’
For more information visit:
www.decc.org.uk
MEPs block move to raise carbon target Graham Meeks, director of the
Two initiatives aimed at cutting carbon emissions have been voted down by the European Parliament. The Energy Roadmap 2050,
which would have set targets of a 40% cut in emissions by 2030, 60% by 2040 and 80% by 2050, was vetoed by Poland when it was brought before the Parliament. Separately, another EU initiative
to cut emissions – which would have seen emissions driven down by 30% on 1990 levels by 2020 – also fell due to lack of support from MEPs. But a new draft directive on
energy efficiency, proposed by Energy Commissioner Günther
8 CIBSE Journal August 2011
Oettinger, is making progress. The directive seeks to address
concerns that the EU is not on course to meet its 20% energy saving target by 2020. The draft document explores,
among other things, the idea of capturing waste heat. The European Commission wants all new and refurbished thermal electricity facilities fitted with heat recovery equipment. The Commission has suggested
that electricity generated by combined heat and power (CHP) services should benefit from priority grid access, in common with electricity generated from other renewable sources.
CHP Association, said: ‘Energy efficient solutions are among the most cost effective ways of reducing emissions, and this directive seeks to drive a step- change in energy efficiency across the EU.’ He added: ‘We very much welcome the direction of travel, and can see the obvious benefits from CHP becoming the norm for new energy plant. However, we question whether the measures set out in the directive on their own will be sufficient.’ The directive also argues for an
annual renovation target of 3% for public buildings above 250 sq m.
www.cibsejournal.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56