NEWS Draft Energy Bill seeks reform
● Plans aim to make the electricity market greener and boost renewables investment
The government has published an Energy Bill aimed at reforming the electricity market to make it greener. The Draft Bill covers electricity market reform and nuclear regulation as well as sale of the government pipeline and storage system. Ministers say the Bill will bring in long-term
‘Contracts For Difference’ with energy companies that will provide a stable market for them to invest in clean technologies for power generation. It will also introduce a carbon fl oor price and an emissions performance standard to drive increased generation effi ciency, a ‘capacity mechanism’ to pay for standby capacity to lessen the chance of supply shortages, and creation of the Offi ce for Nuclear Regulation to deliver new nuclear plants. But the plans have been criticised by business analysts and environmental groups. Hywel Davies, CIBSE technical director, suggested that this package will lead to increased energy costs to fund the £110bn investment. He also feared that the ‘low-carbon support’ may be diverted from renewable to support nuclear.
Peter Atherton, head of European utility sector research at Citigroup, wrote in a research note that
The government is looking at making electricity greener
‘the government seems no closer to being able to square its desire to support new nuclear with its political imperative not to be seen to be subsidising nuclear build’. Some analysts have even suggested that, far from the intention to demonstrate progress and reinvigorate investors’ appetite for the electricity sector, it could put them off. The Draft Bill has been published for comment and review, prior to the introduction of the full Bill to parliament in the autumn. CIBSE will be submitting evidence to the Energy and Climate Change Committee Enquiry into the Bill. The full draft bill can be downloaded from
www.offi
cial-documents.gov.uk/document/ cm83/8362/8362.pdf
Renewables market ‘outstrips the economy’
The UK renewables market grew by 11% between 2009 and 2011 – far in advance of the general economy – and is already worth £12.5bn, according to new research. The industry supports 110,000 jobs across the supply chain. That could grow to more than 400,000 by 2020, the research found. Renewable Energy: Made in
Britain was published by the Renewable Energy Association
(REA), which said this was the fi rst time that the turnover and employment fi gures of the entire UK renewables sector had been quantifi ed.
The association claimed that by meeting its renewable energy targets, the UK would displace fossil fuels costing the economy £60bn – much of which would have to be imported – so providing a major fi nancial boost
to British fi rms and consumers. REA president Tim Yeo said the government needed to show leadership with ‘a clearer and more systematic approach to developing the skills required to ensure a shortage does not derail the industry’s continued expansion’. He added: ‘This report provides a great synopsis of our current position and the opportunities for the future.’
www.r-e-a.net
In Brief
CIBSE ‘GREEN DEAL’ APPROVAL CIBSE Certifi cation has been approved as a certifi cation body for the government’s fl agship Green Deal policy. Training and certifi cation will be offerred to professionals wanting to offer advice under the Green Deal.
www.cibse.org
CONSTRUCTION CHIEF SOUGHT A new Chief Constrution Adviser to government is being sought to succeed Paul Morrell, who will step down in November after three years in the post. Business Minister Mark Prisk said Morrell had encouraged the development of a construction industry ‘fi t for a low carbon future’. Prisk also announced £1m of funding for the Green Construction Board.
SOLAR CUT DELAY WELCOMED The next round of cuts to feed- in tariffs for solar photovoltaic installations will be delayed, the government has said. The Solar Trade Association welcomed the move, saying it was encouraged that the government was listening to industry’s concerns.
BIM GUIDELINES FROM RIBA The Royal Institute for British Architects (RIBA) has published good-practice guidance for architects on using Building Information Modelling (BIM). The document takes the form of a ‘BIM Overlay’ to the RIBA Outline Plan of Work.
www.architecture.com
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www.cibsejournal.com
June 2012 CIBSE Journal
15/05/2012 16:34 7
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