As announced at the recent meeting, Cluster Members can now download and print-off a series of eight information leaflets, produced bilingually, in pdf format. The leaflets can be used to provide background information to potential customers, and have a space that you can use to add your contact details/logo/company stamp.

1 - Efficiency / 1 - Effeithlonrwydd
2 - Grants / 2 - Grantiau
3 - Solar Thermal / 3 - Ynni Solar Thermol
4 - Solar Photovoltaic / 4 - Ynni Ffotofoltaidd Solar
5 - Wood Fuel / 5 - Ynni Coed
6 - Wind Energy / 6 - Ynni Gwynt
7 - Hydro Energy / 7 - Trydan Dŵr
8 - Heat Pumps / 8 - Pumpiau Gwres


(EGSI supports the use of Open-Source Software. Software used in producing these leaflets includes: OpenOffice, Ubuntu and GIMP.)

Labels: downloads

Sustainable Design: Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Buildings

15th March 2007, National Botanic Gardens of Wales

Ninety-five people, representing 30 private businesses and 26 public sector or non-for-profit organisations attended the event. This was the first event where we have needed to put people on a waiting list and turn down last minute registrations, reflecting the relevance of the information and contacts we were providing and also the benefits of choosing an attractive venue.

The first presentation, from Trevor Roach, Head of Science and Education at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, set the context for the Garden’s installation of a biomass boiler and their long-term commitment to sustainable development. This was followed by a short tour taking in the biomass boiler, the water treatment system (the cleaned water from which is used on the biomass plantation) and the glasshouse heated by the boiler. Delegates were split into five groups, mixing suppliers with customers, separating people from the same organisation into different groups, and with an EGS team member in each group to act as informal facilitator.
The afternoon series of presentations covered aspects of Low Carbon design and demonstrated the involvement of key players in the installation of a renewable energy system – in this case solar thermal technology in a Gwalia Housing Association project. Speakers came from the company that designed and installed the system (Filsol), the architects (PCKO) and the housing association (Gwalia).

After a brief presentation updating delegates on developments with the Microgeneration Action Plan and Low Carbon Building Programme, the day was finished with four presentations from GEC companies. Two of the presenting companies, Dulas and Filsol, were recently successful as the lead partners tendering to be framework suppliers for the Phase 2 LCBP funding.

Presentations are now available from the meeting. All presentations are copyrighted by their respective owners, and delivered in pdf format at the maximum compression available. Users on dial-up should be aware that some presentations may take several minutes to download.

Trevor Roach - National Botanic Garden of Wales (2.6MB)

Katharine York - EGSi (80kB)

Cindy Harris - Design Council for Wales (4.4 MB)
Haf Roberts - Gwalia (2.2 MB)
John Blower - Filsol (Burry) (324 Kb)
PCKO (3.6 MB)

Enviropower CHP (200 kB)
John Blower - Filsol (1.5 MB)
Mat Hutchinson - PBE (1.2 MB)
Ian Draisey - Dulas (373kB)

Labels: case study, downloads, events, housing

In the budget yesterday, Gordon Brown announced:

• 50% increase in funding for householder element of the Low Carbon Building Programme (an additional £6M)
• Stamp duty on first £500,000 to be abolished until 2012 on all new zero-carbon homes
• Ofgem to be called in to investigate how people who have installed microgeneration schemes can be better rewarded for the electricity they sell to the national grid.
• Proposals to be made to EU to reduce VAT from 17.5% to 5% on energy-saving/environmentally-friendly products in the home
• Banks have been asked to draw up proposals for "green mortgages" to help finance energy-efficiency measures.

all Official Budget documents in pdf format
Independent Online article
Guardian Online article

***UPDATE***
As part of their Budget announcement, the DTI have indicated that April's expected allocation of householder funding will be suspended while the scheme is re-structured. Proposals will be brought forward "in May"

LCBP homepage with announcement

Labels: Budget 2007, carbon neutral, funding

On the 16th March 2007, the Clear Skies accreditation scheme ceased taking new registrations. As the replacement UK Microgeneration Certification Scheme is not yet open, there is considerable concern in the industry that no mechanism exists for accrediting new installers under the LCBP. Currently no information is available about the expected start date of the MCS.

Clear Skies installers list
UK MCS information page
Guardian Online story

Labels: funding

A spectacular 90% annual reduction in diesel usage for power generation purposes has been recorded by the specialist organic mutton producers, Elan Valley Mutton Co., following the installation of a FuturEnergy one-kilowatt wind turbine and a solar panel array at its remote farm in the picturesque Elan Valley, mid-Wales.


Farming UK article

Labels: case study, solar, wind

In April 450 people, including business leaders, farmers, and representatives from local institutions and authorities, are expected to attend a public meeting to consider a proposal to turn Lampeter into Wales' first Transition Town.

The Transition Town scheme, which has already been adopted by a handful of towns in England and Ireland, develops a model for towns to reduce their reliance on oil and fossil fuels by becoming more self-sufficient.

The talk will be entitled “Preparing West Wales for a future without oil”, and takes place on Tuesday 3 April 2007 from 4.00 till 8.30pm at the Arts Hall, University of Wales, Lampeter.

There will be an open discussion with experts which will be chaired by John Lloyd Jones, Chair of CCW. Places are limited so advance booking is essential. Telephone Antur Teifi 01239 710238 to book. For more information about this meeting please email lampeterapril3rd@yahoo.co.uk

Western Mail background piece

Labels: carbon neutral, climate change, events

13th March
The government today is set to launch its climate change bill, setting targets to cut CO2 production by 60% by the year 2050:

BBC News story

Labels: climate change

189 grants, representing £635,340 were allocated on 1 March, exhausting the month's allocation within 75 minutes. This Independent article describes the rising tide of frustration many are experiencing:

"The cap is just a liability in the marketplace," Graham Meeks of the Renewable Energy Association said yesterday. "How can you run a business on a lottery? You still have to carry out sales and marketing but no matter how good a salesman you are or how good your product is, in the end you depend on the customer sitting in front of a computer and being quick off the mark to get a sale."

Independent article

Labels: funding

Replying to a question during a blogging session on the Downing Street Web site, David Miliband said that from October 1 local planning regulations would be amended to "make it as easy to install a wind turbine as a satellite dish"

Reuters article

Labels: housing, wind