Latest News
A research unit to test the vulnerability of computer security systems at small businesses has been set up in Worcestershire...Read Article
Are you interested in finding out if anaerobic digestion (AD) is right for your farming business?
If so then The Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (ADBA) is now offering a new free advice service through its consultant members to help farmers and landowners decide whether it is a...Read Article
RenewableUK, the trade association for the wind, wave & tidal industry, has expressed high levels of concern over the Government's proposed new levels for feed-in tariffs for small wind turbines....Read Article
New solar cells could increase the maximum efficiency of solar panels by over 25%, according to scientists from the University of Cambridge...Read Article
New woodchip boilers will be installed in Herefordshire, UK, after a local company won a £60,000 (€72,000) government funding grant to develop sustainable schemes....Read Article
The Government has today announced plans to ensure the future of the Feed-in Tariffs scheme to make it more predictable. Transparency, longevity and certainty are at the heart of the new improved scheme....Read Article
The latest overview briefing to be compiled under the West Midlands for 2012 Business Opportunity Monitoring and Advice Service and Sector-Focused briefing....Read Article
The overall winner was Onzo Ltd who have developed a suite of innovative appliance detection algorithms which disaggregate household electricity consumption from a single source of electricity data into individual appliance consumption. The data source can be a clip-on sensor, such as the one in On...Read Article
New Government and cross industry partnership to make hydrogen powered travel in the UK a reality...Read Article
Free map provides new overview of the emerging biorenewables sector in the UK....Read Article
in 2012 EKTN-UK now offers new services to enable technology companies to source new business and generate new revenue streams -a FREE service...Read Article
The Government has renewed its commitment to low carbon transport, announcing that the Plug-in Car Grant has been extended until 2015 and a new Plug-in Van Grant has been created....Read Article
The Court of Appeal has not yet decided whether to give permission for an appeal or made a judgement on the FITs case- 13th January 2012...Read Article
The clinics, which are supported by Business Enterprise Support (BES), offer free and impartial advice to businesses throughout Shropshire. The sessions are on a one-to-one basis with an experienced business adviser, and are designed to allow businesses to discuss and seek advice on any business-rel...Read Article
REDDITCH businesses are being encouraged to take part in a survey which could help to shape skills for future employees and encourage growth in the borough....Read Article
To explore the business opportunities emerging from the low carbon building and retrofit market, the Institute for Sustainability has produced a series of ‘Building Opportunities for Business’ Retrofit Guides...Read Article
Wind power reached a new record in supply of UK electricity demand in December, thanks to strong winds, new figures reveal....Read Article
The Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation consultation will close on Wednesday 18 January....Read Article
The new Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS), previously operating on a regional basis across England, has become a national service focusing on helping the country's small and medium-sized manufacturers to grow...Read Article
The Innovation 1st Project aims to help SMEs explore and adopt new technologies that will have a positive impact on their business...Read Article
The Lord Stafford Awards were developed in 1997 to recognise and embrace innovation between business and Universities. The awards ceremony held on the 17th November 2011 presented the Lord Stafford Award for Sustainability to the Green Roof Tile Company for their innovative new product Envirotile...Read Article
Cuts to solar tariff payments have been declared illegal,the government is to seek an early appeal against the decision....Read Article
The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) for non-domestic generators will open for applications on Monday 28 November 2011....Read Article
Molecular Solar is pioneering ultra-thin, flexible solar panels that can be used in portable chargers for mobile phones and other handheld devices, allowing devices to be recharged without needing to be connected to a mains power supply....Read Article
£200m of new and additional Government funding has today been announced to provide a special time-limited ‘introductory’ offer to boost the early take up of the Government's Green Deal energy efficiency scheme....Read Article
EMERGING businesses in Worcester have been given a financial boost with two new initiatives from the city council....Read Article
An additional £10 million of grant funding is to be made available to research, develop and demonstrate technologies that will achieve significant cuts in carbon emissions from road transport....Read Article
The Re:Think energy grant scheme is being launched today. It offers 45% grants towards either a Business Efficiency audit or a renewable energy feasibility study....Read Article
SANTANDER has become the latest high street bank to target high growth potential businesses in the West Midlands...Read Article
There is still time to register as a consultant/auditor for the Re:Think energy scheme....Read Article
Wolverhampton University are offering a masters in Climate Change Management....Read Article
Hundreds of small businesses will benefit from government investment of £95 million to help boost growth and rebalance the economy....Read Article
LOCAL Enterprise Partnerships could be handed a role in reducing the burden of regulation on business....Read Article
An epetition has been set up to gather 100,000 signatures to get the review debated in the House of Commons...Read Article
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) confirmed today that it plans to halve the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) for solar installations from early December....Read Article
A scheme to help businesses breathe new life into redundant buildings across Shropshire and Herefordshire today received a £1.5 million government cash boost...Read Article
SWM announce 33 new West Midlands Green Leaders who join the 50 Green Leaders from 2010...Read Article
The Green Deal will be as "easy as ABC", Chris Huhne said today as the framework for the multi-billion pound green makeover programme for UK homes and businesses was enshrined in law....Read Article
ETI looks to open up new opportunities for offshore wind in the UK with plans to invest £25m in floating platform project....Read Article
Plans by the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership to create a new enterprise park in Kidderminster have won the support of the Government....Read Article
The Energy Act 2011 has received Royal Assent and become law, setting in stone the legal framework for the Green Deal. It is now one year to go until the launch in October 2012....Read Article
Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) – a European funding programme for projects that develop or provide training, education and skills...Read Article
Biffa Waste Services has launched a new online service, which it claims will provide a "cost effective" solution for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking to access waste and recycling collection services in their area....Read Article
The government is to invest at least another £15 million in low carbon vehicles, in plans announced by Vince Cable at the Innovate 11 conference today....Read Article
The Technology Strategy Board is to invest up to £15m in collaborative research and development projects that stimulate innovation across our key enabling technology areas – advanced materials; biosciences; electronics, photonics and electrical systems; information and communications technology; and...Read Article
A new enterprise grant fund designed to boost profits and bring to life budding ventures has been launched set to support 140 existing local businesses and help a further 160 people start a new one up....Read Article
BUSINESS leaders together with leading representatives from the public sector and the region’s universities have been honoured for their commitment to sustainable strategies...Read Article
Herefordshire and Shropshire sign groundbreaking deal to test drive hydrogen fuel-cell cars...Read Article
A £2 million project to advance the safe design and operation of gas turbines, reciprocating engines and combined heat & power systems using hydrogen based fuels has been launched by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI.)...Read Article
Power conversion specialist Converteam has announced that it has been selected for the development of a number of testing facilities for the rapidly expanding global wind industry....Read Article
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)has produced and made available a rich data set showing what happens, second-by-second, when clouds pass over a solar power installation...Read Article
The fuel cell commissioned on August 16 is a combined heat, hydrogen, and power system that co-produces hydrogen in addition to electricity and heat, making it a tri-generation system....Read Article
Air source heat pumps are proving the most popular technology among householders investing in renewable heating systems under a new Government grant scheme launched this month...Read Article
London 2012 Games
Business Briefings
Environmental Technologies and Services Sector Briefing
September 2011...Read Article
A £6.5 million investment to deliver a new generation of engineering leaders in renewable energy was announced today by the Business Secretary Vince Cable....Read Article
Barclays has launched a £100 million fund for UK farmers investing in renewable energy, tracking the massive groundswell of interest from farmers seeking to cut energy bills and generate new income....Read Article
UK and Germany now share a common goal: to rapidly accelerate the development and deployment of offshore wind energy to help their respective countries deliver energy security and meet agreed carbon reduction plans....Read Article
The new research will explore what needs to be done to sustainably produce bioenergy, biofuels and biochemicals from algae in the UK....Read Article
Business have a second chance to apply for investment in woodfuel heating installations....Read Article
BlueGen is the first fuel cell product to be eligible for this incentive...Read Article
THE MARCHES LOCAL ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP
CHAIRMAN'S BULLETIN No. 10...Read Article
Shropshire people are being encouraged to recycle more electronic equipment...Read Article
The EeB PPP launched their largest ever calls for research in July, totalling 140million Euro. This year calls build on previous years topics. Particular emphasis has been placed on SMEs. Deadline for the calls is 1 December...Read Article
Two truly British electric car concepts are set to make an appearance in 2012, as hand-built luxury car brand Morgan Motor Company teams up with a consortium of other British brands to produce the Morgan +E programme....Read Article
£3 million of the total £15 million Renewable Heat Premium Payment scheme has been set aside for social landlords to improve their housing stock....Read Article
A £3 million scheme has been launched to help install eco-heaters in the homes of social housing tenants....Read Article
Energy Minister Charles Hendry today gave the go-ahead for two new biomass stations in Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, which combined will produce enough electricity to meet the needs of over a million homes....Read Article
Shrewsbury based company has reached the final of the Lord Stafford Awards in the Environmental Sustainability category....Read Article
Following the success of last year's competition, we are adding to our existing Green Leaders in the West Midlands by identifying new individuals that are playing a key role in leading us towards a more sustainable future....Read Article
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery technology has received a huge boost with the investment of £40 million in Nexeon, the company pioneering the use of silicon anodes in place of carbon....Read Article
The Green Electrician has beaten the August feed-in tariff deadline with six private farm installations totalling 714kWp, installing over 3,700 panels in just three months....Read Article
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2012 Queen's Award for Enterprise under the categories of International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development....Read Article
The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has published its scenarios for onshore and offshore wind power deployment in the EU....Read Article
Renewables developer Tidal Energy has been awarded £390,000 by the Carbon Trust to help fund environmental monitoring at its consented Ramsey Sound demonstration site off the Pembrokeshire coast...Read Article
Recycling and waste management companies can expect their planning applications to be dealt with more swiftly under a new ‘Planning Guarantee’ set out by planning minister Greg Clark on Friday (July 29)....Read Article
Grants of up to £1,000 are available to help leaders of eligible organisations pay for training and development to help their businesses grow....Read Article
The Government has published a document that outlines a number of actions towards achieving a green economy and boosting economic growth in the UK....Read Article
The Energy Training Hub at Dudley College working in partnership with Worcester College of Technology are running a series of courses relevant to renewable energy sector....Read Article
A new kind of flow battery is fueled by semi-solid suspensions of high-energy-density lithium storage compounds that are electrically ‘wired’ by dilute percolating networks of nanoscale conductor particles. Energy densities are an order of magnitude greater than previous flow batteries; new applicat...Read Article
Dudley College is proud to announce that it is working in partnership with Kingspan Solar in Halesowen to deliver a range of courses in both manufacturer training and accredited certification training on unvented systems, solar thermal and heat pumps....Read Article
Two £4m projects have been launched by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) which will reduce the impact of faults on electricity distribution networks, helping the growth and increased flexibility of distribution systems, with more low carbon electricity generation installed in the distribution...Read Article
Development of the next generation of carbon capture technologies, seen as crucial to helping the UK meet its 2050 climate change targets...Read Article
JBS Fibre Recovery Ltd has enterprising plans to launch a range of mattress recycling plants across the country, based on the huge success and rapid growth of their original centre at Stafford Park, Telford, and their recently-opened plant in Milton Keynes...Read Article
Envirotile based in Shropshire start production on 22 August 2011....Read Article
The telephone helpline is an important part of the Government’s new framework of support for businesses....Read Article
A council by council area breakdown of how many British homes have been insulated by the Government’s energy saving scheme is published today....Read Article
Three new bio energy projects by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI), valued at £4.57 million to evaluates the future of UK biomass...Read Article
Two new apprentices have come through the Hereford Group Training scheme...Read Article
The Renewable Heat Premium Payment scheme will run from 1 August 2011 – 31 March 2012....Read Article
Local businesses are being invited to apply for grants which could enable them to buy equipment, modernise the way the way they work or diversify their product range....Read Article
Midlands Wood Fuel Ltd, based near Shrewsbury, is delighted to have received the Sustainable Energy Business Award at the 11th annual Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy, the world’s leading green energy awards....Read Article
New Delhi: Tata Steel RD&T and the Royal Academy of Engineering are jointly funding a new Chair for research into Low Carbon Materials Technology at WMG at the University of Warwick....Read Article
The Government has published its long-awaited draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) for consultation....Read Article
Birmingham law firm Martineau has completed what it claims is one of the largest private equity investment programmes in the UK solar sector....Read Article
As European market leader in the field of waste collection vehicles, FAUN Zoeller (UK) Limited has developed a new drive concept that is both easy on your resources and good for the environment....Read Article
A city centre locale in Birmingham will host what is claimed to be the UK's first water supply system which draws the utility up through a bore hole in the ground....Read Article
Cranfield University has launched a new centre to help businesses and Government adapt to climate change....Read Article
The Renewables Roadmap [filetype:pdf filesize: 2188.31Kb] sets out a comprehensive action plan to accelerate the UK’s deployment and use of renewable energy, and put us on the path to achieve our 2020 target, while driving down the cost of renewable energy over time....Read Article
The document contains actions and commitments, not only of government
but of other key actors, which together set a clear direction towards a zero
waste economy. These actions will form the implementation plan for waste
policies in this Waste Review and for the rest of this Parliament...Read Article
The Forestry Commission
England advocates consolidating the
woodfuel supply chain with a strong focus
on local heat markets (50kW – 5MW)....Read Article
There are many successful biomass energy installations around the UK. The Biomass Energy Centre has produced a map to find relevant examples near you...Read Article
The community strand of the West Midlands Low Carbon Economy Programme, which SWM is managing on behalf of Improvement and Efficiency West Midlands (IEWM), has been commissioned with Marches Energy Agency and Localise West Midlands....Read Article
On 22 June 2011 DECC published a Microgeneration Strategy [filetype:pdf filesize: 2366.43Kb] along with the Microgeneration Industry Contact Group Action Plan. The Strategy represents an important step on the UK’s journey towards cleaner, greener energy....Read Article
On 21 June, The National Refurbishment Centre (NRC) of which the MBE KTN is a member, launched a new web portal that will for the first time make empirical evidence on energy efficiency in real homes available to industry in one place....Read Article
A commitment to increasing energy from waste
through Anaerobic Digestion...Read Article
The Government is establishing a framework to enable private firms to offer consumers energy efficiency improvements to their homes, community spaces and businesses at no upfront cost, and to recoup payments through a charge in instalments on the energy bill....Read Article
Inkjet printers, a low-cost technology that in recent decades has revolutionized home and small office printing, may soon offer similar benefits for the future of solar energy....Read Article
Launched today, a new website will provide small business owners with access to a range of experienced mentors....Read Article
Four West Midlands organisations will receive EU funding of €1.8 million for developing local biomass across North West Europe....Read Article
A new £7.5 million demonstrator programme will help to speed-up the adoption of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, bringing them into everyday use....Read Article
Fourteen innovative British companies are to receive government support to carry out feasibility studies into the development of disruptive low carbon vehicle technology that will challenge current thinking....Read Article
Marches Local Enterprise Partnership will support a Herefordshire-based bid for Enterprise Zone status in a move which could create more than 6,500 jobs....Read Article
West Midlands manufacturing collaboration MAN is setting its sights on new opportunities in renewable energy after landing more than £5m of contracts in the sector....Read Article
BUSINESSES in the Black Country, Telford & Wrekin, Shropshire and Hereford are set to benefit from a new £3.4m innovation scheme that will see the creation of two specialist centres providing support and technology ideas to boost their performance....Read Article
Richard Davies, Director of Marches Energy Agency, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours....Read Article
Amey has become one of the first public service companies in the UK to generate its own hydrogen fuel on site, as part of a national trial of hydrogen powered vehicles....Read Article
IPSol Energy is establishing the UK's first commercial PV centre of excellence, an 8000ft2 facility based at Nottingham’s Easter Park....Read Article
Significant advance in battery architecture could be breakthrough for electric vehicles and grid storage...Read Article
Molecular Solar Ltd. a spinout company from the University of Warwick , announced today a new plan to raise a further £5 million in investment to create its own bespoke technology facility to help bring its technology to the market place....Read Article
As one of last year's finalists for the 'Renewables Innovation: Environmental & Energy Awards', Caplor was delighted to get the opportunity to attend Sustainability Live at the NEC in Birmingham this week...Read Article
Thin-film solar cells without added silicon 'bulk' is the new creation of Czech and Swiss researchers and industry actors, who worked together to deliver a product that could deliver greater efficiency....Read Article
Committee on Climate Change’s (CCC) Renewable Energy Review published today - 9th May 2011...Read Article
At the University of Michigan College of Engineering, recent breakthroughs may lead to more effective means for harnessing the power of the sun....Read Article
group of solar companies and individuals have filed a claim in the High Court against Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Chris Huhne over the Government’s early review into the Feed-in Tariff (FiT)....Read Article
Insurance company Aviva has launched a new range of cover aimed at the growing renewable energy market and environmental consultancies....Read Article
Bosch Solar Energy AG has achieved 19.6% efficiency for a large-area passivated emitted and rear cell (PERC), monocrystalline silicon solar cell measuring 156 x 156 mm....Read Article
Oxford Photovoltaics (Oxford PV) has developed a new solid state thin-film solar cell made from cheap, non-toxic materials which can be printed onto glass or walls....Read Article
Offshore wind turbines of the future should have much larger blades resulting in lower costs and cheaper electricity, according to the Energy Technologies Institute....Read Article
80% subsidised 4-week graduate internships - Renewable Energy...Read Article
This is an interim scheme to support renewable heat installations before the RHI starts for residential installations in 2012...Read Article
MAS is encouraging manufacturers to have their say on red tape by participating in the Government's Red Tape challenge - giving manufacturers the chance to rip up some of the 21,000 rules and regulations that are getting in their way....Read Article
A BUILDING contract worth nearly £7m has been awarded to Thomas Vale Construction for the new HQ of a Worcestershire local authority....Read Article
THE Government has claimed more than 40,000 new jobs are to be created in the West Midlands through schemes benefiting from investment as part of its £1.4bn Regional Growth Fund....Read Article
General Business Briefing for the London 2012 Games and sector information....Read Article
Two lead provider hubs have been approved for the West Midlands:
Dudley College & Stourbridge College...Read Article
It was been announced that at least 1,000 Green Deal apprentices could receive Government funding towards their training, as part of plans to insulate the UK’s homes and businesses against rising energy prices and reduce carbon emissions....Read Article
The Secretary of State for Business Vince Cable and Minister for Skills John Hayes have launched the Growth Investment Fund (GIF).
The Fund will help employer groups overcome barriers to growth within their sectors and industries. The funding could deliver new training to boost innovation and p...Read Article
Telford & Wrekin Council, on behalf of West Midlands Councils and a range of partners, commissioned SQW, Maslen Environmental and CO2 Sense to undertake the Capacity Study on Renewable Energy for the West Midlands...Read Article
A massive operation to clean up a toxic lagoon plaguing Rhos residents will hinge on national or European funding....Read Article
Fuel cell system to generate low carbon emission electricity for Waitrose supermarkets and John Lewis stores....Read Article
Small and medium-sized businesses across the UK can benefit from advice on how to unlock their potential for green growth thanks to a new guide released by the Carbon Trust....Read Article
Over 150 British companies, further education institutions and other organisations are set to share around £18 million of government investment that will support innovation and growth in a number of important technology areas....Read Article
UKTI will be bringing an international dimension to Sustainabilitylive 2011 between 24-26 May with a meet the buyers programme and presentations....Read Article
West Midland vehicle technology innovators at Science Capital event in Birmingham indicated technologies from motor racing and aerospace industries could help cement future success for car building in the West Midlands....Read Article
The Climate Resilience Toolkit is a quick and simple online tool available on the Business Link website for businesses wanting to increase their resilience to the changing climate, or explore possibilities for growth by taking advantage of the opportunities climate change will bring....Read Article
An ammonia electrolyzer that can produce hydrogen and clean water from livestock and industrial ammonia waste....Read Article
A TV campaign aiming to create awareness about recycling electronics is to be launched in the UK...Read Article
Hyundai has unveiled its new fuel cell concept car at the Seoul Motor Show....Read Article
The new www.govopps.co.uk website is the essential intelligence hub for all involved in buying for and supplying to the public sector....Read Article
DECC press release: A crucial step in delivering the UK’s energy security and low carbon future was taken today with the publication of the Government’s plans for the national rollout of smart meters....Read Article
The Energy Bill includes provision for a new
“Green Deal” which we believe will revolutionise
the energy efficiency of British properties....Read Article
National Grid needs to connect proposed new wind farms in Mid Wales to the electricity transmission network....Read Article
For over a decade, European funding has been invested in projects the length and breadth of the West Midlands, impacting on the lives of people living and working here; and making a real difference to the economy and long-term prosperity of the region....Read Article
THE University of Warwick is to take part in a consortium which has been awarded £1.4m to develop the next generation of solar energy harvesting technology....Read Article
In the UK, the first Fuel Cell Black Cabs – developed by a consortium led by Intelligent Energy – have taken to the roads of London for the first time since being awarded 'road legal' status by the national Vehicle Certification Authority....Read Article
Climate change will bring opportunities for economic growth if British businesses think now about how climate change will affect them, Environment Minister Lord Henley said today....Read Article
The long awaited Decentralisation and Localism Bill was laid before Parliament on Monday 13 December 2010 by Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles....Read Article
The California Energy Commission has awarded almost $1 million to a project researching the conversion of biosolids to energy using fuel cells....Read Article
Initial capitalisation of the Green Investment Bank upped to £3 billion...Read Article
Companies should be gearing up to take advantage of the "massive business opportunities" being created by the growing market for green technologies in the Midlands....Read Article
Carbon Trust provides £350,000 grant for first seagoing trials of innovative tidal energy device...Read Article
Greg Barker outlines proposals to protect green electricity scheme...Read Article
£860m government scheme expected to increase green capital investment by £4.5 billion up to 2020, stimulating a new market in renewable heat;...Read Article
Visit the new Eco-innovation web site and enjoy a clearer, more user friendly navigation and layout....Read Article
Fifteen British businesses and seven universities are to share £5 million of government funding to enable them to research the use of novel nanoscale technologies to develop the next generation of solar energy harvesting....Read Article
Graduate Advantage have been granted ERDF (Economic Regional Development Fund) funding that will extend our service for a further 3 years.
The new internship project will be launched in April 2011 and will continue to offer a FREE recruitment and selection service to West Midlands based ...Read Article
The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) is to develop a model of the UK’s tidal energy resources to improve understanding of the interactions between tidal energy extraction systems as they are deployed between now and 2050...Read Article
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build an incinerator on Hartlebury Trading Estate has been recommended for approval by council officers - despite fierce opposition from some residents....Read Article
The Green Economy Council is holding its first meeting today (16 February) to discuss how government and industry can work together to support the transition to a green, low carbon economy and minimise the costs for business while maximising the opportunities....Read Article
MALVERN residents will be well placed to embrace the rapid growth in the electric car market that is anticipated over the next few years....Read Article
Find it in Worcestershire aims to boost the area’s economy by giving local businesses, social enterprises and voluntary sector organisations the support and contacts they need to pitch for and win bigger contracts....Read Article
Written Ministerial Statement by Chris Huhne: 07 February 2011...Read Article
Energy Minister Charles Hendry sets out his vision for a new approach to engaging with potential host communities...Read Article
Caplor Energy has been installed the 35kW solar systemto supply electricity for Haygrove's refrigeration units....Read Article
Plans are now taking shape for the new network of elite technology and innovation centres.....Read Article
Permission has been granted for a family in Shropshire to install hundreds of solar panels in a paddock....Read Article
Richard Jones began making car fuel using waste vegetable oil and now produces bio diesel and generates electricity....Read Article
Concerns surrounding the safety of UK AD and technology has led ADBA to join forces with Energy & Utility Skills to ensure the industry has appropriate qualifications, safety guidelines and training....Read Article
Families have moved into the West Midlands’ first affordable zero-carbon homes to be completed with Homes & Communities Agency (HCA) funding as part of a £17.1million regeneration project....Read Article
A million pound contract to install probably the UK’s biggest solar power project to date has been won by a fledgling Midlands-based provider of renewable energy solutions....Read Article
The Japanese luxury automaker Infiniti is set to launch its first hybrid, the M35h, in the UK this May....Read Article
Over 60 companies have snapped up exhibition stands to showcase environmental products, components and solutions made in and around the West Midlands at Growing Green 2011....Read Article
Bidding for the new Local Sustainable Transport Fund is now open the Government has announced. Local authorities will receive £560m funding towards innovative schemes which make local transport more sustainable and promote local economic development.
Full details of the Local Sustainable...Read Article
In October 2010 it was announced that over £200m will be invested in a network of elite technology and innovation centres, to be established and overseen by the Technology Strategy Board....Read Article
New solar photovoltaic (PV) installations grew by 130% to reach 17.5 GW in 2010 and growth is set to continue in 2011, says analyst IMS Research....Read Article
CIWEM’s Environmental Parliamentarian of the Year Caroline Lucas is supported by the Institution in her criticism of the Government potentially funding the development of nuclear power through their Green Investment Bank....Read Article
Cornwall Council has approved plans for a giant solar farm near Lostwithiel, which is capable of producing up to 5MW of power per year....Read Article
The Carbon Trust provides potential loan scheme customers with a map and a list of all equipment suppliers or installers who have delivered at least two loans on the programme over the past 12 months...Read Article
Energy and Utility skills have published an investigation on The UK Waste Management
and Recycling Industry
2010 Labour Market...Read Article
SMEs invited to take part in training pilot.
A project launched in 2010 will offer businesses a unique opportunity to develop their services and engage with project contracts in sustainable building renovation....Read Article
STOURBRIDGE and Dudley Colleges have been given the green light to lead the way in eco technology training for the West Midlands.
Together the colleges have become a founder hub member of the National Skills Academy for Environmental Technologies to provide training that will help the UK...Read Article
A Shropshire-based developer has raised £500,000 in a recent funding round from members of the Oxford Investment Opportunity Network (OION). Bladon Jets, which specialises in developing micro gas turbine engines for cars, will use the funding to continue its research into low-carbon vehicle technolo...Read Article
Advantage West Midlands London 2012 Games Environmental Technologies and Services
Business Briefing - December 2010...Read Article
Five farmers will be the first to receive their solar PV panels as 7Y Energy completes installations on their farms this month....Read Article
Tata Motors is the latest car maker to join the UK green vehicle revolution, announcing that it will start manufacturing its own fully-electric four-seater family car this month at a factory in the West Midlands for launch next year....Read Article
The Government drove the UK firmly into the fast lane of the electric and ultra-low emission car revolution today as Ministers unveiled nine trailblazing models that will be eligible for generous grants of up to £5,000....Read Article
Worcestershire’s local enterprise partnership (LEP) was given the go-ahead by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which confirmed the Worcestershire LEP shadow board had now addressed the criteria needed to become an LEP, following rejection of an initial bid.
Minister fo...Read Article
The Technology Strategy Board is to invest a further £9 million to support innovations in low carbon vehicle technology and is inviting applications for funding of new collaborative research and development projects and feasibility studies....Read Article
The Localism Bill was presented to Parliament on 13 December 2010. This is known as First Reading and there was no debate on the Bill at this stage.
This Bill will be on the Order Paper for a Second Reading debate on a date to be confirmed....Read Article
This call will be open on the 10th January 2011, and grants of up to £25,000 will be available. Projects may be collaborative or carried out by a single company, lasting up to three months. Projects must be led and undertaken by small or micro companies (50 employees or fewer). The deadline for appl...Read Article
Energy Minister Charles Hendry announced today that the timetable for the 2013 RO Banding Review is being speeded up....Read Article
The Energy Bill, which contains the Government’s flagship Green Deal policy on energy efficiency, will be introduced in Parliament on the 9th December....Read Article
Following on from the metnet event at Harper Adams 7th December, planners from Telford & Wrekin Council have provided information on what is required for pre-application proposals....Read Article
Small to medium-sized businesses are to lose their dedicated online environmental regulations resource next year, when it is replaced by a single portal aimed at businesses of all sizes....Read Article
The Landscape Partnership Ltd has completed research into wood fuel development and the planning process on behalf of the Forestry Commission....Read Article
A NEW million-pound loan scheme is throwing a financial lifeline to businesses throughout Worcestershire, thanks to the county council and Pershore finance organisation Impetus....Read Article
A new carbon monoxide and combustible gas detection system for residential properties has been awarded an Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Innovation Award, winning the Built Environment category...Read Article
The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI)is carrying out a study looking at the feasibility of capturing and using waste heat from power stations for warming homes and providing hot water is to be carried out by the Energy Technologies Institute.
Heat is the biggest application of energy in the U...Read Article
Ofgem has awarded £62 million of funding to four projects designed to enhance the development of smart grids in the UK....Read Article
Transforming the built environment in accordance with the government's low carbon agenda could create 40 years of work for small businesses, a new report has claimed....Read Article
The Climate Change Minister, Greg Barker, has launched a new website - Community Energy Online - which provides support to local authorities and community groups to develop local low carbon and renewable energy projects....Read Article
If your company or organisation is small or medium-sized undertaking projects which seeks to achieve an advance in science and technology, you may be able to receive a tax credit...Read Article
Micro-generation specialist Encraft is heading up the UK side of a $500,000 transatlantic project to develop a web-based small wind site assessment tool for the US Department of Energy....Read Article
The 10MW Aerogenerator X, a new breed of mammoth offshore wind turbine in development by British firm Arup - but a planned 15MW turbine by Spanish firms would dwarf it....Read Article
Philip Ditchfield persuaded inhabitants of Marlow, Buckinghamshire, to become part of his 100 Solar Project, a community renewables buying group. To date, 185 households have registered, and 30 Marlow families now generate electricity through photovoltaic and solar thermal cells...Read Article
The projects – or the countries - have not been decided, but are expected to include wind, solar and hydro-electric power. Companies will be invited to come forward with proposals.
It is understood that rather than investing directly in renewable projects, British money will be funnelled ...Read Article
The Business Solutions Vouchers scheme (BSV) will be used to facilitate knowledge transfer between the University of Wolverhampton and the successful applicant. Applications are welcome from start-up companies or existing businesses where growth potential is identified that will contribute to stimul...Read Article
A report has revealed there are big opportunities for jobs in the next phase of development which will see a wind farm twice the size of the Isle of Man built in the Irish Sea....Read Article
Krannich Solar GmbH a leading PV distributor is opening a UK office and warehouse in Reading....Read Article
This Publicly Available specification (PAS) has been sponsored by WRAP (Waste & resources Action Programme)1) and Renewables East2). It has been developed in conjunction with the
Renewable Energy Association (REA)3) and the Association for Organics Recycling4), in
collaboration with the Br...Read Article
RESCO – West Midlands premier business support gateway for accessing the renewables marketplace. The aim of the programme is to help businesses, especially manufacturers, realise the potential locked in the skills of their business and to provide the support they need to develop into the renewable e...Read Article
Climate change and sustainability magazine for business is now online...Read Article
A leading Shropshire-based solar power company is flying the flag for the county after their high profile attendance at the recent Solar Power Conference 2010....Read Article
The NNFCC’s Energy Crop Boiler Guide offers those considering using energy crops to produce heat, the chance to compare and identify suitable boilers....Read Article
Herefordshire Council have carried out a renewable energy study to provide a robust evidence base to support their Local Development Framework (LDF) up to 2026....Read Article
Top business leaders from the UK and India have today called for closer trade ties on clean technologies with the aim of boosting economic growth at the same time as cutting carbon emissions....Read Article
Two new energy projects were given consent today in a double boost to the UK’s energy security....Read Article
A recycling incentive scheme which could potentially rival US rewards-based recycling scheme RecycleBank has been launched in South Wales....Read Article
West Midlands companies specialising in environmental technologies are being invited to take advantage of an exciting opportunity to discover the potential of Poland.
UK Trade & Investment's West Midlands international trade team is organising a market visit to Poleko 2010, an internation...Read Article
As part of the cross-Government drive to boost support for millions of Britain’s small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, has announced a series of measures to make it easier for small firms and organisations to do business with government....Read Article
The CBI and Lloyds Banking Group are urging small and medium-sized companies to take advantage of low-carbon opportunities ahead of a major climate change summit on Wednesday, 17 November....Read Article
Innovative carbon capture and storage (CCS) and renewable energy projects are to be funded by a new initiative from the European Union (EU).
Known as NER300, the pot will be used to fund eight CCS programmes and 34 renewable energy projects, with the aim of developing the Europe-wide low ...Read Article
New research from WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) has set out for the first time the contribution resource efficiency could make to conserving water and scarce materials in the UK at the same time as reducing our ecological footprint and cutting greenhouse gas emissions....Read Article
The Green deal is the Coalition Government’s initiative to support the implementation of energy efficiency measures to households and businesses without needing to meet any upfront costs....Read Article
The Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that over £200m will be invested in a network of Technology and Innovation Centres, to be established and overseen by the Technology Strategy Board....Read Article
Local environmental technology business Leading Edge Turbines has recently been awarded a capital grant for the development of an innovative and technically advanced small wind turbine....Read Article
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond today joined with the wind energy sector to formally mark the launch of the UK's first Modern Apprenticeship for the renewables industry....Read Article
Plans to bring together householders, project staff and council teams to ‘co-design' new waste systems that collect and treat waste on a community basis have been unveiled at Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) annual conference...Read Article
Competition for used cardboard in the UK domestic market looks set to intensify with SAICA strengthening its purchasing arm through the acquisition of Wiltshire-based recycling company Futur Ltd....Read Article
SITA UK has signed a deal with an Irish-based technology company which it says will enable it to build 10 facilities around the UK aimed at turning a total of 60,000 tonnes-a-year of waste mixed plastics into diesel fuel....Read Article
The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership aims to create the conditions for enterprise to flourish and will improve the economic prosperity of the Marches area by co-ordinated action to stimulate the drivers of economic development, including housing, transport, infrastructure, broadband availability...Read Article
A consortium led by Jaguar Land Rover has received funding today to develop latest low carbon technology for the range extended electric vehicle (REEV) premium car market....Read Article
A consortium led by Jaguar Land Rover has received funding today to develop latest low carbon technology for the range extended electric vehicle (REEV) premium car market....Read Article
The National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit (NPARU) has world class facilities for research and commercial activity....Read Article
Sustainability West Midlands offer a sustainability related work experience placement service for talented graduates at organisations in the West Midlands....Read Article
A bubble-maker has won a £250,000 prize from the Royal Society for its ability to transform the cost and effectiveness of growing algae for biofuel, treating sewage and cooling computers....Read Article
Planning permission has been granted for the UK's first purpose-built solar farm and a £14m loan for an even larger solar farm next to Newquay airport....Read Article
The anchor was raised today on £60m of Government funding to establish world-class offshore wind manufacturing at ports sites....Read Article
The efficiency of Feed-In Tariffs will be improved at the next formal review, rebalancing
them in favour of more cost effective carbon abatement technologies. This will save £40 million in 2014-15. Support for lower value innovation and technology projects will also be reduced,saving £70 millio...Read Article
Will electric cars one day become part of a network of rechargeable batteries that can help smooth out the intermittent nature of wind and solar power? (Yale Environment 360)...Read Article
Vestas Wind Systems A/S, the world’s largest maker of wind turbines, fell the most in nine weeks in Copenhagen trading after saying orders will decline next year and that it will cut 3,000 jobs because of reduced demand....Read Article
Coalition reveals eight potential sites in England and Wales for new nuclear power stations that will be operational by 2025...Read Article
Large numbers of retailers and offices are unaware of the health and safety risks of carrying out on-site battery collections and are failing to alert their insurers, Viridor has warned....Read Article
Waste management companies have questioned the government's commitment to landfill diversion as they grapple with the wider implications of Wednesday's Spending Review announcement that seven major waste treatment projects are having their PFI funding withdrawn....Read Article
The government has outlined plans to make it easier for residual waste treatment facilities to secure planning permission by winning community support, as part of the UK's first ever National Infrastructure Plan....Read Article
George Osborne confirmed today that the RHI has survived the Comprehensive Spending Review. We’re still seeking confirmation on the details, but the budget allotted to 2014 is (£860million) seems in line with expectations. The Incentive will be introduced ‘in 2011/12’ so no commitment has been given...Read Article
Offshore wind turbines could be sited in deeper water, closer to the shore off the UK coast to take advantage of stronger, more consistent wind speeds, according to the Energy Technologies Institute....Read Article
Councils will no longer be expected to agree plans with government for improving their waste and recycling performance, under proposals which communities secretary Eric Pickles claims will reduce local authorities' reporting "burden" and make them more accountable to residents....Read Article
Swedish utility firm cancels 147MW addition to the windfarm off the coast of Kent, but signals support for neighbouring project...Read Article
Plans to build a tidal barrage across the Severn estuary are expected to be scrapped today (October 18th) by Chris Huhne....Read Article
A new business partnership which is believed to be the first of its kind in the country has been officially launched in Wolverhampton....Read Article
The best companies recognise that to remain competitive, innovative new products are essential. Companies that innovate are 80% more profitable than those who don't, but few SMEs possess all of the skills required to turn a bright idea into a product or service ready for market....Read Article
The drive for renewable energy generation is leading power companies to survey south facing land in Shropshire for potential solar parks....Read Article
‘Your business, your future... the Herefordshire economy’
Consultation Paper
Deadline: 1st December 2010...Read Article
Businesses and environmental groups have united to call for initial funding of up to £6 billion for the promised green investment bank, to boost the economy and create jobs....Read Article
Shropshire Council's cabinet has been told to reconsider a controversial decision to sell land to developers who want to build a biomass power plant....Read Article
Further information on FiTs -
1. Indexation of Tariffs
2. Reduction in Council Tax if renewables installed
3. Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and existing p