The Rail, Engineering, Energy, Renewables, Power Blog

Europe’s largest onshore wind farm project has been thrown in severe doubt after the RSPB and official government agencies lodged formal objections to the 150-turbine plan, it emerged on Tuesday.

The proposed 550MW wind farm, sprawling across the centre of Shetland’s main island, would add almost 20% to existing onshore wind capacity. But the objectors say the plans could seriously damage breeding sites for endangered birds, including a rare wader, the whimbrel, which was unexpectedly discovered by the wind farm developer’s own environmental survey teams. Other species at risk include the red throated diver, golden plover and merlin. (more…)

UK Housing Minister John Healey has announced that four out of the original 15 proposed sites have passed the Government’s standards to go through to the next planning phase for eco-towns.

Alongside the plans for eco-towns, Healey announced tougher new energy standards for all new homes from 2016 to be zero carbon and launched a review to combine the Government’s climate change and renewable energy planning policy statements. (more…)

Ed Miliband the British Energy Secretary has announced plans for Britain to deploy 10,000 new Wind Turbines, 6,000 onshore and 4,000 offshore in a drive to reduce carbon emmissions and provide 26 gigawatts of Renewable Energy by 2020. (more…)

Households which contribute electricity to the National Grid are to receive payments under a new government scheme.

Communities will be encouraged to generate wind, water and solar power, and be paid for how much they produce. (more…)

With the government rumoured to be contemplating £30bn cut in transport investment, the Crossrail scheme could be a victim of the global economic downturn. With the recession tightening its grip on the UK’s finances, fears have emerged that the project billed as the £16bn saviour of the construction industry is just too expensive in the current climate. With Crossrail being in development for the past 20 years costs have built up to an “impossible to quantify” amount.

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The Telegraph reported on Saturday that ‘A “green revolution” that should create 400,000 jobs is to be launched by ministers later this month in the most ambitious ever bid to transform the British economy, industry and sources of energy.’

Ed Miliband, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, will unveil a White Paper that will spell out how emissions will be cut by at least 34 per cent on 1990 levels by 2020 and a ‘Renewable Energy Strategy’ to increase its use to 15 per cent of Britain’s total energy supplies by the same date.

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