Wind Energy and renewable energy blog

How do I know if a Green Electricity Tariff is Genuine?

With all of the big 6 energy companies and a number of smaller independent companies now selling green electricity how are we supposed to know which tariffs are genuinely encouraging new renewable energy generation in the UK and which are begrudgingly doing the bare minimum?

All electricity retailers in the UK are required to supply a proportion of their electricity from renewable sources (currently 11%). If they don’t they have to pay a ‘buyout’ fee – a bit like a fine. So how do you find out whether your chosen green electricity supplier is being forced into supplying your electricity from renewable sources as part of its legal obligation or whether it is going the extra mile in encouraging new renewable energy because you are paying a green electricity rate?

British Firm Wins Australian Solar Thermal Bid

British company Wind Prospect has won a bid to develop the largest solar powered energy plant in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Australian arm of the renewable energy company made the bid as part of the ‘Solar Dawn Consortium‘ alongside Areva and CS Energy.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard made the announcement following an 18-month competitive process which started in late 2009.

Solar Energy Expansion in South West England

Since the introduction of the UK feed in tariff, solar power has started to become a serious contender in the UK renewable energy market.

The first solar power project of any scale was consented in Cornwall in October of this year. The £4m, 1.3 Megawatt purpose built solar farm is expected to generate enough electricity for the annual needs of 287 homes.

With the UK government offering a whopping 29.3 pence per kWh, solar energy technology has seen a huge increase in popularity

Solar Power To Increase Fivefold Across the UK

With the roll out of solar panels expected to increase fivefold since the introduction of the Government’s new feed in tariff, many developers are now looking to the sun aswell as the wind to generate electricity.

Google Denies Renewable Energy Trader Intentions

Google has denied rumours that it is set to become and energy trader at a GreenNet conference in San Francisco last week.

With hundreds of millions of customers, Google uses mammoth computer infrastructure to keep everything going. However Google’s carbon reduction intentions have been well publicised over the last year. From biofuel diesel shuttle buses to take staff to its HQ offices to ‘edible gardens’ where food for its onsite cafes is grown, Google is keen on green corporate social responsibility.

Renewable Energy Grid Infrastructure Reality Sinks In

In the US, the Californian desert and the Mid-West plains are ideal locations for solar and wind energy plants. In the UK the Scottish highlands and Welsh mountains have the highest winds in the UK. These locations have similar characteristics – great resources for renewable energy generation, but limited grid infrastructure and not many people.

Hundreds and in some cases thousands of miles of new expensive, high voltage grid infrastructure is needed in these key locations to transport green energy to areas of high demand – the big cities. This grid infrastructure is both expensive and geographically extensive.