Energy: Dalkia-achieving sustainable efficiency
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Tony Doherty explores the issues at stake for public establishments striving to achieve sustainable energy efficiency. Public facilities have long since recognised the critical role that providing a comfortable environment plays, by maintaining appropriate levels of heating, cooling, lighting and air quality within buildings – from hospitals to schools and government offices. At the same time, growing budgetary pressures and rising prices are putting a focus on reducing the cost of providing these services. These cost and efficiency drivers necessitate the delivery of more energy services...[full story]
Energy: EST-times are changing
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011EST has operated in Northern Ireland for the past 15 years and is best known for the provision of free and impartial energy saving advice to householders, communities and energy-related business. Patrick Thompson explains the way ahead. Briefly outline EST’s current work in Northern Ireland: We provide free and impartial energy saving advice to around 50,000 householders in Northern Ireland each year. In the face of rising fuel prices and last year’s cold winter, the provision of advice and information on the smaller ‘behaviour changes’ is as essential as insulation and helps...[full story]
Energy: Assembly party policy summary
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011A summary of energy policies advocated by the Assembly parties. DUP Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister: Arlene Foster MLA Westminster Energy and Climate Change Spokesman: Jeffrey Donaldson MP Assembly Enterprise, Trade and Investment Spokesman: Robin Newton MLA The DUP’s 2010 Westminster manifesto supports the 40 per cent target of electricity from renewables, and states that farmers should be assisted in helping government meet this target without increasing the cost of electricity. It commits to expanding incentives for home energy efficiency measures, supporting...[full story]
Energy: Arthur Cox-evolution or revolution?
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Alan Bissett and David Trethowan emphasise the need for the main energy sectors to comply with EU law. The European energy market is the last large scale market which has not been widely harmonised to date. This is unsurprising due to the vastness of the market and its highly technical nature. The EU Third Energy Package, which is made up of a series of directives and regulations, forms a regulatory framework designed to reinvigorate the integration of the European energy markets for electricity and gas. Aims and goals It is hoped that the implementation of the Third Package will go...[full story]
Energy: Shane Lynch-regulation or competition?
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Utility Regulator Shane Lynch talks to Owen McQuade about the challenges in regulating the electricity and gas sectors and how the 20 per cent renewable electricity target can be met. The Utility Regulator’s office has “evolved” to now regulate three utilities: electricity, gas and water. “There are two ends of the spectrum in terms of how we regulate. One is promoting competition where appropriate and the other is monopoly regulation”, observes Shane Lynch. “There are degrees along that spectrum and, where you land is a judgement call depending on circumstances.” Lynch...[full story]
Energy: Ireland’s offshore opportunity
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Offshore power can boost economic recovery and Northern Ireland has the edge over the Republic, NOW Ireland’s Brian Britton tells agendaNi. Northern Ireland has a key part to play in exploiting Ireland’s offshore renewables opportunity, according to NOW Ireland Secretary Brian Britton. NOW Ireland (the National Offshore Wind Association of Ireland) was set up in 2007 to promote the industry. At present, the island has one offshore wind farm on Arklow Bank (25MW), a joint partnership between Airtricity and GE Energy and 2,670 MW capacity in shovel-ready projects in existing project...[full story]
Energy: Kingspan-fuel poverty and telemetry
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Kingspan Environmental is a division of Kingspan Group PLC that offers affordable environmental solutions for off-mains drainage, rainwater harvesting systems, fuel storage and intelligent telemetry solutions to meet the needs of sustainable building projects. Kingspan Telemetry Solutions Kingspan Environmental is the market leader in oil measurement technologies. The Kingspan Telemetry portfolio comprises of the SonicSignalman which is an easily installed one piece unit that uses technology to sense the level of fuel or liquid in the tank and communicates this data via GPRS mobile networks...[full story]
Energy: The Crown Estate and renewables
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Dermott Grimson discusses the Crown Estate’s role in renewables with Peter Cheney. “A property company” is the best way to sum up the Crown Estate, according to Dermott Grimson. As Head of External Affairs for a unique organisation, he is increasingly involved in preparing the seabed for renewable development. The Glaswegian explains that “like any other property owner, we want to invest in our property in order to make the most of our assets and help others make something of the asset too.” Profits have totalled £1.9 billion over the last 10 years. It generates money from...[full story]
Energy: Carson McDowell-competition in the sector
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Dorit McCann outlines the local relevance of UK and EU judgements. UK and EU competition law prohibit two main types of anti-competitive activity: (i) arrangements between two or more undertakings which have the object or effect of preventing, restricting or distorting competition and which appreciably affect trade in the UK or the EU; and (ii) abuse of a dominant position in a market by one or more undertakings. Investigation and enforcement of competition law The Utility Regulator has concurrent powers with the Office of Fair Trading to investigate and take enforcement action in relation...[full story]
Energy: Fracking explored
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Stephen Dineen explains fracking and the increasing controversy surrounding it. Gas production companies need to be transparent, according to incoming American Gas Association President Ronald W Jibson. The Questar Corporation CEO told agendaNi that producers need to be willing to show what their frack method is: “They all have their own recipe and they need to be open about what’s in that frack load and then maybe change that.” Gibson believes that “if there are harmful products there, they [the producers] may need to change that,” and that producers need to work with environmentalists...[full story]
