E.ON launches No-Gain No-Fee carbon saving service

March 10th, 2010

Gas and Electricity supplier E.ON is launching a business service which promises to cover the upfront cost of carbon saving projects as part of a ‘no-gain, no-fee’ style arrangement. The energy company has joined up with onsite renewables specialist Self Energy UK to provide a new Energy Performance Guarantee – EPG service.

The EPG scheme has been designed in a similar way to the government’s recently announced Pay As You Save green home loan scheme which allows businesses to pay back the initial upfront cost of building improvements over time via reduced energy bills.

Under the scheme, E.ON’s Sustainable Energy business and Self Energy UK will pay for the installation of onsite renewable energy systems for example rooftop solar panels and wind turbines.

Then, alongside the technology E.ON will utilise the development of a new energy use strategy which has been designed to deliver “guaranteed” energy savings that exceed the cost of implementation, thus allowing customers to benefit from cost savings while still paying back the initial investment amount – So, should the cost savings fail to materialise, the customer shall not be obliged to pay back the upfront costs.

Michael Woodhead, managing director of E.ON’s Sustainable Energy business, stated:

“We’ll fund and fit efficiency measures, with none of the financial burden going to our customers… The upfront costs are ours and customers only pay from energy savings that they make over a fixed contract period – it’s a win-win situation for them”

Source: businessGreen

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Dealer Incentive Boosts Blackberry Sales

March 10th, 2010

Leading Orange mobile phone distributor, Mainline Digital Communications, has reported that BlackBerry sales have almost doubled as a result of its latest dealer incentive called ‘Love Tuscany’.

Launched in January, the promotion has attracted more than 100 dealers whereby five of the Orange distributors’ top performing dealers will be in with the chance of winning an all expenses paid luxury trip to the stunning Italian region of Tuscany as well as a visit to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Gail Hollinshead, Mainline’s director of dealer sales, said that there has been a real ‘buzz’ surrounding this incentive with dealers able to gain points right up to the end of the competition – further enhancing their chances of winning the great trip.

“We have already seen rising sales of BlackBerry handsets, which we can attribute to the incentive so this is likely to continue to the end of March” said Ms. Hollinshead.

Source: comms-dealer.co.uk

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British Gas Staff Vote On Strike

March 10th, 2010

British Gas staff are to vote in a strike ballot over alleged bullying and on changes to their terms and conditions, reports BBC News Online.

The trade union, GMB, said its members, who include gas engineers, would be voting over the next few weeks on whether or not to take strike action. British Gas has been accused by the union of having a “culture of bullying, customer exploitation and profits at all costs”.

The secretary of the union said this change in culture at British Gas was a result of recent management changes. British Gas has so far not commented on the proposals.

Around 8,000 members will be balloted on the action. Members include gas engineers, central heating boiler engineers and those working in distribution depots. The ballot began last week and the results will be published on the 23rd March.

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Source: BBC News Online

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World’s First On-line Electric Vehicle

March 10th, 2010

The world’s first On-Line Electric Vehicle – OLEV, made its debut last week at the Seoul Zoo in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. Invented by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology – KAIST the OLEV gets its power supply from an electric facility underground via a magnetic field which is transformed into electricity – hence there are no power lines on the surface.

Seoul City made the decision to replace the zoo’s existing shuttle bus, named the ‘elephant train’ last summer because the modified truck, which had been running since 1984, used diesel and was receiving criticism for polluting the air – consequently, the new electric vehicle has been introduced as its successor.

The new electric vehicle will operate over a 2.2-kilometer route using the electricity provided wirelessly and will also use its own batteries whenever necessary.

And, if this transportation method proves successful, Seoul City is planning to expand the use of OLEVs, claimed a city official:

“We are considering the introduction of the electric vehicle to central bus lanes”

According to data, busses are responsible for approximately 30% of the city’s traffic and there are 90.2 kilometres of bus lanes in existence throughout the city. The official continued by saying:

“The OLEVs use batteries with a capacity one-fifth of that of ordinary vehicles and will be able to drive all day without charging if they stay mainly on the central lane… The electricity is supplied in a wireless manner and it is suitable for Seoul, which has many rainy or snowy days”

The municipal government is hoping to replace all of its official and public transport vehicles with environment-friendly models to reduce air pollution.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

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Microsoft’s MSN Video Player Goes Live

March 10th, 2010

The most serious rival to the BBC iPlayer goes live tomorrow, reports The Times Online. Microsoft is launching its MSN video player tomorrow.

The new service will offer thousands of hours of television aimed largely at the youth market, young families and professionals. The difference with the iPlayer is that you will be able to watch a whole series. The iPlayer usually only offers a “catch-up” service and is only available for a few days.

While the MSN video player is free, viewers will have to watch a 30 second advert before, during and after the programme.

The Microsoft device has been launched by Ashley Highfield, the consumer and online managing director for Microsoft UK. He says MSN video is better than the iPlayer after months of testing.

Deals have been made with a number of television studios and broadcasters such as RDF Media and the maker of Big Brother, Endemol. However, they are also in discussions with some film studios so there may soon be the opportunity to watch films on the new video player too.

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Source: The Times Online

Fake Britain shows how to avoid fake gas fitters

March 10th, 2010

Fake Britain is a television series that has been created to provide consumers the facts they need to enable them to make informed choices and if you tune in to BBC One at 9.15am this Friday (12th March 2010) the programme will feature how you can avoid fake gas fitters and how to stay Gas Safe.

From his ‘Fake House’ – filled with counterfeit goods – presenter of the consumer show, Dominic Littlewood, reveals the degree all sorts of people go to by using fake identities in the UK, ranging from dodgy dentists to bogus driving instructors as well as illegal gas fitters.

In a campaign run by the Gas Safe Register ‘Gas and Cowboys don’t mix’ – the message clearly reiterates the fact that in the hands of an illegal gas fitter – gas can kill. ‘Cowboy’ gas fitters in Great Britain are still carrying out a quarter of a million gas jobs each year without the skills or the qualifications which allow them to do the work on or with gas.

The official body for gas safety in Great Britain and the Isle of Man is Gas Safe Register, where by law all gas engineers have to be Gas Safe registered in order to carry out work on gas and or gas appliances. And, from April 1, 2010 – this will also apply to Northern Ireland.

Avoid Fake Britain and always use a Gas Safe registered engineer – and always ask to see their Gas Safe card.

Source: gassaferegister.co.uk

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Nuclear Power Delays Good For Business

March 10th, 2010

Delays in building new nuclear power stations could be good news for engineering company Weir Group, says its chief executive Keith Cochrane. The Daily Telegraph reports that Weir Group’s boss believes they could benefit from delays in building new nuclear plants because the old plants are likely to need life-extensions.

Mr Cochrane also said the business was likely to benefit from increasing opportunities to service nuclear plants in China. He said, “There has been an acceleration of new build in China and things are also happening on the ground in the U.S.”.

He added, “We are seeing delays in the UK and Europe but that is creating opportunities in maintenance and life extension”.

Mr Cochrane credited “aggressive” gas production in American shale fields for wearing out equipment. He said this led to an increase in demand for Weir Group’s services and products.

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Source: The Daily Telegraph

International Power will still talk

March 10th, 2010

International Power is an independent power generation company which has interests in over 45 power stations, and as reported by times online, has indicated that as a company which is still growing, is still open to suggestions of a possible tie-up similar to the proposals that came out of the failed talks with French utility giant GDF Suez earlier this year.

The company, which operates or is building power plants in 21 countries worldwide, including Australia, Britain, France and Germany confirmed in January that it had ended talks with GDF regarding the possibility of a partnership, which could have created a world-leading electricity group.

The discussions, which supposedly went on for several months, focused on how GDF Suez would introduce its electricity production assets outside Europe into International Power, giving the French group a majority stake in the bigger company, but negotiations were aborted when information was leaked before the two sides were ready to finalise any agreement.

However, according to the article, Phil Cox, International Power’s chief executive, has confirmed that he would be willing to consider proposals which are similar to those tabled by GDF Suez – as long as they were in the best interests of the group.

This announcement comes at the same time International Power, which was formed in 2000, when National Power, the larger of the two privatised UK electricity generators, was split into domestic and international companies, reports a 10% increase in full-year operating profits to £1.157 billion – better than expected with shares rising 1.8p to 330.5p in early city trading.

Source: business.timesonline.co.uk

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Clipper Windpower Gets New Boss

March 10th, 2010

Clipper Windpower is to get a new chief executive after the loss making firm replaces him with an executive from its new American backer, reports The Daily Telegraph.

United Technologies Corporation took a 49.5% stake in Clipper Windpower towards the end of last year and the new chief executive is Mauricio Quintana, a former director of United Technologies.

Clipper Wind has been struggling for orders during the recession and yesterday announced it expected to make a second half loss of $120 million – similar to its first half loss.

Only last year the company received a £4million grant from the Department for Energy and Climate Change to provide funds for a turbine factory in the North East. Clipper Windpower has confirmed that it plans to make the world’s largest turbine blades at the factory.

The company has many wind farms in America and the renewable energy business now wants to supply more turbines for the developing UK offshore wind market.

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Source: The Daily Telegraph

Vigor Renewables To Develop Wind & Solar Power

March 10th, 2010

A new company has been launched to take advantage of Feed-in Tariffs (FiT), reports Green Wise. Vigor Renewables will partner landowners, commercial property owners and managers in order to develop and operate sites generating electricity from solar and wind power.

Vigor Renewables and other similar companies are hoping to develop the market which is expected to emerge as the result of the FiTs which will come into effect next month. They will install and operate renewable technologies and at the same time provide the owner with rental income or discounted electricity prices for the length of the feed-in tariff payment.

Vigor Renewables is currently negotiating over options for 15 sites where they will develop small scale renewable electricity generation and the first project should get under way this summer.

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Source: Green Wise

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