CBI says green or growth is a “false choice”

The controversy over whether the ‘green’ economy is a good or a bad thing for UK PLC has been given a positive boost by one of the country’s most influential groups. A new report from the CBI claims that green policies are a “vital driver” of economic growth, and that a straight choice between going green or boosting economic growth is a false one. In a rare moment of confidence in what has been an otherwise gloomy month for fiscal predictions, the CBI say that the UK could become a leader in low-carbon products and services, and that cutting edge research and development in the UK could also have long-term implications for global green economics for years to come.

The study found that maximising the UK’s green growth potential could result in a £20bn boost to GDP by 2014-15, and an improvement in trade balance of almost £0.8bn – especially good news just after the country has received a recovery downgrade from the EMF. Green business now accounts for nearly 8% of the country’s GDP, and currently supports nearly a million jobs. Many of those jobs are in green energy production, and in a market where traditional fossil fuels are struggling, the ‘green’ options such as bio-energy are holding their own. “We applaud the CBI’s positive statement on going green,” comments EDW Service Delivery Director, Graham Paul. “And they are also absolutely right in saying that the green economy isn’t a case of either/or – we have to realise that in the future, green energy and products are going to form a fundamental part of our economy and growth. Without the ‘green’ pound, not only will we struggle environmentally, but financially as well,” he adds.

Going green globally
The CBI’s report also hints that where the UK leads, others will follow, and that could have major implications for the future of wholesale energy markets in particular. The report gave several specific recommendations that will impact the energy sector, including:

• Ensuring the ambition of the fourth carbon budget was maintained and matched with consistent messaging from the government
• Giving market signals that have stability and longevity
• Collaborating with business to ensure the right mix of incentives and regulation
• Reducing complexity in the existing low-carbon landscape, including immediate action on the Carbon Reduction Commitment.

“Put all the right pieces in place, and you could see a substantial increase in business positivity,” comments Graham. “The energy industry has been committed to the production of greener fuel for years, and it has been our research and development into the use of green energy that has really driven the market forward. What the CBI is saying in their report, and what we have been saying for years, is that the government has to stop using the green economy as some sort of stick to beat British industry with, and promote its positive role in building a stronger future economy,” he adds.

And it seems that consumer demand is responding to the green economy too. “Not only is the green economy creating new opportunities both in the energy sector and elsewhere, but the public’s response to going green is becoming more positive,” says Graham Paul. “The energy sector has been positioned to take advantage of this for some time, and now it’s time for the rest of industry – and the government – to do the same. As renewables become cheaper and more plentiful, now is an ideal time to invest in long-term green energy projects, both in the private and the public sectors. It’s nice to know that for once, the energy providers aren’t the ‘bad guys’ and have been right all along about the importance of green energy and the green economy!” he concludes.

Trex high performance eco decking hits the UK

Innovative Trex Transcend® Collection Couples Enduring Beauty and Unmatched Durability  

The wait is over; Trex®, the world number 1 in high performance decking is now available in the UK.  Bringing its 20 years’ experience of wood-alternative decking to the British consumer, so this Spring/Summer there is no excuse not to have a beautifully kitted out garden.

Already the preferred wood-alternative decking brand across America, Trex decking is guaranteed to look “like new” for decades and as it’s made from 95 percent recycled materials; it is eco-friendly too.    You can now get your hands on The Trex range of durable and beautiful outdoor living products – including the revolutionary Trex Transcend® decking from Arbordeck dealers nationwide. 

HIGH-PERFORMANCE MEETS LOW-MAINTENANCE - Engineered with an exclusive low-sheen, high-traffic formulation, Trex Transcend decking combines a finish that resists stains, scratches and mold with a distinctive and natural-looking, wood-grain pattern in deep, saturated colours inspired by the great outdoors – Gravel Path (a pristine grey); Lava Rock (a reddish black); Spiced Rum (an umber hue with diverse streaking); Tree House (a warm earth tone) and Vintage Lantern (a deep-burnished bronze).

In addition, Transcend is extremely low maintenance. It won’t rot, warp, crack or splinter, so upkeep is hassle-free. The product requires no sanding, staining or painting, and spills wash off easily with just soap and water. The key to Trex Transcend decking’s extreme durability is its integrated shell, which is two to three times thicker than that of other manufacturers’ products. Each board is protected on three sides for superior defense against severe weather and heavy foot traffic, while the underside of each board breathes to avoid surface separation and ensure lifelong endurance. The entire Transcend decking collection also is backed by a 25-year Limited Residential Fade and Stain Warranty. 

DESIGN FLEXIBILITY - Each Trex Transcend deck board is available in two profile options – square and grooved. The grooved boards accommodate the Trex Hideaway® Hidden Fastening System, which allows for a smooth, unfettered finish free of nails and other visible fasteners. The system’s clips create a seamless look with no screws or screw holes to interrupt the smooth texture and comfortable feel of the decking. Matching fascia boards serve as a finishing touch.

The Trex Transcend collection also includes railing components in both Vintage Lantern and Tree House, which offer the same beauty and low maintenance as Transcend decking with mix-and-match capabilities to suit any style. 

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT - As a company built on green principles and practices, Trex decking is manufactured of reclaimed wood and sawdust, as well as recycled plastic from many common household items – including sandwich bags, newspaper sleeves and grocery bags. In fact, Trex saves approximately 300,000 tonnes of plastic and wood scrap from landfill sites every year, and no trees have ever been felled to manufacture Trex products. The company regularly seeks third-party audits to ensure that it is continually improving green practices while meeting all environmental, health and safety guidelines and industry regulations.

Prices start from £75m2 including VAT (tax) and secret fixings.

For more information about Trex products and to find local dealers, visit www.trex.com/uk

Opus Energy signs 250th renewable generator

Opus Energy's 250th renewable generator

Independent energy supplier to UK businesses, Opus Energy, has announced its 250th renewable generator agreement, signed with Milford Haven Port Authority this month.

The agreement will see Opus Energy purchasing power from solar PV systems across 11 of Milford Haven Port Authority’s sites. This adds to an existing two sites owned by the group that were signed with Opus Energy earlier this year, including Milford Haven Port’s flagship 100.8kW Phoenix Power PV Station - the largest integrated solar PV system in Wales - located on the roof of a tenpin bowling centre.

Tim James, Energy Development Manager, Milford Haven Port Authority, comments on the signing: “Milford Haven Port has a long established tradition of working at the cutting edge of energy production. Renewable generation now makes up part of our energy interests and is set to grow considerably as we make the transition to low carbon energy generation. We now have over 800kW of renewable energy generators and Opus Energy’s speed and ability to deliver within our deadlines and targets made them a great choice.”

Opus Energy is experiencing a growing level of interest amongst small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in generating renewable power from their own businesses, allowing them to power their own sites whilst reducing their carbon footprint. Generating renewable energy also provides SMEs with an additional income, as Opus Energy purchases their renewable power - via its power purchase agreements (PPAs) - to supply to its customers.

Charlie Crossley Cooke, Managing Director, Opus Energy, says: “Our growing customer base is evidence that renewable energy generation can provide businesses with a much needed boost to their income. This also contributes to a company’s energy provision  in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way, which in turn will help bolster CSR credentials.”

Opus Energy’s 100th renewable generator agreement was signed with sustainable Devon crab fishery, The Blue Sea Food Company, after they installed solar PV panels onto the roof of their manufacturing sites.

David Markham, Sales Director, The Blue Sea Food Company explains: “We’re proud to process sustainable South Devon crab and try to instil this ethos throughout the business operation. Fitting solar panels is one of several initiatives the company has carried out in order to minimize our environmental footprint. We hope the new solar panels will supply upwards of 25% of our entire factories’ electricity requirements.”

Crossley Cooke continues, “So far, we’ve seen take-up of our renewables PPA across a range of different business sectors, from food manufacturers and suppliers to farms and community centres. Our challenge is to grow this customer base and the take-up of renewables generation amongst UK SMEs, despite decreasing subsidies.

“With the economic situation still so uncertain, any additional income will be invaluable for businesses. A 100kW solar panel on the roof of a factory, for example, will typically generate an income of over £16,000 per year, and will help reduce running costs, which makes sound business sense.”

(PICTURED: Milford Haven Port’s flagship 100.8 kW Phoenix Power PV Station, the largest integrated PV system in Wales, located on the roof of the Phoenix Bowl tenpin bowling centre.)

Opus Energy is the UK’s leading business energy supplier. With offices in Northampton and Oxford, Opus Energy employs 410 people.

Opus Energy supplies over 130,000 UK business sites across all sectors. Corporate customers include: Stagecoach, Pizza Hut and Virgin Media.

Opus Energy’s management team has a 50 per cent stake in the business, while International Power Plc (LSE: IPR.L) holds 30 per cent and Telecom Plus Plc (LSE: TEP.L) has 20 per cent.

For further information about Opus Energy, please see the Opus Energy Renewables website.

Vote for the world’s ‘Most Responsible Celebrity’

Voting is now open for the INTERNATIONAL GREEN AWARDS™ Most Responsible Celebrity Award. Nominees include the global eco-glitterati such as George Clooney, Penelope Cruz, Ian Somerhalder, Sachin Tendulkar and fashion visionary Vivienne Westwood, among others.

This award seeks to recognise an international media figure who has consistently promoted the sustainability agenda globally and as a result, influenced mass audiences as a celebrity. The competition is now open to a public vote at www.greenawards.com. This year’s nominees are comprised of 10 well respected celebrities who are deemed to have used their prominence to promote environmental and sustainable development issues and thus have become ‘responsible celebrities’. The candidate with the most votes will be announced as the winner at a showcase sustainable gala dinner on Tuesday 20th November at the Battersea Power Station, London. The winner will then be heralded as the ‘greenest’ media exemplar internationally.

Last year’s winner international supermodel Gisele Bündchen said in her acceptance speech “I have been blessed with the opportunity to bring attention to environmental causes, they are dear to my heart.” She also thanked her fans for voting and said of the award “Thank you for this special honour, I am filled with gratitude.”

In these troubled times for the environment, with climate-related disasters never far from the front page, it’s often news which features celebrities which attracts the most green media interest. The International Green Awards™ aims to raise the bar around the ‘cult of celebrity’. This award puts the spotlight on those progressive individuals who are keen to harness the power of the media, challenge conventional thinking on the climate agenda and who are really ahead of the game by ‘doing their bit’ for the future of us all.

Celebrities are undoubtedly some of the most powerful influencers in the world – they set trends for others to follow and thus are opinion leaders in their own right. In recent times as we adjust to the age of business transparency, an increasing number of celebrities have jumped onto the environmental bandwagon, while still others have truly embraced issues from animal rights through to deforestation and famine. Aside from their affluence, celebrities can set a very clear example for others as role models by endorsing sustainable lifestyles from recycling and purchasing low carbon vehicles through to switching to renewable energy.

All of the media figures selected have already used their media prominence in some way in the past few years to engage with mass audiences on environmental, CSR or sustainable development issues. In fact, many of the nominated celebrities are already recognised as ambassadors for organisations such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Tony Juniper, Writer, Campaigner, Independent Sustainability Advisor and 2012 International Green Awards™ Ambassador commented “This is why I am proud to support the International Green Awards™, so that more people can see what is already happening, the leaders of positive initiatives be recognised and the rest of us to be encouraged by what they are doing.”

Don’t forget to make your vote count vote for the celebrity you respect the most by visiting www.greenawards.com before 6th August.

Quick-Fit steam trapping station saves energy, cuts carbon emissions

More energy efficient steam systems are the promise of the new STS17.2 steam trapping station launched by Spirax Sarco in an expansion of its Quick-Fit steam trap range. The STS17.2 comprises isolation valves, steam trap connector with strainer and a check valve in a sleek modular body, supported by a 10-year warranty for total peace of mind.

A steam trap can be replaced in minutes instead of hours, enabling steam systems to be kept at peak performance and energy efficiency. Plant downtime is also reduced significantly.

Traditionally, steam traps are welded or screwed into the pipeline and considerable work is needed to replace them. Often this means that an underperforming steam trap needing maintenance is left in place for a significant period until safe access can be arranged.

The single-piece body of the STS17.2 also virtually eliminates the potential leak paths caused by screwed connections that conventional steam trapping stations and on-site fabricated installations typically suffer.

“The STS17.2'S’s innovative leak-free stainless steel body helps steam system operators to further reduce carbon emissions,” says Paul Mayoh, Spirax Sarco Product Manager. Total cost of ownership is lowered through the use of high performance stainless steel components, ensuring long and trouble-free operation.”

Apart from the steam traps themselves, no other components need to be specified or purchased, eliminating the time, cost and inconvenience needed to select, size, build and install a conventional steam trapping station.

An important safety feature of the STS17.2 is the inclusion of lockable handles on the isolation valves to help ensure maintenance can be carried out safely by minimising the possibility of accidental operation. Internal parts including the ball valves, check valve and strainer screen can all be replaced easily.

A new option with the STS17.2 is the double isolation adapter. This provides added security of two upstream isolation valves and allows the replacement of steam traps whilst the system is live, eliminating the need for plant downtime. This can also be considered for upstream and downstream applications for more specific maintenance procedures.

The STS17.2 boasts several other options such as an automatic steam trap monitoring facility and strainer blowdown valves to further reduce maintenance. The compact design of the STS17.2 allows it to squeeze into positions that are too tight to accommodate traditional steam trapping stations built from separate components.

Although there are several connector steam traps available, selection here is further simplified by considering thermodynamic for mains drainage and float for heat exchanger applications. Steam traps can be changed or maintained quickly with only two bolt connections without breaking the pipeline.

The new trapping station is suitable for clean steam and filtered applications such as hospital sterilisers, dairy production, food and beverage processing and some pharmaceutical plants. No sizing or selection is required for the STS17.2 and it is considered suitable for all steam main applications up to 10 bar g and DN150 line size.

Other applications can be sized using the appropriate Quick-Fit steam trap selection data and then selecting the same size STS17.2. The majority of applications will use the ½” or DN 15 unit.

For more information on the STS17.2 please visit www.spiraxsarco.com/uk/sts17.2, email uk.enquires@uk.spiraxsarco.com or call 01242 535319.

Corner Shop Culture Resonates More Than Price for Super-Savvy Consumers, says Green Energy firm

Whilst the recession has created a nation of price hunters as many scramble to save money on products and services, companies with a longer term strategy of retaining and attracting customers should instead look to provide first class customer service, says green energy uk, a provider of sustainable energy.

It’s no surprise that this period of economic uncertainty has borne an army of bargain hunters, but it has also created a more competitive business environment, meaning customers are now looking for better service for their money from the companies they do business with. In fact, even in a negative economy, customer experience is a high priority for the new breed of super-savvy consumers, with 60 per cent often or always paying more for a better experience and 59 per cent willing to try a new brand or company for a better service experience.

Doug Stewart, CEO of green energy uk, said: “Whilst the economic climate remains challenging, we’ve found the attitude towards ‘value for money’ has changed. For many consumers, the emphasis seems to have shifted in the direction of value and what value means rather than just selecting the cheapest deal. Many people now view value for money as including the entire service they receive, and most are frustrated with the money-saving approach taken by companies who outsource communication to overseas call centres.

"People also want a better bang for their buck, so finding new and innovative ways of ensuring they don’t start to look elsewhere should be a constant priority for providers of goods and services to consumers. Until now, the recession has meant that price has been one of the key factors for consumers when looking at food, clothes or even electricity prices, as everyone wants to cut costs as much as possible.

“Initiatives such as customer share schemes can make a real difference to the offering – and really make them feel like you’re giving something back for their custom, which is a huge step in securing loyalty. In addition, the environment is becoming more of a key factor in everyone’s lives, as the issue of climate change increases in prominence, so ways to be greener should be looked into by businesses to use as a USP when selling their services.”

Sourcing energy from a variety of renewable sources,green energy uk is a highly-regarded supplier of green electricity in the United Kingdom. Its customer base comprises homes and businesses from around the country who have made the energy switch to cleaner energy.

Doug added: “We’re a small company and it’s something we’re really proud of as it means we’re small enough to care about our customers and give them a great service – we find that really matters these days. The friendly, personable ‘corner shop’ culture is growing and we’re glad to be part of it, and, without wanting to sound like an environmentalist, if we can do it alongside trying to make a difference to the planet then why not?”

For further information about green energy uk and to find hints and tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint, visit www.greenenergy.uk.com.

Wildlife Sound Recording Society “Silver Fox” Trophy awarded to Martin Garnett for Black Grouse recording

The Wildlife Sound Recording Society’s (WSRS) annual sound recording competition has been won by Martin Garnett, a former Forest Ranger and professional ornithologist, for his recording entitled Black Grouse. The winning recording captures the magical bubbling calls of three blackcock, dancing and sparring as they compete to attract female birds one early morning at their remarkable courtship gathering known as a “lek”.

Martin has put his win down to having many years’ experience of monitoring Black Grouse leks in Wales as part of his job and, for the winning recording, had spent months researching the site along with his wife Annie.

Martin tells of the build up to the winning recording: “As Black Grouse are quite rare and susceptible to disturbance, we took special care not to disturb them at all. To begin with our modus operandi was to leave unattended recorders at two leks and observe the birds from a distance, returning to pick up the recorders after the birds had left. This was very hit and miss, although by trial and error we did achieve some reasonable recordings.

"Later I found that I could use the car as a hide near one lek and run a 70m cable to the mics. This was carried out at night time before the birds arrived. The grouse were not at all disturbed by this, arriving, displaying and leaving the lek as normal. Over three separate mornings I experimented with finding the best position and orientation for the mics, which I partly concealed in a clump of rushes to one side of the lek.

“The day of the recording, the weather was perfect and everything worked as planned. The mics were placed and I was in position well before the first birds arrived. The birds displayed right in front of the mics, the closest only a few feet away! Most importantly now I had control of the recorder and preamp and could monitor and change recording settings. I also had a good view of most of the action.

“The recording was helped by it being one of the driest Aprils on record (2011) – the fast flowing mountain river, which was about 150m away from the lek site was nearly dry and is hardly audible on the recording. This was also the most active time of year at the lek, with females coming to the site on most days. The behaviour of the males was much more animated when females were around!”

Chairman of the WSRS, Alan Burbidge commented "Martin's recording gives a fantastic sound picture of the Black Grouse lek: building to a crescendo and full of action. Martin's attention to detail, his background field work as well as the expert field craft used, make this recording a worthy overall winner of the annual WSRS competition. Martin's high quality recording, and those of the other outstanding class winners in the competition are testament not only to the skills of the individual recordists, but to the sharing of expertise and knowledge that runs through the veins of WSRS." website

In addition to being the custodian of the coveted Silver Fox trophy for a year, Martin will also receive a DPA SMK4060 Stereo Miniature Microphone Kit courtesy of WSRS competition sponsor , Sound Network.

“Sound Network Ltd is proud to maintain its continued support of the Wildlife Sound Recording Society and donating the prize for the “Silver Fox Award” for the 6th consecutive year. The Society’s energy and enthusiasm to record and archive wildlife sound as faithfully as possible is a unique contribution to the audio industry and a valuable social record for the future.” Said Ralph Dunlop, Sound Network co-founder.

Martin has been a member of the WSRS since 2008 and had this to say about his membership:
“Since joining the WSRS, I have benefited greatly from the generous and unstinting advice from the more experienced members of the society about the equipment and techniques needed to succeed with wildlife sound recording. I have found the WSRS website full of useful guidance and the forum a great place to ask questions and get answers. I have found attending meetings and workshops another excellent way of gaining information.”