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Large Infrastructure Planning

The UK government has published an action plan aimed at ensuring faster delivery of large infrastructure projects such as offshore wind farms, transport links and wastewater management facilities.

“The plan we have published today demonstrates the commitment across government to ensuring the planning system supports us to improve our energy security and deliver the major transport links and essential facilities this country needs to thrive,” stated Local Government Minister Lee Rowley.

The policy paper “Nationally Significant Infrastructure: action plan for reforms to the planning process” was published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and applies to England and Wales.

The government wants to make the planning system for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) better, faster, greener, fairer and more resilient. It says that between 2012 and 2021, the time it took for projects to go through the NSIP process increased by 65%, from 2.6 to 4.2 years. Its ambitions to improve the infrastructure consenting process were set out in the National Infrastructure Strategy in 2020 and included in the British Energy Security Strategy in 2022.

The action plan measures include reviewing National Policy Statements (NPSs) more regularly for better clarity to make decisions. The government also plans to speed up the application process by streamlining regulations and updating guidance. A fast track process will be piloted, with powers for the Secretary of State to set shorter timelines for certain projects.

The reforms are further intended to realise better outcomes for the environment, which will involve replacing the “cumbersome” environmental assessment processes with new Environmental Outcomes Reports. Measures to embed community input and benefits earlier in the process are also planned.

The government will seek to bring forward by the spring of 2024 the key regulatory and guidance changes needed to deliver the action plan.

Industry group RenewableUK welcomed the outlined planning reforms. “In particular, it’s good to see that Ministers have listened to industry on the need for early and meaningful engagement between project developers and the statutory bodies we work with, and a commitment to scale up the resources required within the planning system to make it work more efficiently, as this will enable us to deliver critical renewable infrastructure,” said the group’s environmental policy analyst Juliette Webb.

With respect to wildlife protection and the views of local communities Webb said: “The government’s proposals make it clear that the right balance will be struck to ensure that projects will only go ahead when those safeguards have been met, and we fully support this environmentally sensitive approach.”

Energy industry trade association Energy UK said on Twitter: “We’ve long called for planning reform and look forward to working with the government over the next months as they consult on how to put these changes into practice.”

 

Source: Renewables.com

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“Nothing better” claims for new ventilation with heat recovery unit

In the drive towards reduced net zero, Gilberts Blackpool claims its new MFS-HR surpasses performance of anything comparable on the market for commercial and public sector applications.

Building on Gilberts’ pioneering MFS hybrid ventilation unit- the first of its kind to be developed in the UK- the combined hybrid unit can achieve up to 75% heat recovery.

The exceptional and market-leading heat recovery performance means that when employed as part of a sustainable strategy including photovoltaic arrays, MFS-HR could achieve energy negative status.

As with the original MFS and other alternative hybrid ventilation systems, MFS-HR is a stand-alone unit installed through the façade to ventilate, cool and warm the interior. Initial tests indicate each MFS-HR will provide up to 4kw heating and 2kw cooling capacity whilst still delivering a airflow rate of up to 470l/s. It could cost as little as £10/annum/zone to operate.

Manufactured by Gilberts in the UK, the whole MFS range makes optimal use of recyclable materials making it low on embodied carbon, MFS attains air leakage better than legislative requirements – 3m3/HR/m2, and a U value of less than 1W/m2/°C, all combining to further enhance the green credentials.

 

 

“When we launched the original MFS, there was nothing else like it in terms of performance,” says Gilberts Sales Director Ian Rogers. “MFS-HR will build on that, taking hybrid ventilation with heat recovery to new heights in the drive towards energy and carbon reduction and re-affirming Gilberts’ position as a technological leader.”

 

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Solar technology is a game-changer

World-first solar technology is a game-changer in providing affordable clean energy to flats

  • SolShare is the world’s only technology for connecting multiple residential units within a single building to a single rooftop solar PV system
  • Wales is the first nation to implement new solar technology for housing blocks in Europe
  • Each household could benefit from savings of around 50% off their electricity bills
  • Social landlords leading the way in transition to cleaner, more affordable electricity

 

 

Allume Energy, Wales & West Housing and the Welsh Government have today announced the first installation of Allume’s SolShare technology for the UK’s housing sector, to provide clean, affordable electricity to residential flats in Cardiff.

The project has connected 24 flats to lower cost solar energy at Odet Court, with the potential to meet 55%-75% of each flat’s electricity demand. Based on the average usage of 1800kWH – 2,400 kWh for a 1-bed flat this could equate to an electricity bill saving of around 50% (between £390 to £530) a year, based on current average electricity costs in the UK of 34p/kWh. The project has been funded by the Welsh Government in association with Wales & West Housing as part of the Optimised Retrofit Programme.

SolShare is the world’s only technology for connecting multiple residential units within a single building to a single rooftop solar PV system. Until now, previous options involved installing individual solar systems into each unit – a largely unworkable solution for developers due to cost, footprint and inefficient energy utilisation. In the case of Odet Court, this would have meant installing 24 sets of panels, 24 inverters and 24 batteries.

Not only has SolShare significantly reduced the amount of hardware and footprint required, it has also reduced installation costs as compared to a typical solar system. Its ‘dynamic sharing’ capacity also delivers an improved solar utilisation of over 25%. Importantly, SolShare is suitable for retrofit projects as well as new builds, as it does not require any changes to the existing supply and metering infrastructure.

“Wales is leading the way with the installation of this new technology,” commented Jack Taylor, General Manager Europe, Allume Energy. “We hope it will serve as a template for governments and social housing providers in the UK to provide cost-effective energy efficiency upgrades to multi-unit residences. Simple and affordable solutions are available, so it’s great to see governments and housing associations embracing innovative technologies which help tackle fuel poverty and climate change.”
Climate Change Minister Julie James said: “This is an exciting first of its kind project for Wales and exactly the type of thinking we need to see within the housing sector. The decarbonisation of homes plays a big part in our journey towards a Net Zero Wales by 2050 and I look forward to following this innovative project as works progress. At a time when costs are rising, improving the energy efficiency of homes will not only help us to deal with the climate emergency but also help families through the cost of living crisis. It’s another important step in our journey towards a stronger, greener, fairer Wales.”
Joanna Davoile, Executive Director (Assets) at Wales & West Housing said: “At a time when many people are facing difficult choices of whether to heat their homes or feed themselves and their families, it is only right that we explore ways to make our homes more energy efficient for our residents where possible. In recent years we have been trialling different methods of retrofitting older homes with energy-saving technologies but one of the main challenges has been how to fit PV panels and battery systems to our apartment homes so that everyone living in the schemes could equally benefit. The SolShare system seems to be a much fairer solution as the energy generated by the building can be shared equally to help our residents to keep their electricity costs down rather than going back to the grid. We are excited to see how the technology used in the SolShare system will work for our residents.”
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Oxford says YES to FUSION POWER

Illustrative image of nuclear fusion concept

South Oxfordshire District Council Planning Committee approves fusion energy project; construction to start this year at UKAEA’s Culham Campus.

The fusion demonstration will be built to 70 per cent scale of a commercial power plant at UKAEA’s Culham Campus. The fusion machine is expected to be commissioned in 2026 and fully operational by early 2027.

Following the resolution to grant planning permission by the South Oxfordshire District Council Planning Committee, construction of General Fusion’s demonstration at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority’s (UKAEA) Culham Campus is expected to start this summer.

When construction of the 10,500m2 building is complete, General Fusion will lease the building from UKAEA. The company’s fusion machine is expected to be commissioned in 2026 and fully operational by early 2027.

Built to 70 per cent scale of a commercial power plant, the demonstration will create fusion conditions in a power plant-relevant environment, achieving temperatures of over 100 million degrees Celsius. This is a crucial step on the path to eventually powering homes, businesses and industry with zero-carbon fusion energy. The facility itself will not generate power.

Siting the facility at the UKAEA’s Culham Campus, part of the thriving UK Fusion Cluster, enables General Fusion to access world-leading science and engineering capabilities, such as knowledge and experience in designing, constructing and operating the record-breaking Joint European Torus. In addition, the company will benefit from the UK’s existing fusion energy supply chains.

“The UK has been a longstanding leader in fusion energy development. We are thrilled to join the Culham Campus and the UK’s Fusion Cluster, and anticipate creating 60 long-term jobs at the site,” said Greg Twinney, CEO of General Fusion. “In addition, we expect the project will generate approximately 200 jobs during construction.”

“The UKAEA welcomes this milestone as it aligns with our strategy to create clusters that accelerate innovation in fusion and related technologies, and support public-private partnerships to thrive,” said Professor Sir Ian Chapman, CEO of UKAEA. “It also builds upon our heritage of hosting major fusion facilities here at our Culham Campus.”

The building was designed by architects, AL_A, led by Stirling Prize winner Amanda Levete and Ove Arup Engineers, and has been developed to exemplary design and sustainability standards.

“Receiving planning permission is a huge milestone and testament to the close collaboration between our team, General Fusion, and the UKAEA. The building will not only be highly efficient but one that also expresses the technological optimism of fusion to solve the energy problems of the world,” said Amanda Levete, founder and principal of AL_A. “The design projects a confident message to the public about the extraordinary potential of this technology. It represents a clear shift in the relationship between environment and industry, moving from one of opposition to one of symbiosis.”

The design of the fusion demonstration facility is intended to enhance the surrounding biodiversity. The building will achieve BREEAM excellent accreditation through a mix of strategies that include reusing waste heat, natural ventilation to minimize cooling loads, as well as a large green roof and extensive photovoltaics.

 

Source: Built Environment Network

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