Communities across England will be given the chance to win funding for local clean energy projects, the government has announced.
A new Community Energy Fund will be launched to help people develop projects in their area, such as small-scale wind farms, battery storage, rural heat networks, electric vehicle charging points, fuel alleviation schemes and rooftop solar, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said.
Applications will open in early autumn for urban and rural communities to apply for a portion of the £10 million ($13 million) fund.
Local Net Zero Hubs, which are partnerships between local authorities and local private sector businesses will deliver the fund to develop projects proposed, designed and owned by the local community.
The fund will also support jobs, provide clean affordable energy, reduce fuel poverty and help kick-start private investment to scale up the projects, the government department said.
It added that surplus money generated from the schemes can go directly back to the community through funding local projects such as community gardens and youth employment groups.
“Local communities are at the heart of our plans to boost our energy security and grow the economy,” Andrew Bowie, Minister for Nuclear and Networks, said.
“The Community Energy Fund for England will empower communities to do just that.
“With it, they’ll be able to drive forward innovative energy projects that will have a lasting positive impact, bringing costs down, building stronger communities, and securing clean energy for generations to come.
“Importantly, these energy projects could expand beyond local areas by attracting further investment from the private sector, in turn inspiring other communities to power their area with energy from England.”
Green energy sources – in pictures
The new Community Energy Fund follows the Rural Community Energy Fund, which closed last March.
But the remit has been expanded to include renewable energy investment for urban areas as well, the government said.
Congleton Hydro, which received £73,511 from the Rural Community Energy Fund, is now producing clean electricity from Havannah Weir in Cheshire – enough to power the equivalent of 60 homes.
The project has led to the creation of an annual £5,000 fund for community projects, including a rewilding programme and an educational programme helping young people to deliver local sustainability.
“The Rural Communities Energy Fund has been a real enabler for Dane Valley Community Energy’s Congleton Hydro, helping us to refine the system design and commission additional environmental studies required by the local planning authority,” Bob Owen, chartered engineer at Congleton Hydro, said.
“Further funds from RCEF have enabled us to successfully specify and design the next Hydro Scheme based on another historic weir in Congleton park and fund the research and the realisation of a Community Solar Scheme – the Community Share Prospectus.”
It comes as local opposition to national grid infrastructure upgrades and issues around local planning have been identified as a potential obstacle to the UK’s progress towards net zero.
A recent government report found that Britain needs enormous new investment to deliver the clean electricity that will power cars, homes and industries in the future.
But projects to build power lines are being held up by local opposition, meaning new wind turbines and solar panels could be left standing idle, leading to higher costs for customers.
The report recommended that restrictions on onshore wind and solar power are reduced and for local authorities to be compelled to identify land suitable for renewable energy projects.
A report from the Institute for Public Policy Research earlier this year said the current planning system is “not fit for purpose” for a green transition.
The think tank said there is no explicit goal within the system to support the delivery of net zero targets or nature restoration, with environmental requirements often sitting outside the system or conflicting with it.
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft Toronto
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: Playstation 4, Xbox One, Windows
Release Date: April 10
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Ireland (15-1):
Ireland (15-1): Rob Kearney; Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack Conan, Sean O'Brien, Peter O'Mahony; James Ryan, Quinn Roux; Tadhg Furlong, Rory Best (capt), Cian Healy
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Dave Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Ultan Dillane, Josh van der Flier, John Cooney, Joey Carbery, Jordan Larmour
Coach: Joe Schmidt (NZL)
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