Some basic facts: Homes account for about 30% of the UK's carbon emissions and 55% of all water usage. 55% of all timber used in the UK goes into housing construction and the construction industry itself produces some 70 million tons of waste materials each year - Of this, 19% consists of materials that are delivered to sites and never used!
Green Energy Consortium: A coalition of 11 renewable-energy trade associations representing more than 600 companies has asked the major political parties to help expand the sector through financial incentives, tax breaks, reformed planning and improvement to the electricity grid.
Renewables Hub: In Sept 2005
The Centre for Offshore Renewables Technology
received a £3.65m grant from Suffolk
County Council. Based in Lowestoft, the Centre
hopes to make the region a hub for work in this
field.
Low
Carbon Buildings Programme: Launched
by the UK Government in April 2006, this 3-year
programme replaces and replaces the previous DTI
Clear Skies and Solar PV grant programmes. It
provides grants for microgeneration schemes for
householders, public and not-for-profit organisations.
Grants: Grants of up to £2500 towards
microgeneration technology systems
are available under the Government's Low
Carbon Buildings Programme.
To be eligible to receive a low carbon buildings
grant you must use a certified installer
and a certified product. "The scheme is
open to householders, public, not for profit
and commercial organisations across the UK (except
the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man). The
site says "The programme will demonstrate how
energy efficiency and microgeneration can work
hand in hand to create low carbon buildings."
The following technologies are supported under
the scheme:
For photovoltaic cells, the Energy
Saving Trust provides grants - please see www.est.co.uk/solar.
DEFRA has a leaflet on their grant aid scheme for Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) & Miscanthus Up to £200,000 may be available.
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