2001 News Archive

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5 December 2001: Latest news on the UK CHP Strategy
Further questions with regards to the timing of the Governments CHP strategy were tabled in the House of Commons today. For further details, visit Hansard online

4 December 2001: IPPR Conference - Profiting from a Low Carbon Economy
The Institute of Public Policy Research held its major conference on issues surrounding a low carbon economy. For further details, please visit the IPPR website Also available is their press release, that urges modernisation of the energy market to rid it of inefficiencies and old technologies.

30 November 2001: Wilson seeks system changes for green generators
The Energy Minister, Brian Wilson has stressed the importance of finding solutions to remaining technical, commercial and regulatory barriers to the development of renewables and the operation of embedded generation. For further details, visit the DTI website

28 November 2001: Pre-Budget Statement report on CHP
The Government has recognised the fact that CHP has been operating under difficult market conditions since the recent changes in energy prices. In addition to the NETA consultation, the Government is considering more favourable treatment under the Climate Change Levy. For further details, visit section 7.19 on the Treasurywebsite The CHPA has issued a press release relating to the announcement.

26 November 2001: CHP market difficulties raised in Parliament
Several questions have been tabled in the House of Commons recently, with reference to the market difficulties affecting the combined heat and power industry. Click for further details of debates that took place on 13 November, 15 November, 16 November and 26 November, .

21 November 2001: Fuel Poverty Strategy launched
The Fuel Poverty Strategy has been launched by DEFRA and the DTI, and addresses the use of community heating and CHP in the context of the aims of the strategy and the 2010 CHP target. Click and go to section 4.64 in the strategy document for further details.

20 November 2001: Combined Heat and Power Association's Annual Conference
The CHPA's annual conference was held on the 20th of November 2001 at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Westminster, London. For further information, visit the press release or the Conference Programme page (containing presentations delivered - in powerpoint format).

18 November 2001: UK probes tax exemption for CHP
The Treasury is investigating whether the European Union state aid laws will permit combined heat and power technologies to be given full exemption from the Government's climate change levy. For the full report, visit the Financial Times website

13 November 2001: Position Paper on the European Cogeneration Directive
In its recent Communication on the Implementation of the European Climate Change Programme the European Commission has announced the presentation of a proposal for a EU Cogeneration Directive in 2002. As input into this process, COGEN Europe has issued yesterday a Position Paper "Elements needed in a Directive on Cogeneration" (pdf, 30 KB). Contact: Dr. Simon Minett, COGEN Europe.

7 November 2001: Bowman Power announce two new applications for CHP
Bowman Power have annouced the installation of two microturbine district energy schemes, amongst the first of their type in Europe. For further details, visit the press releases for the schemes in Tower Hamlets, London and Barcelona

6 November 2001: DTI consults on operation of gas market
Energy Minister Brian Wilson today issued a consultation document seeking views on the operation of the gas market in Britain. More information, including details of the aims of the consultation are on the DTI website with a further summary on the Financial Times website.

6 November 2001: Conference on Small scale generation
The Building Research Establishment (BRE) is hosting a one day conference on 6 November 2001 in partnership with Micropower, looking at small scale electricity generation. For further details, please go to the Micropower press release or for a programme, please go to the
BRE flyer

1 November 2001: DTI Consultation on the impact of NETA on smaller generators
The Energy Minister, Brian Wilson today announced a Government consultation on measures to help smaller generators trade under NETA. More information is available from the DTI website The CHPA have welcomed the consultation in the following press release

24 October 2001: Beckett warns of big environmental challenges ahead
The Enviroment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, Margaret Beckett, today outlined the challeges that the UK faces to improve people's quality of life and make the world a better place in which to live. For further details, including programmes to be supported by the Government, visit the DEFRA website

19 October 2001: Bush tackles barriers to CHP expansion
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stimulated moves towards the increased uptake of combined heat and power with the creation of a CHP partnership, involving private, state and NGO organisations across the USA. For further details, visit the Edie website or the EPA press release

15 October 2001: The Environmental Protection Agency CHP guidance
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have issued guidance on the definition, use and reasons for utilising combined heat and power. For full details, visit the EPA website

1 October 2001: Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology publish reports on embedded generation
The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology have published two documents looking at issues affecting embedded generation in the UK. For further details, please visit the POST note publications, Renewable Energy and UK Electricity Networks

1 October 2001: Changes to regulatory framework to benefit gas and electricity customers
The Energy Minister, Brian Wilson, today welcomed new licensing arrangements which will separate electricity generation, supply, and distribution. The new system aims to provide greater transparency and market competition, improve service to customers and will benefit smaller companies competing in the market. For details, go to the DTI press release

28 September 2001: Ofgem consulting on companies energy efficiency targets
Proposals on what the Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC) initiative could mean for energy supply companies were outlined today. For details of the scheme which commences in April 2002, including the consultation document, visit the Ofgem website

27 September 2001: Ofgem issues Consultation Document on Embedded Generation
Following concerns over perceived barriers suffered by Embedded Generators, Ofgem today launched a consultation exercise to review what can be done to stimulate embedded generation. For further details visit the Ofgem news release

20 September 2001: Launch of new COGEN Europe website
COGEN Europe have launched a new webpage This new information resource has been started in order that more up to date information is available on Cogeneration matters in Europe. As a new venture, feedback and suggestions on the new site are welcome.

September 2001: Energy Performance of Buildings Consultation
The European Union has produced a document for consultation, looking at the Energy Performance of Buildings - responses are to be submitted through DEFRA. For outline details of the consultation and links to the document itself, visit the DEFRA website

17 September 2001: Government gives Section 36 consent to Avonmouth CHP scheme
The Energy Minister, Brian Wilson, today gave consent for Avonmouth CHP to build a 180MW CHP plant at their Severn Road site in Avonmouth. For further details, visit the DTI website

August 2001: New Parliamentary Energy Website
The Parliamentary Group for Energy Studies (PGES) has just launched its own website. For further details on MPs and Peers who are members of the PGES, and details on their work priorities, visit their website at www.pges.org.uk

August 2001 : EST Energy Services Programme
The CHPA Agency is currently involved in the delivery of the Energy Saving Trust's Energy Services Programme. Support and funding is available in three areas of energy efficiency, those being residential CHP, energy services and affinity deals. For further information on the Programme, please email the Energy Services Office or telephone 01908 558209.

August 2001: Domestic CHP seminar Presentations
Presentations from the CHPA/SBGI Domestic Seminar at the DTI have just been posted on this website

August 2001: Cogen Europe Annual Conference
Following the highly successful Annual Conference in 2000, COGEN Europe is pleased to announce preliminary details of their 9th Annual Conference in Brussels. Cogeneration in the New Energy Market takes place between 7-9th November 2001 at the Europa Intercontinental Hotel, Brussels. Further information on Cogen Europe's website

20 August 2001: OFGEM Environmental Action Plan
OFGEM's Environmental Action Plan (EAP) sets out how the Energy Regulator can meet its statutory duties in the context of a number of environmental imperatives. The document identifies a number of priorities including the investigation into the impact of NETA on both renewables and CHP generation. Alongside this document, OFGEM have published further related documents, including a note on power station consents policy. All are available from their EAP website

17 August 2001: PIU Note on CHP and Energy Efficiency
As part of the Government's recently announced Energy Review, conducted by the Cabinet Office's Performance & Innovation Unit (PIU), further to their initial scoping document, a supplementary note asking for comments on CHP and Energy Efficiency has just been issued. This, along with a number of releases from the PIU can be obtained from their website

31 July 2001: 'Son' of Embedded Generation Working Group
Following on from the work of the Embedded Generation Working Group (EGWG) and the report they produced earlier this year, the implementation of the recommendations from that report will be co-ordinated by a new Embedded Generation Co-ordinating Group, under the joint chairmanship of the DTI and Ofgem. Further details on the following DTI press release The EGWG's report can be located at the following DTI website

24 July 2001: CHP in the East End
Local MP Jim Fitzpatrick and Bruno Lescoeur, Chief Executive of the London Electricity Group inaugurated the first community heat and power scheme of its type today in Tower Hamlets. Further information on the Barkantine Heat & Power Company initiative on LE's webpages

July 2001:CHPA National Awards 2001
Full details of this year's winners at the CHPA National Awards on the following webpage

July 2001: OFGEM's CHP website
OFGEM's revamped website includes an area on CHP, outlining OFGEM's work in collating CHP data, alongside a downloadable Excel spreadsheet listing those UK CHP sites (over 1100) which have responded to OFGEM's questionairre. Go to website

23 July 2001: Wilson gives 'green signal' for three new power stations
The Minister for Energy, Brain Wilson MP, has given Section 14 clearance to three new CHP plant. Further details on the three schemes, located in Middlewich, Caldicot and Hounslow, on the following DTI press release

July 2001: Digest of UK Energy Statistics
The Department of Trade & Industry's annual publication, the Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2001 (DUKES) has just been published. Data includes the most comprehensive view of CHP use across all sectors. The CHP section has been significantly revised in light of data coming through from the CHPQA process. DUKES is fully downloadable from the DTI's website

18 July 2001: CHP and the CCL: Guidance Note 41
DEFRA have recently published on their CHPQA website Guidance Note 41 which outlines some further issues surrounding the partial exemption of CHP from Climate Change Levy and possible alternatives. In a recent presentation to the Association's Member's by DEFRA this was among a range of issues looked into. A copy of the presentation (in Microsoft Powerpoint - 46KB) is available to download

11 July 2001: Government delays CHP Strategy
The long awaited Government CHP Strategy has been delayed yet again as a result of concerns over the effects of the New Electricity Trading Arrangements on sustainable power generators. Further details on the following CHPA press release

July 2001: CHPA UK Strategy Document
The Government has yet to deliver its UK CHP Strategy for achieving the 10,000MWe CHP target by 2010. As such, the Association decided to issue its own consultation paper, which was widely circulated towards the end of 2000. A wide range of organisations responded to the consultation paper with valuable comments. An updated version of the CHPA's Strategy paper, A UK CHP Strategy: Opportunities & Challenges has recently been completed and is available to download in Adobe Acrobat format. Further details on the following CHPA press release

June 2001: Demystifying NETA
Full presentations from the Demystifying NETA Workshop are available on the following website

June 2001: New Cogeneration information network
A new cogeneration information website has been launched by Euroheat and Power in conjunction with several national associations and the EU Save programme. For up to date information including new CHP technologies and applications in Europe, please visit
www.chp-info.org

June 2001: Domestic CHP Seminar
The CHPA, in partnership with the Society of British Gas Industries, are holding a one-day seminar at the DTI Conference Centre in London entitled Domestic CHP - Making it Happen. The event takes place on 11 July 2001. A copy of the Conference Guide (in Adobe Acrobat - 1MB) is available to download. For further information, call Pamela Rudolph at the CHPA on 020 7828 4077.

June 2001: NETA Smaller Generator Review
OFGEM's questionairre for smaller generators to determine the impact of NETA has recently been published on their website. It takes the form of an Excel spreadsheet and can be downloaded from here

29 May 2001: CHP & Business Rates
The Association's Business Rates advisors, GVA Grimley, gave a presentation to Members on 27 May with regards to updating the rates regime and its impact upon Combined Heat and Power schemes. A copy of the slides can be downloaded here (in Microsoft Powerpoint - RH mouse click to download [143kb]). Further information of this area can be obtained by contacting Mark Deans at Grimley.

18 May 2001:NETA Review
OFGEM have published today the following document: Review of the initial impact of NETA on Smaller Generators: Conclusions Report on Terms of Reference. It is available from their website

May 2001: Election Manifestos
The Government, in the Labour Party Manifesto, remains that it is committed to "a doubling of combined heat and power" by 2010. The full manifesto is available online at the Labour Party Website

The Conservative Manifesto has no specific reference to CHP, but it does state:"The biggest global environmental challenge is to prevent climate change...we will meet the commitments made by successive British governments for a comprehensive package of emission permit trading, energy conservation measures, tax incentives, greater encouragement of renewable and cleaner energy generation".

The Liberal Democrat Manifesto has a comprehensive 'green section' in every policy area. Under 'Business, Innovation, and Consumers' it states: "We will encourage Combined Heat and Power schemes to reduce the energy wasted in power generation".

May 2001: Combined Cooling & Power
CHPA Member, Lattice Energy Services, outline an exciting new deal they are working on, in the provision of CHP units for computer 'telehouses'. The plants will provide electricity and air conditioning for the telehouses, which are being built by 186k at Hemel Hempstead and Bristol. More information in LES's latest newsletter (in Adobe Acrobat).

May 2001: 2nd International CHP symposium
The 2nd International CHP symposium successfully took place between May 9 & 10 in Amsterdam. Attendees to the event can access the full range of presenations and papers from the event's website

May 2001: US CHP Routemap link
The United States CHPA in cooperation with the US Department of Energy and the US Environmental Proctection Agency have produced their own strategy document - National CHP Roadmap: Doubling CHP Capacity in the US by 2010. This along with other details relating to the US CHPA's work, can be downloaded from their website http://www.nemw.org/uschpa

10 May 2001: Government Give Section 36 Consent to Conoco CHP scheme
The Secretary of State for Trade & Industry has today given Section 36 consent to CHPA member Conoco to build a 65 MWe CHP plant at the Kellog Factory Stretford, Greater Manchester. Details of the Minister's statement available from Hansard

May 2001: Hain seeks support of Energy Companies
Peter Hain has challenged the electricity and gas companies to fulfil a vital role in helping poorer households create healthy homes and a greener environment. This challenge was issued by the Minister as the Government released its new regulatory guidance for gas and electricity. For full details, visit the DTI press release Consultation Document from the DTI - May 2001: Statutory Guidance to the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority on Social and Environmental Objectives (58Kb) (closing date for responses: 24 August 2001) available from http://www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/

May 2001: Demystifying NETA
CHPA along with CREA, the Confederation of Renewable Energy Associations, are responding to an increasing number of questions from both CHP and renewable generators, along with many others, on the complexities of NETA by holding the following briefing. Some of the leading experts who have been involved with NETA since its outset will be giving presentations. Further details are on the following application form which is in Adobe
Acrobat.

April 2001: CHPA Annual Awards 2001
The CHPA will be holding its Annual Awards Dinner on 12 July 2001, in London. The Awards will be presented to UK organisations for excellence in the fields of CHP in Industry, CHP in Buildings and also Community Heating. Deadline for applications is 31 May 2001. Further details on how to enter the awards competition are available on the following webpage

26 April 2001: £50m Community Energy Programme Launched
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott today launched the Goverment's new £50m programme Community Energy . More information is available on the DETR website The CHPA have welcomed the initiative on the following press release Further news releases on this story are on the Community Heating section of our website.

24 April 2001: Report on Decentralised Power Production
COGEN Europe has today released results of an extensive investigation into whether the growth of decentralised power production poses a challenge to the electrical grid. This study analyses how the most decentralised power market in the world, the Netherlands, has dealt with this issue. Cogen Europe's press release is available and for a copy of the report (at a cost of 20 Euros) email info@cogen.org

April 2001: ILEX Report on Gas Price Rise
CHPA Member's ILEX Energy Consulting (www.ilex.co.uk) have recently published a report entitled What Influences UK Gas Prices in the UK and why have they Increased through 2000 For a copy email David Cox of ILEX with your details.

2 April 2001: CHP on List of Energy Saving Technologies
CHP is one of eight energy saving technologies that from April 1 companies will be able to get 100 per cent capital allowances in the same year of purchase. Government estimate that the Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECA) scheme will support investment in the initial eight technologies of up to £1bn a year by 2010. Full details of the technology list and further information on the Programme are available at www.eca.gov.uk

28 March 2001: EU State Aids Clearance
The European Commission's competition directorate has announced approval of the exemptions under the Government Climate Change Levy Programme. This includes exemption for Renewables; the partial exemption from the CCL for CHP and also the CCL Agreements for a number of industrial sectors along with the Enhanced Capital Allowances programme for energy efficient technologies, which includes CHP. Further information available from the Commission's press release

Further information on the latest Climate Change Levy Agreements signed is available on the following DETR press release

23 March 2001: Heat, but no real fire in the Government's Power Plant Guidelines.
Energy Minister, Peter Hain, today published new guidelines aimed at making power stations developers seriously explore opportunities for CHP and community heating. The DTI press release is available on the following website along with details of the Guidelines. The CHPA have issued the following press release Guidelines available from the DTI website

22 March 2001: Government Give Section 36 Consent to Conoco CHP scheme
The Secretary of State for Trade & Industry has today given Section 36 consent to CHPA member Conoco to build a 700MWe CHP plant at the Conoco Humber Refinery in North Lincolnshire. Details of the Minister's statement available from Hansard

20 March 2001: Deputy Prime Minister launches Carbon Trust
Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott alongside new Trust Chairman, Ian McAllister today officially launched the The Carbon Trust. The Carbon Trust is a key part of the UK climate change programme. It will promote research and development, and make available up to £200m over the next 2 years to help businesses invest in low carbon technologies such as CHP. Further information on the following DETR press release

March 2001: Seminar on CHP in Industry and Commerce
The University of Leeds are running a short course looking at plant design performance, technical development, safety and environmental issues. The two day course is being held in the Houldsworth Building at the University of Leeds on 3rd and 4th of April. For further details including a full programme, go to the University of Leeds Engineering Faculty website

15 March 2001: NETA Goes Live: But will Small Generators Survive?
The announcement of the Go-Live date of NETA is not good news for CHP or renewables. Information of its launch from OFGEM's website The CHPA have released the following press release

12 March 2001: Former science minister opens new environmentally friendly CHP
Local MP and former science minister, Ian Taylor, today opened a new environmentally friendly CHP system designed by CHPA Member Powergen Energy Solutions for Hersham-based company, Air Products. More info on Powergen's website

8 March 2001: Papers from OFGEM CHP & Renewables Seminar
Presentations made by a number of consolidator's to CHP and Renewable Generators, as well as an overview of the process for smaller embedded generators, once the New Electricity Trading Arrangments have 'gone-live', are available on the OFGEM website on the following page

March 2001: Government offers free site-specific advice on CHP
Businesses and organisations considering or already operating CHP are invited to take advantage of free on-site advice being provided by the Government. Successful applicants can receive 'over the phone' advice or a visit from an independent CHP consultant who will carry out a survey of the CHP project and provide a short report on the findings. For further details, call the helpline on 0800 585794 or visit the CHP Club website

6 March 2001: Prime Minister reconfirms 2010 CHP target
Prime Minister Tony Blair today reconfirmed the Government's commitment to the 10GWe CHP target set for 2010. In his latest speech on environmental issues he also underlined the Government's support for micro CHP. Click to go to the speech.

March 2001: DTI review of carbon savings with CHP
The DTI has produced a summary report that outlines carbon savings acheived when utilising CHP. For further details, visit the DTI website

2 March 2001: Government consent CHP plants at Huddersfield and Macclesfield
Energy Minister Peter Hain today gave the green light for CHPA member Dalkia Utilities Services to build a 20 MWe CHP at the Zeneca Agrochemicals works in Huddersfield. Also given consent was a 13MWe CHP plant, to be built at the AstraZeneca works in Macclesfield. Further information is available from the DTI press release

23 February 2001: Government releases Draft Fuel Poverty Strategy
The CHPA welcomed the long awaited Draft Fuel Poverty Strategy unveiled today by the Government. The Strategy highlights the benefits that Community Heating and CHP can bring in tackling the challenge of cold homes, and their associated ills, currently experienced by millions of poor UK households. David Green, Director of the CHPA welcomed the document, stating that it was a welcome step forward. Further details are available from the CHPA press release, copies of the full draft strategy can be downloaded from the DETR website

17 January 2001: Government welcomes proposals to aid green Generators
Energy Minister Helen Liddell gave her support to a report published today that proposes measures to help improve the economics of smaller, local CHP and renewables projects. Amongst the recommendations in the report, produced by the Embedded Generation Working Group, is for a more consistent system-charging regime to be adopted. For full details, go to the report or the DTI press release. Details of the CHPA's response are also available.

January 2001: Second International CHP Symposium
Following the success of last year's CHP Symposium in Washington DC, the second will cover the international business strategies and emerging environmental policies which are driving the global market growth of CHP. The Symposium will take place on May 9 - 10 2001 in Amsterdam. Further details on this event (and proceedings of last year's) can be found at the Interational Cogeneration Alliance's (ICA) website www.localpower.org

January 2001 : Climate Change and Business Seminar
The CHPA and Trade Partners UK held a seminar at the CBI in December 2000 looking at a number of issues surrounding the COP VI meeting held in The Hague. Subjects focused included progress on the Kyoto Flexible Mechanisms, the UK Emissions Trading Group and the financial and legal implications of these programmes, amongst many other issues. Most of the presentations given on the day are available on the following webpage

January 2001: CHPA Awards 2000
The fourth year of the CHPA Annual awards were held at the Science Museum on 16 November 2000 at the Association's annual dinner and awards ceremony. Awards to four main categories were given: full details on winners, commendations and the schemes themselves can be found on the CHPA Awards 2000 page.

January 2001: Members' Briefing on Europe
Cogen Europe Director, Dr. Simon Minett, recently gave a presentation to Members on the latest issues concerning CHP growth and development in Europe. A copy of his presentation in Microsoft Powerpoint is available to download. More information on Cogen Europe can be found on their website at www.cogen.org