26-02-2015
Big step for small renewables: Poland to introduce feed-in tariffs for microinstallations
After many months of advocating for public support to small-scale renewables, Polish citizens and environmental movement finally got some long-awaited good news. On 20 February 2015, Polish parliamentarians voted to adopt a provision of the draft renewable energy (RES) law, introducing feed-in tariffs for electricity generated in the smallest RES microinstallations. This date marks an important change in Polish authorities' attitude towards citizen-owned renewables, and a first step towards a more democratic, decentralised energy system in Poland.
25-02-2015
How can the EU achieve a low-carbon economy?
Mr. Markus Trilling, EU funds Campaign Coordinator at CEE Bankwatch Network (an organisation representing a network of environmental NGOs in Central and Eastern Europe) is explaining how the local level can lead the low-carbon transition.
20-02-2015
Scots hydro scheme first for green investment funding
A new £8.5m hydro electric scheme is to be built to the north of Loch Lomond. The project at the River Allt Coire Chaorach, near Crianlarich, is the first to benefit from £60m of funding for green initiatives led by the UK Green Investment Bank.
The two megawatt system will generate enough energy to power 1,900 homes. Business secretary Vince Cable said the project and others like it would "provide high-skilled jobs for rural communities in Scotland".
19-02-2015
Joint CO-POWER and RESCOOP202020 newsletter
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19-02-2015
Welcome for Community Renewables Boost from Green Investment Bank
Reacting to news today of £ 60m of new funding from the Green Investment Bank and the Strathclyde Pension Fund for community-scale renewable schemes across the UK, including the first scheme near Crianlarich, Dr Richard Dixon, Director of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “Local clean energy production makes sense in so many ways. Well designed run of river hydro schemes can provide clean electricity to the grid and help reduce Scotland’s climate emissions".
12-02-2015
Green tax on solar panels in Hungary
Although the solar panels are fully recyclable, the government imposed environmental pollution tribute on them. It is twice as much as on the batteries.
11-02-2015
Community Power: The Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative
04-02-2015
Jindřichovice pod Smrkem: with mix of RES and ideas towards autarky
The village on the Polish border with 624 inhabitants had as the first one in the Czech Republic a strategy about energy self-sufficiency based on RES – in 2000 already! Mr. Petr Pávek (a former mayor and a biker, among others an initiator of a provoking public notice, which forbade an entry to the village for “dilatory” officials, who did not announce themselves in advance) was an engine of all happening.
05-12-2014
European Commission embraces community energy
An increasing number of communities across Europe aspire to produce locally generated energy, a development that has not gone unnoticed in Brussels. At ICLEI Europe’s 16th Breakfast at Sustainability’s, European Commission’s Klaus-Dieter Borchardt of DG Energy praised community energy for delivering on key objectives of the EU and having a positive impact on region.
