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YouGen Blog
Sustainable motorways – giving something back
Posted by Giles Kirkland on 8 March 2019 at 1:53 pm
Motorways and Sustainability Sustainable Motorways could sound like an oxymoron in the broader sense due to material requirements and their effects on both natural and human environments, all as a result of developing their infrastructure and the subsequent running of vehicles on them. Having…
Smart switching: will it transform the way we hunt for cheaper energy bills?
Posted by Anna Carlini on 30 January 2019 at 11:43 am
Switching energy providers We all know that switching can save us money, but it can also be such a hassle to do. Many of us simply do not have the time to wade through comparison websites or wait on the phone with providers for a quote. For others it can be an overwhelming or confusing experi…
The cheaper more sustainable home of the future - decentralised generation.
Posted by John Thompson on 16 January 2019 at 1:41 pm
Your future home could be 50% cheaper to run and 100% more sustainable thanks to a clever mix of solar, home batteries and software that will allow these systems to integrate seamlessly into your life. The basic technologies, solar and battery-storage, are nothing new, but thanks to economies…
Scotland eclipses rest of UK in green energy transition
Posted by Alison Vickers on 12 December 2018 at 4:34 pm
Previously we highlighted how Scotland created 68% of its electricity via renewable energy in 2017, making it a world leader in sourcing electricity from renewables. This figure was an increase of 26% on the year before. With many projects still awaiting completion, we argued then that it’s…
Four Ways Our Energy System is Changing for the Better
Posted by Heleana Neil - Innovate UK on 29 November 2018 at 9:05 am
Constantly evolving technology will change our lives for the better. It’s time to take a glimpse into the future. More specifically, we’ll be shining a spotlight on the energy system of tomorrow. Large, inefficient power stations will make way for smaller, local plants –…
What can we learn from Costa Rica?
Posted by Alison Vickers on 21 November 2018 at 9:01 am
The Central American nation has an impressive track record in green electricity generation and is seen by many as a world leader in terms of its environmental reputation. Indeed, Costa Rica is in many ways an exemplar in the green energy transition. Although it is uniquely placed to take advantag…
How will the grid cope with the addition of electric vehicles?
Posted by John Thompson on 14 November 2018 at 8:09 am
The future of cars is electric. Globally, governments are laying out plans to end the sale of petrol and diesel powered cars, while falling battery prices will contribute towards making electric vehicles (EVs) more affordable and more profitable. With a range of technology on …
The London Community Energy Fund is open for applications - but not for long
Posted by Sam Tonge on 25 September 2018 at 11:41 am
Last week we highlighted the broad range of assistance available for community energy projects in the UK. In this article we bring you a real life example in the form of London Community Energy Fund and encourage those of you based in the capital to get involved. The London Community Energy F…
Portugal reaps the rewards of renewables in 2018
Posted by Alison Vickers on 22 August 2018 at 9:30 am
Our recent blog series has drawn attention to the countless renewable records being broken over the past 12 months. We’ve looked at green energy milestones across parts of the UK and around the world and now it’s time to shine the (low-energy) spotlight on Portugal! It’s rec…
Renewable retailers - survey shows green energy important to consumers
Posted by Sam Tonge on 15 August 2018 at 9:09 am
What is it that leads you to choose one supermarket over another? Is it price, customer service, convenience, or all of the above? Or perhaps if you’re an aspiring ethical consumer, you may prioritise fair trade items or organic produce. A recent Ørsted survey has revealed that p…
Positive UK renewable energy percentage in Q2 2018
Posted by Shea Karssing on 8 August 2018 at 9:14 am
Earlier this year, we reported how wind power generated 14 gigawatt hours of electricity for the first time, making up nearly 37% of the UK’s energy needs. The country also managed more than two days without using any coal-fired power for the first time in more than a century. According…
Five ways you can accelerate the clean energy transition this summer
Posted by Sam Tonge on 4 July 2018 at 9:13 am
According to the meteorological calendar, summer is finally here! The ‘beast from the east’ is now nothing more than a distant memory, meaning that if we’re being optimistic, we can expect our usual dose of sunshine within the next few months. We have recently written about …
Renewables in 2017 - national progress helps achieve global record
Posted by Alison Vickers on 14 June 2018 at 9:16 am
Following on from one of our previous blogs ‘5 green energy milestones reached in 2017’ we now want to talk more about a record-breaking year for renewables. Some of the headlines include: 70% of all new power additions were renewable projects, and investment in renewable power capaci…
Scotland's clean energy revolution
Posted by Alison Vickers on 9 May 2018 at 9:24 am
The Climate Change Act (2008) mandates carbon emission cuts of 80% (from 1990 baseline) across the UK by 2050. However, our current progress calls into question whether the UK will achieve this goal. We also have an additional EU target of producing 15% of total energy from renewables by 2020. Ho…
Green is now mainstream - record support for green energy in UK communities
Posted by Sam Tonge on 2 May 2018 at 2:50 pm
A UK Government survey has found that the number of people supporting renewables has hit record levels. The 25th survey of the Energy and Climate Change Public Attitudes Tracker (PAT) revealed that individual backing for the use of renewable energy reached a record of 85% - a marked increase …
'The Northern Renewable Powerhouse': How councils in the midlands & north are leading the way in green energy
Posted by Sam Tonge on 9 April 2018 at 11:51 am
It’s fair to say that 2017 contained many a green milestone in the UK’s journey towards greener forms of energy. It seems that now is the ideal time to mention that it is no longer solely the responsibility of households to make the leap to sustainable energy. An increasing number of …
Renewable energy for businesses - making the sums add up
Posted by Daniel Bailey on 26 March 2018 at 10:04 am
For a company pondering a shift to renewable energy technology, the reputational benefits are as obvious - and ever-present - as Britain’s supply of wind. But with Brexit blowing a chilly blast of uncertainty across corporate Britain, many businesses are battening down the hatches and d…
How the Feed-in-Tariff ending in April 2019 could affect you
Posted by Sam Tonge on 27 February 2018 at 11:35 am
Update: You can view the consultation here which confirms closing of both the Generation and Export Tariff to new applicants from 1st April 2019. This consultation ran from 19 July 2018 to 13 September 2018. The Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) is a Government scheme designed to promote the …
5 green energy milestones reached in 2017
Posted by Sam Tonge on 28 December 2017 at 9:30 am
As this year draws to a close, we can safely say that it’s been a year of highs and lows in terms of our steps towards shaping a clean energy future. It goes without saying that using our resources sustainably and reducing our carbon footprint are ever more pressing issues. However it seems…
Are payments for domestic microgeneration liable to income tax?
Posted by Sam Tonge on 11 October 2017 at 10:30 am
Here at YouGen we have been asked a few times recently whether you have to pay tax on the money you receive from generating renewable energy in the form of electricity and heat. The simple answer for domestic micro generators is ‘no’, as such schemes are designed to make such payments…
