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YouGen Blog
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 …
Withdrawing RHI for urban biomass - what you need to know
Posted by Sam Tonge on 1 November 2018 at 9:55 am
What’s happening? Last month, The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) launched a consultation which wants your views on whether the Renewable Heat Incentive should be paid for new biomass installations in urban areas. The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is a UK …
Five tips before you buy loft insulation
Posted by Dave Raval on 24 October 2018 at 9:13 am
It's easy to forget about your loft when you're looking at your home's energy efficiency. But the Energy Saving Trust point out that a quarter of heat is lost through the roof in an uninsulated home. With low levels not keeping enough heat in, it can have a serious impact. But th…
A point of view: The problem with EPCs
Posted by Tim Tucker on 17 October 2018 at 10:13 am
If you want to update an out of date or expired Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), you may be in for a nasty surprise. You may get a worse one, even if you have added numerous improvements to your house. Five years ago, our children told us to downsize. So we did. We bought a 5 year old so…
Will Cars Ever Be Fully Green?
Posted by Giles Kirkland on 10 October 2018 at 9:16 am
The question of ‘will cars ever be fully green?’ has been asked many times over, specifically in this day and age of fuel-efficient hybrids, fascinating electric cars like the Tesla Model S and Nissan Leaf, and advanced internal combustion engines like the Mazda Skyactiv-X. The pr…
An innovative approach to airtightness testing - the PULSE method explained
Posted by Sam Tonge on 1 October 2018 at 9:36 am
Air leakage is widely accepted as a major cause of thermal inefficiency within many of our homes in the UK, accounting for 30% of total heat loss on average. The uncontrolled flow of air through small gaps in our properties can rack up our utility bills as well as being very uncomfortable for us …
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…
What assistance is available for community energy projects?
Posted by Sam Tonge on 19 September 2018 at 10:21 am
Earlier this summer, environmental law firm ClientEarth and YouGov surveyed more than 2000 UK adults on attitudes on climate change and sustainability. The survey should give policymakers some food for thought, with almost three quarters of those surveyed wanting to see greater investment in rene…
Should I clean my solar PV panels?
Posted by Sam Tonge on 12 September 2018 at 10:15 am
POLL CLOSED: Here are readers' responses to whether they clean their PV array. (The survey of 62 respondents was carried out between 12th September and 15th October 2018). Following the recent spell of dry weather in much of the UK, we’ve had a number of enquir…
What's new in heating controls? A 2018 update
Posted by Sandra Hayes on 5 September 2018 at 9:17 am
We recently received a question about whether thermostatic radiator values (TRVs) had to be installed when a new central heating boiler was being installed. The reader wanted to know whether his heating engineer was correct to advise that TRV’s had to be fitted to all radiators, including t…
Disney theme parks stride in the direction of solar
Posted by Alison Vickers on 28 August 2018 at 11:18 am
Last year we brought you news of the UK’s first eco-friendly theme park here in North Wales. GreenWood Forest features an innovative ‘people powered’ rollercoaster – using the weight of people queuing to power its exploits around the track - and a solar powered ride the &l…
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…
Just how green are electric cars?
Posted by Jono Gilbert on 25 July 2018 at 9:07 am
The current electric vehicle climate Demand for electric vehicles (EVs) is growing rapidly. In 2018 there is estimated to be over 160,000 of them in the UK, and it’s predicted that by 2040, 55% of all new car sales worldwide will be EVs. With Tesla leading the way in the electric car re…
5 frequently asked questions about solar electricity
Posted by Sam Tonge on 18 July 2018 at 9:32 am
Solar is arguably the most intuitive power source we can ever use, and since 2010 is has been contributing a significantly increasing proportion of electricity to the National Grid. Last month it was reported that the UK solar broke the record for weekly output between 21 and 28 June, producing 5…
Vertical wind turbine spun by moving traffic
Posted by Sam Tonge on 11 July 2018 at 10:50 am
Using the surrounding environment to optimise renewable energy generation is nothing new. Solar PV arrays are known to be most effective when placed in a south or south-westerly direction at an angle of 45 degrees, whilst wind turbines are best placed where there is a constant flow of wind throug…
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 …
What you should do when your installer has ceased to trade
Posted by Faisal Hussain (HIES Scheme) on 26 June 2018 at 9:10 am
HIES is a consumer protection organisation and operates a Consumer Code for the renewable sector which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI). Whilst systems are usually well installed, we appreciate that some consumers who purchased a renewable system, such as Solar …
