Renewable Energy Foundation

The Sunday Times has today published a story based on research by the Renewable Energy Foundation (REF) into the scale of constraint payments currently being made to wind farms in Scotland*. Constraint payments are made to a contracted power station that agrees to stop generating in order to stabilize the network, so these Scottish windfarms are in effect being paid to throw electricity away.
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Constraint Press Release

The Renewable Energy Foundation (REF) today published an Information Note on the performance of the UK renewables sector in 2010 based on analysis of new DECC and Ofgem data (see www.ref.org.uk). The work shows that the 2010 target for renewable electricity has been missed by a large margin, and confirms longstanding doubts as to the feasibility of this target, and the still more ambitious target for 2020.
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2010 Target Missed

The Renewable Energy Foundation (REF) today welcomed the new Pöyry study on the effects of wind intermittency on European power markets.

The report by the global consultancy Pöyry places special emphasis on the implications for the proposed European super-grid, and for investment in and operation of conventional generation, which must be retained for reasons of security of supply.
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REF welcomes Poyry Intermittency Study

The Renewable Energy Foundation (REF) supports the announcement by DECC today of a proposed increase in support for small scale farm Anaerobic Digestion (AD) to produce gas for onsite electricity generation under the feed-in-tariff scheme (FITs).

However, we are surprised that the level of support for AD under this scheme is apparently still less than that provided for the same technology under the Renewables Obligation (RO), which is notionally intended for larger schemes.
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Proposed revision to AD FIT level

*** LATEST - The closing date for this competition has been extended to Thursday 12 May 2011 ****

The 'Energy Busters' competition, run by the Renewable Energy Foundation at the Royal Bath and West Show 2011, is to design the ultimate eco-warrier den.  The competition is aimed at schools in the South West, and will be a fun and creative way for pupils to engage with energy saving.

Special prizes in each category include a Concept Panther bicycle, a Spinner Scooter, a Dawes Blowfish bicycle, donated by uSwitch.

The closing date for the competition is Monday 2 May, and the prize giving will be held at the Royal Bath and West Show on Saturday 4th June. It is open to anyone within the three categories - 5-7 yrs, 8-11 yrs and special needs.
The competition rules and entry forms can be downloaded below.

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Energy Busters 5-7 Entry Form

Energy Busters 8-11 Entry Form

Energy Busters SN Entry Form

The Renewable Energy Foundation (REF) today welcomed the revised Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) as a major improvement on earlier versions published for consultation.

When first announced, by the previous government, the RHI was intended to be financed by a levy on fossil fuels, a measure that would have been intensely regressive, transferring wealth from low income to high income households. Thankfully this mechanism has been abandoned in favour of a more focused and cost-effective approach.

The RHI will now concentrate in its first phase on large industrial and commercial users to improve market understanding before attempting widespread deployment in the more vulnerable domestic sector, in which consumer disenchantment could be damaging to future prospects for renewable heat.
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RHI 10.03.11

Today, (16.02.2011) Chris Huhne, Secretary of State for Energy will announce that REUK (the trade lobby for the UK wind industry) has agreed on a minimum standard protocol for wind farm community benefits of £1,000 per MW installed per year.

In response, the Renewable Energy Foundation (REF) drew attention to the fact that the “financial benefits” proposed reflect only around 0.5% of the total annual income of the average wind farm.
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Windfarm Benefits

Ahead of a Westminster Hall debate called by Andrea Leadsom MP to consider onshore wind policy, Mr Hendry, Minister of State for Energy, has today announced a variety of changes to onshore-wind power policy.

The Renewable Energy Foundation (REF) believes that while Mr Hendry’s remarks appear to be well-intentioned, they contain a number of dangerous misconceptions.
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Press Release 10 Feb 2011

As a result of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from the Renewable Energy Foundation (REF), Ofgem yesterday, 5th January 2011, began to publish large quantities of information relating to the installation of Feed-In Tariff (FiT) generators.(1)
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Press Release 6 Jan 2011

REF Questions Simplistic Claim that Wind Power Contributes to Security of Supply