Policy News

Drax Group, Enviva, SUEZ, and National Grid are among 310 businesses and investors in the US that signed an open letter to President Biden indicating their support for the Administration’s commitment to climate action but requesting that the US set an ‘ambitious’ climate target. The letter, organised by the We Mean Business coalition and Ceres, urges the Administration to set a  target…
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The proposed establishment of a £12 billion (€13.8 billion) UK Infrastructure Bank, announced in the government’s Budget, was welcomed by the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) on 3 March, but the organisation said the opportunity to embrace a green economic recovery was missed. The REA said the UK Infrastructure Bank could help finance infrastructure projects…
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Wales is aiming to become the world’s number one recycler, the government has revealed in its new circular economy plan. On 2 March, the Welsh Government published an ambitious strategy, ‘Beyond Recycling’, to support a green recovery in Wales by transitioning to a circular economy. In the strategy, the government sets out how it will lead Wales towards a circular economy, in which…
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The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) has unveiled its green recovery pathway, which will accelerate the drive to net-zero and provide thousands of new jobs in the UK. Launching the Strategy for Renewable Energy and Clean Technologies, REA’s CEO, Dr Nina Skorupska CBE, said that the change required over the next 30 years is “on par to that experienced during the…
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The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) has urged the UK Government to reconsider clawing back £1 billion (€1.1 billion) from the Green Homes Grant. Less than 5% of the original budget has been spent so far, with the government saying that unspent money would not be carried over into the next financial year. However, the REA has said that such a move would impact…
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Millions of pounds will be withdrawn from the UK Government’s Green Homes Grant, according to an MP. Business Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan revealed the £2 billion (€2.29 billion) available for the grant would not be rolled over into the next financial year from March. Quoted in The Mirror, the MP said: “The original funding for the green homes grant voucher scheme was announced as a…
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The RFS Power Coalition has announced its support for legislation introduced in the US that would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take action on stalled Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) pathway petitions and applications submitted by biogas, biomass, and waste-to-energy power producers. The RFS Power Coalition is led by the American Biogas Council (ABC), Biomass Power…
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On 5 February, Chairman of the House of Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, Mike Thompson, and the entire Democratic membership of the Committee, announced the introduction of the Growing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now (GREEN) Act. The bill, first introduced in June 2020, is a comprehensive use of the tax code to combat the threat of climate change. The legislation,…
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It could take 10 years or more to meet the UK Government’s target to issue Green Homes Grant vouchers to 600,000 households. In response to concerns raised by the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) on the operation of the Green Homes Grant, Lord Callanan, Minister of the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) admitted that only 20,000 vouchers towards the cost of…
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Germany has decided to increase the share of renewable energy in the transport sector to 28% by 2030. The plan, adopted by the German Government at the suggestion of Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze, means that the country will go ‘well beyond the EU’s requirements of 14%. In addition to stronger incentives for green hydrogen, new charging stations and advanced biofuels that…
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The Carbon Capture Coalition has submitted a memo to US President Biden’s climate team, providing a targeted list of climate, energy, infrastructure, and related federal policy recommendations for the first 100 days of the new administration and 117th Congress. A “broad suite” of policies will be needed to commercialise carbon capture and removal technologies and enable meeting the Biden…
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The UK’s flagship Green Homes Grant needs improvements for the scheme to be successful, according to the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA). Recently, energy installers and consumers have described the problems they have had in accessing the grants. The REA’s CEO, Dr Nina Skorupska CBE, has urged the government to resolve outstanding administrative and…
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The Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) met with Minister for Transport, Environment, Climate, and Communication Networks, Eamon Ryan T.D. to set out priorities for bioenergy in 2021. At the meeting, Minister Ryan reaffirmed the government’s ambition to decarbonise the Irish Energy system by reducing emissions by 7% per annum, surpassing EU targets. Paddy Phelan, CEO of the Three Counties…
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A ‘significant’ policy gap remains following the publication of the UK Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) closure consultation, according to the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA). Based on consultation responses and work with the scheme administrator Ofgem, the UK Government said it intends to proceed with ‘the majority’ of the proposals outlined in…
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