Good Energy, UK, Renewable electricity

Good Energy has set up the 'Home Generation' scheme, which gives payments to small-scale renewable energy generators for all the electricity which they generate, thus encouraging more renewable generation at a local level.

Large-scale renewable energy generators in the UK set up commercial contracts to sell their electricity, and can also claim Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs), which currently sell for about £39 per MWh (3.9 p per kWh). However, for small renewable generators, the time and effort to do this may not be justified by the financial return. In addition, ROCs can be claimed only on an annual generation of 500 kWh or more, which excludes very small generators.

Good Energy has therefore set up the Home Generation scheme, which provides a payment of 4.5p per kWh to small renewable generators for all the electricity which they generate. To join the scheme, generators must buy the rest of their electricity from Good Energy, and must install a simple meter to measure the total kWh generated. Home Generation customers greatly appreciate the simplicity of this scheme, and typically earn about £100 per year through it. There are currently 200 generators in the Home Generation scheme, representing a total installed capacity of 440 kW.

Good Energy set up the scheme as part of their commitment to increasing the use of renewable electricity in the UK. They have used their extensive knowledge of the practicalities of local generation to lobby the electricity regulator and other suppliers, to make the rules for exporting electricity clearer and to negociate a better deal for small generators.

BioRegional Development Group, UK, Wood-chip from waste

The BioRegional Development Group has established a 'TreeStation' -- a centre where waste wood is received from many sources, turned into wood-chip and delivered for use as a heating fuel. Until recently, their site capacity was about 2,500 tonnes per year, but a new chipper has increased this to 15,000 tonnes per year.

Legislation in the London Borough of Croydon and other boroughs requires all significant new building developments to generate 10% of their energy from on-site renewable sources. Biomass heating is one of the most cost-effective ways to do this, but requires a reliable supply of fuel. The London boroughs do have a considerable resource of fuelwood from the management of parks, gardens and woodland, but much of the waste produced is currently sent to landfill, at a cost of about £40 per tonne.

The BioRegional Development Group brokered an innovative deal between tree surgery business, City Suburban Tree Surgeons Ltd, and Croydon Council to manage and dispose of all the Council's wood waste. BioRegional established a TreeStation -- a centre where waste wood is received from many sources, turned into wood-chip and delivered for use as a fuel for heating and combined heat-and-power. Until recently, the TreeStation had produced about 2,500 tonnes of wood-chip per year for a single customer, Slough Heat and Power, who supply heat and electricity to Slough Estates and use an increasing amount of wood in their fuel supply. With recent equipment, the TreeStation now has the capacity to process 15,000 tonnes per year. BioRegional is also setting up drying facilities so that the wood-chip will have lower moisture content, and so be suitable for a wide range of boilers.