UK Government launches £125m Environmental Innovation Fund
January 29, 2010 by administrator
New government-backed clean-tech investment fund to target start-ups committed to improving resource efficiency.
The government has recently formally launched the UK Innovation Investment Fund (UKIF), with the first of a new £125m fund for investing in cutting-edge environmental technologies.
The UKIF was announced last June and was followed by the appointment of Hermes Private Equity and the European Investment Fund as managers for the two funds, one focussing on low carbon technologies and the other addressing life sciences, low carbon, digital technology and advanced manufacturing.
The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills announced that it has closed the first round of funding for the Houses Environmental Innovation Fund, raising £125m, including £50m of government funding and £75m from private sector investors.
The new fund will now begin investing in small growing businesses, start-ups and spinouts, including pre-profit and pre-revenue stages of development that are primarily focussed on improving resource efficiency.
Hermes Private Equity Chief Executive Susan Flynn said the company had already identified a number of investment opportunities and expected to begin developing capital soon.
“At this stage in the economic cycle, there are many forward-looking companies that may not have funding available to them” she added.
“The Hermes Private Equity Environmental Innovation Fund (HPEEIF) will ensure that those seeking finance for promising new environmental ventures will have access to a source of funding.”
Science and innovation Minister Lord Drayson said that the new fund would provide a boost to clean tech entrepreneurs over the next few years.
“Investment has flowed into the UKIIF at extraordinary speed, “he said. “It’s already one of the largest European funds for investing in high-tech firms. But what’s important is rapidly channelling that capital into Britain’s burgeoning green tech sector. After a tough spell, things are looking up for our entrepreneurs and innovators.”
From: BusinessGreen.com
Recession leaves legacy of resource efficiency as East of England businesses undergo major ‘thrift shift’
January 22, 2010 by administrator
The recession could leave a legacy of improved resource efficiency in the East of England as businesses adopt an increasingly ‘thrifty’ mindset - that’s according to a new report published by sustainability experts Envirowise.
The Envirowise Business Thrift Shift Report, which encompasses responses from more than 500 UK companies, reveals that 83% of respondents in the East of England have developed a more detailed knowledge of their spending and resource use as a result of the recession. This includes everything from investment in raw materials, transport and energy, staffing, equipment and professional services.
Reduction of spend on raw materials and consumables was the biggest area of cut back for the region’s companies (63%), with a large number also minimising their water, energy and transport use. And this ‘thrift shift’ is set to continue, with 87% of respondents expecting to be more careful about how they use their resources once recovery comes.
Simon Best, Envirowise Regional Manager for East of England, said: “Businesses in the East of England have been facing some serious challenges as a result of the recession and this is perhaps reflected in the number of survey respondents reducing staff costs during this period (41%). However, it is also clear that for many companies this period of economic difficulty has stimulated a more resource-conscious mindset, galvanising environmental commitments that had perhaps been lower down the business agenda.
“Such an approach does not only lead to financial savings; it can also equip businesses to face increasing levels of environmental legislation and provides an important competitive advantage as customers become more environmentally conscious. These companies are not only more likely to survive the recession in the short-term, but are also better placed to thrive when the economy begins to recover.”
Nationally, almost three-quarters of the 500 businesses surveyed (73%) had developed a more detailed knowledge of their spending and resource use as a result of the recession. The Envirowise Business Thrift Shift Report is available at ww.envirowise.gov.uk/thriftshift2009.
Businesses can access free guidance and practical advice on resource efficiency by visiting www.envirowise.gov.uk or calling the Envirowise advice line on 0800 585794.
About the Envirowise Business Thrift Shift Report:
This report presents the findings of Envirowise research aimed at understanding the extent to which business attitudes to resource efficiency have altered as a result of the economic climate, as well as identifying areas where lasting - and more welcome - changes have been made.
Led by continental Research, the business omnibus survey was conducted during September 2009. Participants included Managing Directors and Finance Directors from companies across England, Scotland and Wales, with more than 300 small businesses (with a turnover of £50k to £1 million) and 200 medium to large businesses (with a turnover of more than £1 million) being surveyed. The research also encompassed a wide variety of sectors and industries including wholesale, hotel and catering, business services, retail, manufacturing, construction, transport, agriculture and mining.
In addition, Envirowise has spoken to a wide range of businesses and industry commentators to seek individual opinions on the Envirowise Business Thrift Shift - many of which have been included in the report, which is available to download at www.envirowise.gov.uk/thriftshift.
New integrated trade and inward investment business support arrangements from April 2010
January 14, 2010 by administrator
Companies across the East of England, and those looking to set up in the region, will benefit from new arrangements for fully integrated trade and inward investment business support from 1 April 2010.
EEIDB Ltd has been selected as preferred provider for both the East of England Development Agency’s (EEDA) inward investment activity and UK Trade & Investment’s (UKTI) regional trade development activity - a move which provides the best possible support for the East of England and value for taxpayers’ money.
EEIDB Ltd, which has an excellent track record of providing business support and brokerage under the Business Link brand, will help foreign companies to set up and flourish in the East of England (through EEDA’s £1.7 million inward investment grant) and support regional businesses looking to take advantage of huge exporting opportunities (via UKTI’s trade grant worth around £2 million) from 1 April 2010.
Richard Ellis, chair of EEDA, said:
“It’s crucial that we continue to attract inward investment to the East of England, to create jobs and support businesses choosing to move to this great region. This is a key part of EEDA’s package of support for businesses.
“That’s why EEDA went through a competitive tender process - to appoint the best possible provider to fight this region’s cause on a global stage, to attract much needed foreign investment, and to provide the best possible value for taxpayers’ money.”
“With a new and integrated support offer spearheaded by EEIDB Ltd, EEDA will reduce back office costs and re-invest that money into front-line support for businesses.”
From: http://www.eeda.org.uk/4721.asp
East of England: a global economic force
January 12, 2010 by administrator
The East of England is an economic force to be reckoned with compared to other top-performing global regions but investment in high-level skills and infrastructure is holding back greater growth.
A report from Insight East, the economic experts at 
the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), compares the region with other international world-leading regions across 23 measures of competitiveness. The report shows that the East of England compares favourably with similar regions such as Massachusetts/Rhode Island, Virginia and California in the United States, and Tokai in Japan.
The report provides a better understanding of the international strengths and weaknesses of the region’s economy will now help decision-makers make timely and appropriate investment decisions.
Key findings from ‘International insight: how the East of England economy compares’ include:
- In 2006 the East of England had the forth highest value of exports in the UK, worth £20.2 billion
- If the region was a nation, it would have ranked 18th out of the 39 OECD nations prior to the recession
- Total investment in research and development (R&D) is double the EU average of 3.9% of the value of economic output
- 80% of all R&D investment is made by businesses which is comparatively high
- At 6 per the East of England has seen the highest recorded population growth between 1995-2005, higher than any UK region outside of London
- Over half use the internet to buy goods and service putting us in the top 10 of ‘web savvy’ regions compared to 97 European comparator regions
- At £44,423 of wealth generated per worker in 2005 our labour productivity is only average compared to European regions and only half that of US comparators such as Massachusetts/Rhode Island and Virginia
- 43% of us are employed in knowledge-intensive services, 15th highest compared to other European regions and just behind South Sweden and the South East of England
- 20.3% of adults have higher level qualifications, ranking us below several leading global regions as well as below the UK average
- At 59 minutes it takes us a quarter of an hour longer than the average traveller in the UK to get to a town or city which is classed as a major economic centre
Glenn Athey, director of Insight East said:
“These findings help us better understand the region’s competitive strengths and weaknesses and help decision-makers here make the right investments at the right time for long-term economic prosperity.
“It is clear from this report that if the East of England is to continue to perform strongly against other comparative world-leading regions, skills and infrastructure issues need to be addressed. This is especially important if he East of England is to remain a key knowledge-based economy and capitalise on a rapid transition to a low-carbon economy.”
The report is available on the Insight East website at:
From: http://www.eeda.org.uk/4714.asp
WWF Green TV ‘Inside Cop15′
December 15, 2009 by administrator
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The critical Copenhagen climate change conference is now well underway. 
‘Inside Cop15′ is a WWF Green TV initiative at the conference, producing six podcasts and a live show (at 18:00 GMT; 19:00 CET) every day. ‘Inside Cop15′ will be reporting the highs, lows and everything in-between in the negotiations for a global climate deal.
All of this content is available to view on Green TV as well as via a specially created website created by digital agency, Large Blue -
http://cop15.panda.org/.
Green TV want as many people as possible to see the coverage, so all of it is available for organisations and individuals to use for free.
Britain’s first dual fuel bus will cut emissions by half
October 15, 2009 by administrator
Britain's first dual fuel bus
A consortium brought together by low-carbon experts at the University of East Anglia has launched the first bus in the UK to run on clean, biomethane gas. The innovative dual-fuel diesel-biomethane powered bus will reduce pollutant emissions and greenhouse gas emissions by around a half. It is hoped the technology will be rolled out to bus fleets across the country and further afield.
The consortium behind the new bus is led by UEA’s Low Carbon Innovation Centre (LCIC) and includes leading independent bus operator Anglian Bus, bus manufacturer Optare plc, and engine conversion specialists Hardstaff Group of Nottingham.
The dual-fuel vehicle is a standard Optare Solo single-deck diesel midibus from the Anglian Bus fleet. Originally powered entirely by diesel, the Mercedes-Benz engine has been adapted to run for 60-80% of the time on clean, low-carbon biomethane. Biomethane is chemically identical to the methane in natural gas but it is made by bacterial action on biowastes. Biomethane is extracted from landfill sites or from biogas produced in purpose-built anaerobic digestion facilities.
Project leader Dr Bruce Tofield, of UEA’s Low Carbon Innovation Centre, says: ‘Dual-fuel use is a very attractive option. The vehicle can still run on diesel, providing flexibility, but most of the time is running on biomethane gas which is a much cleaner and less polluting fuel.
‘In particular, the cost of conversion of a diesel bus to dual-fuel use is a small fraction of the cost of a new natural gas bus. Conversion to dual-fuel use is potentially a viable option for most if not all diesel buses in the UK and, indeed, across Europe and more widely.’
Funding for the project came partly from an EU-sponsored Civitas programme in which UEA and Anglian Bus were partners with Norwich, Norfolk County Council and cities across Europe. The Civitas Initiative exists to promote cleaner and better transport in Europe’s cities.
LCIC scientists have been monitoring air pollution in Norwich since 2005 as part of the Civitas programme. In Norwich, as in many UK cities, emissions from buses are of particular concern. They noticed how the buses in Malmo in Sweden, a partner city in the Civitas programme, were powered by clean natural gas (methane), resulting in significantly lower levels of harmful emissions. Of special interest was the fact that Malmo was beginning to use biomethane rather than natural gas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as pollutant emissions.
‘This conversion shows just how important EU projects can be in helping us learn from what cities elsewhere have done,’ says Dr Tofield. ‘Now we are going one step further and showing how existing bus fleets can be economically converted to low-carbon, low-emissions running. The potential for reducing traffic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from buses and other fleet vehicles in cities in Britain, Europe, and across the world is very exciting.’
From: http://www.eei-online.com/news.php?key=2370
Envirowise launches online waste-reduction course
October 15, 2009 by administrator
Reducing the waste your business produces could save you as much as £1,000 per employee
Envirowise is targeting packaging manufacturers with a new waste reduction initiative that it says could help save companies £1,000 per employee.
‘Rethink Waste’ is an online course that looks at benchmarking data and developing and implementing a waste-saving strategy that Envirowise hopes will help companies discover the true cost of waste to their business.
Envirowise production specialist Michael Savage said raising landfill costs were an economic imperative to minimise waste at every opportunity.
“While many UK manufacturers have enthusiastically adopted recycling measures, there are many opportunities to reduce and re-use materials - actions that could substantially benefit the bottom line,” he said.
The course has been developed in conjunction with manufacturers’ organisation EEF. Head of environment Gareth Stace welcomed support for manufacturers to “get the best from their resources.” “Free initiatives such as ‘Rethink Waste’ offer practical and accessible route to resource efficiency,” he said.
The courses will run in early 2010 and participants will have access to a virtual factory tour, audiocasts and a resource efficiency conference.
Click here to register online before 31st December.
Save water or else!
October 14, 2009 by administrator
Save water or else - the message from Envirowise!
The warning comes from sustainability experts Envirowise and follows research which found that 70% of sustainability specialists consider the threat of dwindling water supplies to be equal to the impact of carbon emissions, while 54% believe the world will run out of water before it runs out of fuel.
It is predicted that UK groundwater will begin to decrease by 2025, with the overall amount of water available in English and Welsh rivers reducing by 15% by 2050. Some areas in the South East already have less available water per person than Spain and Morocco.
Even businesses based in regions with higher water availability could feel the effect through their supply chains, while many companies could face changes to licenses granted to allow water abstraction as a result of the Water Act 2003.
Envirowise water specialist Claire Sweeney said: “Water is set to become one of the most dramatically affected resources as the impact of climate change takes hold, but many businesses are not aware of the steps they can take to mitigate against this risk.
“Food and drink companies should explore practical steps including water saving devices and water recovery and reuse technology such as membrane filtration systems, which enable a large proportion of wastewater to be reused for processes such as heating, cooling and cleaning. This can result in major cost savings through lower mains water and disposal charges, as well as an enhanced environmental reputation with customers and investors.
“Taking such action now could not only pay enormous dividends in future years, it can also lead to short-term benefits. In fact, recent Envirowise research revealed that UK companies could be missing out on combined savings of up to £10 million per day by failing to make changes in this area.”
From: http://www.feastnet.net/NewsViews/tabid/197/newsid840/427/Default.aspx
