Energy News Round-Up
First a picture of an egg breaks the internet and then everyone’s wearing blindfolds – we can’t keep up! We bet you can’t either, which is why we’ve put together a little round-up of the latest news in the energy sector so you don’t miss a thing in the energy world.
Running for Power
Scientists and tech-gurus may have come up with the perfect solution for gyms wanting to go green this year. Athletic equipment experts are experimenting with treadmills that generate energy as they’re used, and then feed that power back into the gym.
The development of such machines are still underway, but the current plans are to have a generator inside the treadmill that collects the energy when people start running. There are a few doubters with the concept, though, as current plans are showing that the treadmills only produce a small amount of renewable energy when it’s used – but, any renewable energy is good energy, right?
Tesco Goes Solar
Following on from their 2017 commitment to use renewable energy for 100% of power for UK operations, Tesco are continuing their sustainability drive. They’ve gone on to install 2,400 electrical charge points across their sites and are about to embark on a solar power mission!
The supermarket is planning a huge overhaul of their UK sites by using solar roofs at their stores. Planning is already underway for stores in Nottingham, Martlesham, Yeovil, and Sheerness. Tesco have utilised the renewable energy of solar before, with specific sites falling under the feed-in tariff.
Details such as size, placement, suppliers, and components haven’t been released yet, but rumour has it Tesco will join big hitters such as Sainsbury’s by vastly increasing their solar usage.
Solar power is no longer just for houses, but is being used commercially in all kinds of sites. Take a look at the current renewable energy trends and how even Arsenal Football Club are taking advantage of renewable energy.
£300m Power Station
The BBC have reported that a £300m project is in planning stages for a new power station in North East Lincolnshire. The power station would be located next to the South Humber Bank Power Station near to Stallingborough.
If the planning application is accepted, the power station is planned to open by 2022 and will create over 50 jobs in the local area.
LED’s Lighting the Way
Studies have shown that making products more energy-efficient has already made an impact on the UK’s carbon footprint. Installing just one low-energy LED light bulb won’t change the world, but as millions of homeowners switch to LEDs, we as a collective have a great chance at reducing CO2 and slowing the damage of climate change.
Figures and analysis from Carbon Brief show that products such as low-energy LEDs are already creating a dent in the UK’s energy demands.
New Miracle Iron Molecule
Late last year, researchers and scientists successfully created an iron molecule which can be used to produce fuel and also produce electricity in solar cells. This development has given scientists hope that the new molecule can be used to replace expensive and rare metals that are currently used in energy production.
The molecule has the ability to capture and use energy from solar light for a longer time than the molecules currently in use. The study has been published in Science and the energy world is extremely excited about further development of this newly discovered iron molecule.
Keep an eye on our blog for all the latest news and energy round-ups. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook for news as it happens.
