The government should create a sufficient incentive for renewable heat technology such as solar thermal water heaters that people switch to it from fossil fuels, according to an industry figure.Following on from the announcement by secretary of state for energy and climate change Ed Miliband that the government would introduce...

Government plans to pay people premium rates to generate renewable energy, could see a surge of microgeneration being installed outside homes, according to a consortium including the Energy Saving Trust.The introduction of feed-in tariffs, which will pay above-market rates for electricity generated from renewable sources, will encourage UK homes to...

Nanotechnology will help make solar photovoltaic technology far more efficient, according to a futurist and author of The Age of Intelligent Machines.Speaking to Silicon.com, Ray Kurzweil said that nanotechnology was essential to solving the planets energy crisis and would help solar power become cheaper than fossil fuel power in five...

An eco-development in Somerset is to offer residents virtually free electricity from its microgeneraton hydropower plant.The Chudleigh Mill scheme is near the Yeo River, from which it generates hydroelectricity which developers will make available to residents for free.According to the developer's website, the micro-hydro power plant will provide twice the...

Renewable energy will overtake gas-burning as a source of electricity worldwide by 2015, according to the International Energy Agency.In its recent World Energy Outlook it asserts that renewables will only be behind coal as sources of electricity.The report said: "Renewables-based electricity generation is expected to grow substantially over the coming...

As well as helping combat climate change, microgeneration devices such as solar thermal water heating panels and wind turbines also save money, according to one proud owner.Janette Cosgrove of Bolton, has revealed that she has had thermal water heating panels on her roof for five years and the experience has...

Domestic energy assessorsmay find their recommendations for microgeneration are being heeded more frequently as one expert has claimed more people will install devices as energy costs rise.A spokesman for British Eco Energy, which provides renewable energy technologies, said that the appeal of microgeneration is rising.He said: "Gas is...

A building with various features domestic energy assessors might be interested in is in the running to win yet another green award.The Okehampton Business Centre, which is expected to save 50 tonnes of carbon emissions each year, has been shortlisted for the Best Small Renewable Energy Scheme in the South...