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From April 2010, over 5,000 organisations in the UK will be hit by new “green” laws that will require them to buy allowances to cover their carbon emissions. The new legislation, called the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) will require companies to spend upwards of 40,000 each year on carbon allowances. The Carbon Reduction Commitment will have a phased introduction starting in 2010 with organisations expected to monitor their energy use and carbon emissions and after 2011 buy carbon allowances to cover their emissions. Companies are being encouraged to act early in preparation for the CRC. A whole range of organisations will be affected including banks, schools and hotels. The new regulations are currently being finalised but companies affected will be expected to submit details of their annual energy use from next year. The new rules are being introduced as part of the Government’s aim to deliver reductions in carbon dioxide

Power Systems specialists at energy consultancy TNEI are working closely with the UK’s wave and tidal developers and manufacturers to create Europe’s 1st software programme to analyse the power generated by the wave and tidal industry. The team at TNEI is creating the model for its IPSA software program that will allow detailed analysis of wave and tidal farms to shape their development and design.The IPSA program, owned and developed by TNEI, already has similar, highly successful modelling extensions for the analysis of wind farms, software systems that were the first of their kind in the UK for this renewable energy form. The new wave and tidal software is being developed in tandem with the growth of the industry, which is currently in its infancy.When the software model ships towards the end of 2009, it will be an essential tool in helping the industry develop and mature. IPSA software specialists

Energy consultancy TNEI is pleased to be working with Aquamarine Power (“Aquamarine”) to identify the most viable marine energy sites around the UK and Irish coastlines for deployment of Aquamarine’s market leading Oyster wave energy converter. Aquamarine is aiming to develop sites capable of hosting 1,000 MW of marine energy by 2020. TNEI’s expertise in grid connection analysis is helping Aquamarine to assess potential sites for its market leading Oyster wave energy converter, up to and over 100 MW. To help make informed decisions on the sites, TNEI has been conducting grid connection analysis on locations and the network. Nothing of this scale exists at present and the team is investigating the grid’s current capacity and capabilities and making projections on how it will look in the future. The work has centred on collating public domain data, undertaking spreadsheet analysis on current grid capabilities and identifying capacity locations on a

TNEI’s power systems team is working on a two phased programme to provide power systems analysis for Northern Ireland’s electricity network operator. The team is developing bespoke analytical tools that will allow Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) to model its system more closely and develop a better understanding of how it operates currently and in the future with increasing amounts of energy being generated by wind farms. This greater knowledge will facilitate the connection of even higher penetrations of renewable generation and at the same time improve operational efficiency and security. Phase one of the programme sees TNEI’s team of power systems experts developing software to model the complex network of Special Protection Schemes, SPS that NIE operates. These SPS operate during abnormal system conditions and allow continued operation of the network by switching off, or constraining the output of generators or wind farms. As NIE’s system has become more complex

Planning and environmental specialists at energy consultancy, TNEI Services have prepared and submitted planning applications for two more wind farm developments on behalf of their client, Broadview Energy. The applications were for wind farm developments near Seamer, adjoining Tees Valley and North Yorkshire, and at Low Spinney, near Gilmorton and Ashby Magna in Leicestershire. Applications for the Seamer Wind Farm have been resubmitted following further planning and environmental assessment work conducted at the site. TNEI prepared revised applications on behalf of Broadview Energy for a 5 turbine wind farm after managing further detailed access, ecological and visual amenity studies. For the Low Spinney site, TNEI has managed the EIA process for Broadview and prepared application documentation and plans for submission to Harborough District Council. The 4 turbine proposal was the result of a detailed design process to maximise the potential renewable energy generated from the site whilst minimising adverse environmental

TNEI has expanded the technical capabilities of its Planning and Environmental division with the creation of a bespoke software program to conduct link end analysis for the design and construction of wind farms. Technical consultants at TNEI have designed the modelling software that will allow TNEI to offer this analysis as part of its planning and environmental services. Previously, the work was contracted out to third party organisations and by bringing the expertise in house and developing a proprietary software tool, TNEI will be able to offer a seamless service for existing and new wind clients. The analysis TNEI will now perform is to assess the level of potential interference from wind turbines on mobile phone link stations and their communication via micro and radio waves. The software enables the 3D modelling of ground data including the physical position of the turbine and the base stations and an analysis of