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The NHS has adopted a multiyear plan to become the world’s first carbon net zero national health system. The commitment comes amid growing evidence of the health impacts of climate change and air pollution, and aims to save thousands of lives and hospitalisations across the country. NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens commented on the announcement: “2020 has been dominated by Covid-19...

The government has launched a call for evidence on which public bodies should be designated to become Air Quality Partners to help cut emissions. This approach seeks to ensure all relevant public bodies, not just local authorities, are playing their part in helping to reduce pollution at a local level, ensuring a better joined-up delivery. Environment Minister Rebecca Pow commented on...

A call for evidence has been launched by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for the development of a Green Heat Network Fund. The Fund is intended to help new and existing heat networks adopt low carbon technologies. Initial views and evidence is sought on: the state of the heat network market and the supply chain the financial,...

Today marks the World Habitat Day, created by the United Nations. First celebrated in 1986, each annual observance has seen a new theme focused on encouraging us to think about the state of our towns and cities and the basic human right for everyone to have suitable and safe housing. It is also a chance for us to reflect on our...

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme has been launched by The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and will be delivered by Salix. Referred to as the Grant Scheme, it will offer £1bn of grant funding which aligns with BEIS’ new mission and priorities: fighting coronavirus, backing business, unleashing innovation and tackling climate change. The scheme will also encourage green...

Energy regulator Ofgem has set maximum and minimum revenues for the Viking Link project, a 1.4GW connection from Lincolnshire to Denmark that is expected to see £5.2 billion in consumer benefits over 25 years. The Viking Link project is one of several new interconnectors that have been proposed to link Great Britain with neighbouring countries. Akshay Kaul, Networks Director at Ofgem,...

As national governments and European parliamentarians negotiate the EU’s hydrogen strategy, European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC) calls on the EU to remove direct and indirect subsidies, taxes, levies and other incentives for fossil fuels. EASAC, which is an independent body of the National Academies Of Science in EU Member States, Norway, Switzerland and the UK, draws upon its previous...

Petri Rauhakallio, VP Customer Operations of Sharper Shape, writes to ICON about the past, present and future of powerline inspection.     Tedious. If you ask electric utilities for one word on powerline inspection, that would probably be it. Time-consuming and expensive would probably also feature. Yet vital would be just as valid: there is no way to safely operate a transmission...

The Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) supply and demand gap will be narrower in the 2020-21 compliance period than in previous years, due to lower overall electricity demand expectations, new forecasts from Cornwall Insight show. In fact, there is a material risk of ROCs being oversupplied should certain conditions arise, which would reduce renewable generator’s expected revenue. Cornwall Insight forecasts show The...

The ban on supplying plastic straws and stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds has come into force in England today. It is estimated we use 4.7 billion plastic straws, 316 million plastic stirrers, and 1.8 billion plastic-stemmed cotton buds in England every year, many of which find their way into our ocean. Environment Secretary George Eustice, commented on the announcement: "Single-use plastics cause...