- NEWS
- Important Date For Members’ Diaries - 18th June 2008
- BERR (UKTI) Publishes ‘UK ENERGY EXCELLENCE: An International Marketing Strategy for the UK’s Energy Business’
- Promote Your Company Through UK Trade & Investment
- BEAMA Invited to Shape the Supplier Obligation (post 2011)
- UK Energy Market Enquiry
- The Installation Industry Charter
- BEAMA Leads Partnership for Code for Sustainable Homes Seminars
- BEAMA works with wholesalers to promote sustainable electrical technologies
- RoHS options narrowing
- Beginning of the end for the new approach?
- CONSULATION UPDATE
- FORTHCOMING EVENTS
- NEWS
- biomass (derived from animal and vegetable products)
- solar
- fuel cells
- tide
- geothermal sources
- transmission, distribution and storage
- hydrocarbon fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas)
- wave
- hydroelectric
- wind
- nuclear power
- CONSULTATION UPDATE
- FORTHCOMING EVENTS
- 16th April 2008 - Birmingham (Moor Hall)
- 23rd April 2008 - Dartford (Dartford Bridge Hilton)
- 24th April 2008 - Bristol (Redwood Hotel & Country Club)
- 29th April 2008 - Darlington (Aston Hotel)
- 30th April 2008 - Manchester (Copthorne Hotel)
Important Date For Members’ Diaries - 18th June 2008
Members should note that the BEAMA Sustainability White Paper Conference and evening reception will be held in the London Westminster area on 18th June 2008.
BEAMA has written to the Secretary of State for the Environment to invite him to address members and guests on 18th.
Further details will be announced soon and members are advised that sponsorship opportunities will be available.
The key BEAMA contact is Kelly Butler kbutler@beama.org.uk.
BERR (UKTI) Publishes ‘UK ENERGY EXCELLENCE: An International Marketing Strategy for the UK’s Energy Business’
The UKTI has published a new marketing strategy for the UK’s energy business. https://www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk/ukti/fileDownload/UKEnergyExcellenceBrochure.pdf?cid=412811
The strategy examines global energy challenges looking out to 2030. It highlights the key opportunities for the UK to make a leading contribution to the provision of the technology, innovation and expertise needed to supply better, cleaner, higher value energy, including low carbon options.
For the purposes of this strategy, UK energy encompasses:
Promote Your Company Through UK Trade & Investment
If you are a UK-based exporter of environmental goods and services, you can create a free online company profile on the EISU website. The website also allows potential overseas customers to search the database and contact suppliers directly.
The Environmental Industries Sector Unit (EISU) is a Government unit that operates within the Sectors Group of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI). EISU is responsible for promoting the UK environmental industry overseas.
Over 3500 companies have created their own online company profile. BEAMA members are invited to create their own. Visit www.eisu.org.uk, click on the UK Suppliers tab on the top navigation bar and follow the Free UK Supplier Registration link.
For information and assistance you can contact the EISU Helpdesk by email (eisuhelpdesk@n1creative.com) or by phone on 020 7539 5528 (Monday to Friday 0830-1730).
BEAMA Invited to Shape the Supplier Obligation (post 2011)
The Sustainable Development Commission has invited BEAMA as an expert to participate in the Core Group of stakeholders to shape the Supplier Obligation post 2011. The Supplier Obligation is an innovative policy instrument currently being developed by Defra. It aims to transform the market for the supply of domestic energy, by giving suppliers and consumers a shared incentive to reduce carbon emissions from homes. For more information, see http://www.defra.gov.uk/ENVIRONMENT/climatechange/uk/household/supplier/index.htm.
Policy development is still in the early stages, and there is an opportunity to identify and explore the range of options that could be developed for reducing household emissions. There is also an opportunity to explore how consumers might respond.
Stakeholder ideas for the SO will form part of the evidence base that will feed into the public consultation Defra has committed to publishing in Autumn 2008.
BEAMA is likely to be providing input during February, March, May and June 2008 and the BEAMA lead will be Dr Howard Porter hporter@beama.org.uk.
Recent concerns over the legality of energy price increases has resulted in the launch of a full scale enquiry into the structure of the market. The enquiry has been announced by an all-party committee of MPs.
Peter Luff, the chairman of the business, enterprise and regulatory reform (BERR) select committee, said: "The continuing controversy over energy prices is an issue that demands to be addressed. It is a complex but vital question and one that affects everyone in the country - individual consumers and households, small businesses and major energy users alike."
The Installation Industry Charter
BEAMA – for many years at the forefront in initiatives against producers of anti-counterfeit electrical products – has joined forces with the EDA, ECA and SELECT to create a Charter in the fight combating the trade in counterfeits and the proliferation of products failing to comply with the appropriate standards. The Presidents of the four major associations will use the occasion of an upcoming industry event to sign up to a Charter which commits members of the associations to refuse to trade in counterfeit or non-complying products with the objectives of driving these dangerous or sub standard products from the UK market.
The Charter is an acknowledgement that counterfeiting continues to be a threat globally. It is in everyone’s interests to fight against this insidious ‘business’. The distribution of products not complying with standards is a real danger to material goods, properties – and people. They can cause fires - kill.
The Charter will confirm the industry’s will to encourage the development within the marketplace of concrete actions between members of all signatories. It is hoped that other associations will sign the Charter at a future date with and that eventually such a commitment could form part of contract conditions between companies.
Look out for this issue to receive a big publicity boost from the launch of a new mini-site from Voltimum, the industry portal.
Remember, when it comes to counterfeit products…No action is not an option!
BEAMA Leads Partnership for Code for Sustainable Homes Seminars
BEAMA is working in partnership with the Home Builders Federation, Energy Saving Trust, Kingspan Insulation and Hoare Lea Consulting Engineers to roll out a series of informative seminars about the Code for Sustainable Homes in April 2008 (see forthcoming events for dates).
Targeting the key audiences of housebuilders and specifiers, the seminars will inform delegates on strategies for achieving levels 3 and 4 of the Code using the important and mandatory energy category. Key technologies for promotion in this activity will be electric heating/hot water, heat pumps, mechanical ventilation and smart technologies for higher levels of the Code.
Sustainable housing and the path to zero carbon homes by 2016 is vital and inextricably linked with BEAMA members’ products.
The key contact for these events is Kelly Butler kbutler@beama.org.uk.
See forthcoming events for dates and venues.
BEAMA works with wholesalers to promote sustainable electrical technologies
BEAMA has joined forces with the Lighting Industry Federation and the Electrical Distributors Association to develop a sector Sustainability training module for delivery to wholesaler staff. The module includes new developments in the areas of heating, lighting, controls and ventilation and should be rolled out during Spring 2008. Critically, the module will outline the important marketing opportunities that can exist between wholesalers and manufacturers over the coming years.
The ever increasing framework of government policies driving towards zero carbon new buildings and improved efficiency of existing buildings makes this a hot topic, and a solution driven opportunity for manufacturers and wholesalers to increase profitability. BEAMA members are already working hard in this area towards the summer launch of the Sustainability White Paper but it’s clear that wholesaler understanding of the subject will reap business rewards into the future, right through the chain.
Latest news from the Commission is that ‘no change’ to the RoHS Directive is no longer an option. The BEAMA/Orgalime response to the wide range of options for change is currently being finalised to meet the Commission’s consultation deadline of 13 February.
Beginning of the end for the new approach?
The outcome of the review of the new approach – the marketing of goods legislative package - is progressing through the Brussels process, and has had significant industry involvement in its shaping. Its unchanged emphasis on reference to standards as the founding principle, and the new emphasis on common definitions - so important where a product may be covered by more than one directive and on improving market surveillance - are particularly welcomed. So there is concern at the emerging trend for proposals for new product measures, and revisions of existing directives, to depart from the new approach model framework presently being honed. This emerging trend on the part of officials to find all sorts of good reasons not to follow this framework could see it sidelined, and is to be challenged by BEAMA and ORGALIME.
BERR Heat: Call For Evidence (responses to BERR by 31st March 2008)
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has published a ‘call for evidence’ on the subject of heat. The deadline for responses is 31st March 2008. http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/sources/heat/page43671.html
The call identifies that heat is a significant challenge for government as it makes such a large contribution to carbon emissions (nearly 50%). Consequently, this call asks for views on how to de-carbonise heat. Of particular interest to BEAMA members in the power sector will be the focus on de-centralised energy heat systems and the ramifications for transmission and distribution networks. Elsewhere there is specific call for evidence on the contribution that electric heating and hot water technologies can make (including heat pumps) as grid electricity de-carbonises over time. This section also calls for evidence on the impact this may have on generation capacity.
This is a very important consultation for energy and power sector members and the overall BEAMA response will be co-ordinated by Kelly Butler kbutler@beama.org.uk. BEAMA member responses must be with Kelly by no later than 14th March 2008.
Code for Sustainable Homes Seminars
These seminars are targeting housebuilders, architects and specifiers to inform them on how to comply with levels 3 and 4 (energy) of the Code for Sustainable Homes.