Ecotricity News Feed

Amended Eco Park proposal will focus on Forest Green Rovers stadium complex

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Jen Hoskins) — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 15:07:35 +0000

Ecotricity has today announced it will revise its existing planning application for its long proposed Eco Park development by junction 13 of the M5, and expects to submit its changes to the council before the end of the year.

The current proposal was submitted back in January 2016, and with no end date still in sight Ecotricity have decided to adapt the application to focus solely on facilities for Forest Green Rovers football club – as part of this the Zaha Hadid Architects designed wooden stadium will move to the north side of the A419, on the site of the currently proposed Green Technology Hub, and there will be no development on the south side.

This means there will be no Business Park in the revised plan, where facilities for up to 4,000 jobs would have been created, generating a £300m a year boost to the local economy.

The revised plans will be accompanied by updated environmental reports, looking at key issues including traffic, noise, lighting, biodiversity and landscape.

Dale Vince, Founder of Ecotricity, said: “We’ve taken this decision because of the on-going delays with the planning process for the original concept. It’s a pragmatic decision recognising that Eco Park as proposed was just a bit too much for the council to get their heads round right now. The stadium is the most important part in the short term – the thing we need the most, and the easiest thing for planners to approve, so we’re removing the obstacles, which ironically we thought were the major benefits to the District, the 4,000 job green tech business park.

“Eco Park has just been earmarked by the council for employment use as part of the local plan review. The message we’re getting is that we need to come back in a few years’ time. We may do that.”

Soil Association and Ecotricity help businesses go green in Organic September

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Jen Hoskins) — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 15:42:30 +0000

Ecotricity, the world’s first green energy company, has formed a new partnership with the Soil Association in Organic September to help businesses learn more about sustainability and offer practical steps to become more eco-friendly.

The two organisations aim to inform and encourage change around wider issues of sustainability, including energy, transport, food and nature.

Employees are increasingly becoming interested in what their businesses are doing to engage in a sustainable future, and practical information can help to develop the environmental policies of thousands of businesses across Britain.

Businesses that have signed up to the Soil Association will receive weekly guides throughout Organic September, packed with useful information and features on how they can start to think about wider sustainability issues and minimise their environmental impact.

Many businesses like Riverford Organic Farmers are backing the scheme and are encouraging other businesses to go green.

Guy Watson, Riverford Organic Farmers founder, said: “Farming organically is not about doing things the easy way, but about doing things the right way and working towards a sustainable food system. We really think organic food tastes different and with fantastic produce and inspiring, creative recipes like our own we love getting more and more people to Live Life on the Veg with us.”

Clare McDermott, Business Development Director at Soil Association Certification said: “Organic September is a great time to think about sustainability in general, not just in food, and we wanted to support our businesses with the resources to do so. Staff and customers are looking to the UK’s companies to take the lead in this area and there are fantastic examples of best practice we wanted to share.”

Will Guyatt, Head of Communications at Ecotricity added: “We’re excited to be supporting the Soil Association through Organic September and beyond. There are many simple steps businesses can take on the journey to becoming fully eco-friendly and sustainable, and switching to a 100% renewable energy supplier is just one of them.”

At the end of September, the weekly updates will be available as a free downloadable guide on the Soil Association website that can be referenced by all businesses, year round.

Sole-r Power - Green Shoes are #PoweredByEcotricity

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Jen Hoskins) — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 09:26:20 +0000

Ecotricity tops Energy Industry Customer Service table

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Jen Hoskins) — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 13:58:00 +0000

Ecotricity announces first energy storage project

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Max Lawrence) — Wed, 24 May 2017 09:34:29 +0000

Ecotricity today announced plans to install its first energy storage project just a few meters away from its head office in Stroud.

Utilising the latest battery technology, the peak output from the site will be around 2.5MW – that’s about the same output as a large windmill and enough energy to power over 1,200 kettles all at once.

The battery will charge up during off-peak hours when people use less electricity, and deliver energy back into the Grid when it is needed most – helping to balance the National Grid.

Dale Vince, Ecotricity founder, said: “We’ve been looking at energy storage for some time now – waiting for the technology to make it possible. And we’re excited that we’re now at that point.

“Not many people know that, as an energy company, we have to manage the energy our customers use every half an hour – energy storage will better allow us to do that, meaning we can more efficiently supply energy and better manage the green energy we generate.

“This is a trial project for us – and we’re going to learn a lot about energy storage and how it can help us. And we’re hoping it will be the first of many more energy storage projects to come.”

As well as balancing the National Grid, Ecotricity’s energy storage will provide green energy at peak demand: a demand usually met by diesel generators and gas power stations – thereby reducing carbon emissions and other pollution.

The project will be located at Ecotricity’s Wallbridge building in Stroud, after Stroud District Council recently approved the site for change of use.

The energy storage project is the latest in a series of Ecotricity investments in the town, after the company announced plans to build a new office for up to 300 staff and renovate its Imperial House building near Stroud train station.

It’s not a trap! New footwear partnership launched on Star Wars Day

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Livia Ionescu) — Thu, 11 May 2017 13:56:26 +0000

In a galaxy far, far away, somewhere near Stroud in Gloucestershire... Ecotricity launched a new partnership with ethical shoemaker Po-Zu on May the Fourth, otherwise known as Star Wars Day.

And to mark the occasion, Po-Zu has announced the release of a new Star Wars shoe range.

A few weeks back, Ecotricity founder Dale Vince (a massive fan of Star Wars) met up with Po-Zu managing director Safia Minney to chat about Star Wars and vegan shoes. You can watch the video here:

Ecotricity has also launched a new switch offer to celebrate the partnership: switch to green energy from Ecotricity and you can get up to £50 off the Po-Zu.com mainline collection (*Ts and Cs apply). More info here https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/for-your-home?partner=POZU1.

May the Fourth be with you.

*Ts and Cs: For a limited period only, may not be used in conjunction with any other offer, Vouchers to be used on mainline Spring Summer 17 Po-Zu collection (may not be used to order from the Star Wars collaboration collection)

Ecotricity named as a ‘Company to Inspire Britain’

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Jen Hoskins) — Wed, 10 May 2017 15:49:25 +0000

Ecotricity recognised in fourth edition of London Stock Exchange Group’s Report
Report identifies fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) across the UK

Ecotricity – the world’s first green energy company, headquartered in Stroud, Gloucestershire – has been identified as a ‘Company to Inspire Britain’ by the London Stock Exchange Group.

The company is included in the fourth annual 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain – a celebration of the fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses across the UK.

The companies included needed to show consistent revenue growth over at least three years, significantly outperforming their industry peers. More information can be found in the report online at www.1000companies.com.

Ecotricity is Britain’s greenest energy company and supplies green electricity and gas to almost 200,000 customers. The company had an annual turnover of £126.5m last year (up 16% on 2015). It has a unique ‘bills into mills’ model – harnessing customers’ energy bills in order to build new sources of green energy in Britain. And on average, for more than a decade, it has invested more per customer in building new sources of green electricity than any other energy company in Britain, bar none.

The company has the best customer service in the energy industry, having had the lowest number of complaints of any energy company in Britain, as an average, since records began.

Xavier Rolet, Chief Executive, London Stock Exchange Group, said: “Our report highlights the dynamic, entrepreneurial and ambitious businesses across the country that are boosting productivity, driving economic growth and creating employment. The strength and diversity of these companies is readily apparent with a broad mix of regions and sectors represented. These companies are the very heart of the economy: more robust and flexible. We must ensure we continue doing all we can to support high growth businesses like these.”

A full searchable database of all companies are found online at www.1000companies.com.

Boston Tea Party joins green energy revolution

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Jen Hoskins) — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 14:28:19 +0000

Boston Tea Party has switched to Britain’s leading green energy company, Ecotricity, who provide green electricity generated from the wind and the sun.

The café group based in the South-West of England has switched all of its 19 sites to green electricity as part of its aim to be as sustainable and socially responsible as possible.

Sam Roberts, Managing Director of Boston Tea Party (BTP), said: “Our purpose at BTP is to ‘Make Things Better’, whether that be for our customers, staff or suppliers, but ultimately ensuring that we have a positive societal impact from what we do. Therefore, behaving ethically and sustainably runs through the heart of our business.
“We choose to work with like-minded suppliers and business partners to ensure we are doing our upmost across all areas of BTP to achieve this and Ecotricity are a great example.

“By working together, we can be confident not only that the energy we are using is green, but that we are best placed to learn and share best practice from them as industry leaders in this area.”

New Eco Park designs unveiled at business breakfast

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Livia Ionescu) — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 08:10:01 +0000

Gigaclear go green with Ecotricity

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Jen Hoskins) — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 15:45:32 +0000

Ultrafast broadband provider, Gigaclear, has switched to Britain’s greenest energy company, Ecotricity, who provide green electricity generated from the wind and the sun.

Gigaclear specialise in connecting rural communities by installing pure fibre broadband straight into the home, connecting 35,000 properties to date, with 70,000 expected by the end of the year.

Ecotricity will supply green electricity to Gigaclear’s existing network of 82 broadband sites and will soon be working with the company to install smart meters, with several new connections going live each week – as the network grows at an impressive speed.

Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity, said: “Switching to green energy is the biggest single thing – and the easiest thing – that any business can do to cut the emissions that cause air pollution and climate change.

“By switching to green energy, Gigaclear will reduce the environmental impact of their own operations, while supporting Britain’s energy independence and the green economy.

“By signing up to Ecotricity they’ll also get award-winning customer service, can consolidate all sites under one easy bill, benefit from smart metering services and may even be offered on-site renewable generation – so customers make energy right where they use it.”

Greg Kurnikov, head of installations and maintenance at Gigaclear, said: “From the get go the Ecotricity team have been really friendly and eager to set up the account in a way that suits us.

“We’re on a fixed deal which can be reviewed quarterly and brings all of our bills together into a single PDF, so the whole process is a lot simpler now. Best of all, they’re a green supplier and they’re cheaper than the deal we were on, so they tick all the boxes as we’re getting better commercial terms with better service.”

Ecotricity ranked #1 by Citizens Advice

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Jen Hoskins) — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 08:25:33 +0000

Ecotricity has the best customer service in the energy industry, according to a new ratings system launched by Citizens Advice today.

The new online tool allows people to compare energy companies’ customer service at a glance – based on complaints handling, ease of contact, bill clarity, and switching.

Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said: "Customers shouldn’t feel like they have to take a leap of faith when choosing a new energy supplier.

“The new star rating will make it easier for people to tell how good a supplier is at customer service so they can make sure they find the company that best suits their needs: on price and service.

“We also hope the tool will encourage suppliers to improve their level of customer service with customers now able to scrutinise their performance across a range of different service factors - from complaints to ease of switching.”

Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity, said: “Firstly, it’s great to be ranked number one – we put a huge amount of effort into making our customer service the best in the industry, and it’s improving further as we develop our app and online services.

“But it’s also great to see an organisation like Citizens Advice pull together a ratings system that’s about more than just price – comparison sites and the media seem to only focus on price, but that’s just part of the story.

“We think there are three things that people look out for – greenness, customer service, and price. The order will depend on the individual – but comparison sites should help people compare energy companies across all three of those areas.

“In our experience, a growing number of people are looking for a green outcome from their energy spending – increasingly so as our government seems to have abandoned the green agenda and turned instead to fracking and nuclear.

“And it’s no coincidence that greenness and good customer service go hand in hand either; both are the result of being driven by ethics – not the bottom line.”

The new Citizens Advice customer service tool uses a star rating system from 1 to 5, with the number of stars awarded to each supplier based on a combination of different factors:

Complaints – how well energy suppliers handle customer complaints
Ease of switching – number of switches the supplier successfully carries out within 21 days
Ease of contact – how highly people rate their supplier’s customer service
Bill clarity – how easy people find it to understand their bills
Switch Guarantee – whether the supplier is signed up to the switch guarantee that commits them to switching a customer within 21 days.

The criteria were developed by Citizens Advice using research carried out with customers who were asked what they valued most from their energy supplier.

The tool will be updated quarterly with the latest information and star rating.

Green is good for the environment and for business

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Max Lawrence) — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 12:07:32 +0000

Faced with the threat of climate change and a rapidly changing energy system, a growing number of UK businesses are revolutionising the way they access and use energy.

For Dale Vince, founder of the world’s first green electricity company Ecotricity, the trend for greater efficiency is one that will dominate the energy landscape going forward.

“Businesses are responsible for one third of the UK’s energy consumption; switching to green energy is the single biggest thing a business can do to fight climate change and is the first step towards becoming part of the smart energy system of the future,” says Mr Vince.

He speaks from experience as Ecotricity has been at the forefront of bringing green energy to businesses and homes since its inception in 1995 and boasts a growing portfolio of success stories. Among Ecotricity’s almost 200,000 customers across the UK are a growing band of small and medium-sized businesses on green energy tariffs and large businesses on bespoke prices.

The company’s vision for the future is to create a green UK, a place in which ethical and sustainable business is the norm. Ecotricity supply some of the greenest and most ethical companies in the country, whatever their size, including companies such as Universal Music UK, Lush, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Enterprise, Vivienne Westwood and Ben Ainslie Racing.

“Tackling climate change and reducing the UK’s carbon emissions will be as much about smaller businesses and households as the big companies. The realisation among individuals and companies of all sizes of the role green energy will play in powering our future is gathering momentum, and the way we produce and pay for energy is undergoing a huge transformation with smart technology,” says Mr Vince.

For many businesses, the next step towards sustainability, after switching to a green energy supplier, is to employ energy efficiency measures. Forward-thinking businesses want even greater control of their energy supply. An increasing number are also looking to generate their own energy on-site, in turn cutting costs, increasing energy independence and reducing their carbon footprint.

As part of its drive to help customers make energy where they work, Ecotricity launched its pioneering Merchant Wind Power scheme in 2001, providing dedicated windmills built on the industrial and commercial sites of some of the country’s biggest household names, such as Sainsbury’s, Michelin, B&Q, Ford and, more recently, RSPB and Pinewood Studio, Wales. To date, Ecotricity has planned and built one in ten of all the UK’s wind projects and its unique approach means it takes full responsibility for the construction, operation and maintenance of the turbines at no cost to the customer.

“We have an innovative but simple proposition for businesses – we provide them with a green energy supply that provides both environmental and economic advantages. It allows businesses to meet both their environmental goals and energy needs, while demonstrating their green credentials to their customers,” says Mr Vince.

“Environmental awareness is on the rise, especially among the younger generations, and businesses need to be seen to be taking greater responsibility. Not only can energy efficiency measures boost a business’s bottom line and protect them against future energy price fluctuations, they can also increase competitiveness and attractiveness as well as offer new business opportunities.”

Unsurprisingly, on-site energy generation projects across the UK have more than doubled in the past four years and Ecotricity expects this trend to continue.

Mr Vince says: “The traditional top-down model has had its day and the future energy system is one that will be off-grid and decentralised.”

The trend towards decentralised energy will see the UK undergo something of a green revolution, with on-site generation from the wind and the sun, and an explosion of smart devices enabling a nation to become more self-sufficient and less reliant upon global energy markets, he says.

“We are witnessing the transformation into an unparalleled modern energy infrastructure, and we and our customers plan to be at the vanguard of that change.” Mr Vince concludes.

To switch your business to green energy please visit: ecotricity.co.uk/for-your-business

Ecotricity proposes much smaller Green Gasmill beside M5 near Fiddington

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Max Lawrence) — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 14:55:36 +0000

Ecotricity has submitted a planning application for a much smaller Green Gas Mill on land between Fiddington and the M5 motorway in Gloucestershire – with the size of the development and traffic movements both reduced by 40%.

Tewkesbury Borough Council have validated the revised proposal, which will still make Green Gas from grass harvested in the local area and power almost 3,500 homes every year, while injecting around £2 million annually into the local economy, helping to improve land quality and creating wildlife habitats.

Despite the original Green Gas application receiving a recommendation for approval from Tewkesbury Borough Council’s planning experts and no objections from statutory bodies such as Gloucestershire Highways and the Environment Agency, local councilors rejected the proposal on traffic and landscape grounds.

Ecotricity have listened to these concerns raised by local residents, as well as by council members, and are now submitting a revised scheme with reduced landscape size and traffic movements.

The new Green Gasmill proposes:

reducing the development size from 7.05 hectares to 4.5 hectares
reducing the anaerobic digester from 7 domes to 4, while the maximum height of the infrastructure is reduced from 13.5m to 12m
reducing traffic movements to and from the site by 41%
improving the Odessa Junction (A38/Tredington Road), in addition to a detailed local highway widening programme on Tredington Road and Fiddington Road
reducing visual impact by moving the buildings to the south and west of the site to increase the separation distance from nearest residents and increasing tree planting on the western boundary.

Using a process called anaerobic digestion, Ecotricity will make Green Gas from grass harvested from farms surrounding the propose Green Gasmill. This will be injected straight into the National Grid, while a natural organic fertiliser by-product will go back onto farmland to grow species-rich grasses, cutting the need for artificial fertilisers.

Dale Vince, Ecotricity founder, said: “We’ve taken into account the concerns of the local community and council members and reduced the size of our proposed Green Gasmill.

“This in turn reduces the traffic movements, which along with road improvements and a ban on peak-time deliveries, will ensure any traffic impact will be much reduced.”

There will be up to 30 jobs created to run the Green Gasmill and supply the species-rich grass from local farms, while around £2 million annually will be pumped into the local economy.

Gloucestershire wind park to be built in 2017

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Max Lawrence) — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 10:29:17 +0000

Britain’s leading green energy company, Ecotricity, is set to complete construction of a new wind park at Alveston in Gloucestershire by the end of the year.

The three windmill site, which is near the junction of the M4 and M5, will become Ecotricity’s second wind project in its home county of Gloucestershire, and follows twenty one years after the Nympsfield windmill which was built on Friday 13^th December 1996.

Last year, Ecotricity received planning consent for a new grid connection at the site to ensure that the already consented wind park could go ahead, and then began some early construction work preparing the site and creating the onsite access tracks.

Work will begin in the spring, when Ecotricity will begin construction of the crane-pads, dig the foundations for the windmills and continue work on the substation.

The windmills are expected to be delivered in October 2017, before they are erected and connected to the national grid by December.

Ecotricity will set up a community benefit fund for the wind park, which will be managed through its charity arm, the Green Britain Foundation. Through the fund, almost £7,000 will be made available every year for groups in local parishes, to be spent on projects which are aligned with the charity’s criteria around sustainability in the sectors of Energy, Transport and Food.

Eco Park boosts biodiversity

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Livia Ionescu) — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 16:19:33 +0000

An independent study has concluded that Eco Park will significantly improve the biodiversity of the land around junction 13 of the M5.

Habitat improvements throughout the development, including new hedgerows, woodland meadows, ponds, species rich grasslands and a nature reserve, will lead to a 16% biodiversity improvement based on methodology determined by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Ecotricity’s designs for Eco Park – which consist of a Green Technology Business Hub, a sports complex and a nature reserve – aim to push the boundaries of sustainable development.

The report was conducted by independent consultants – WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff – and considered geographical information, architectural plans, habitat surveys and the site’s green infrastructure plan.

In addition to the 16% net habitat gains within the site, further biodiversity and habitat gains will be made for species including birds, bats, bees, reptiles and amphibians through the restoration of the “missing mile” of the Stroudwater canal – an area that wasn’t included in the study.

Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity, said: “There is a perception that building on green fields can’t be very eco and it’s an easy conclusion to reach.

“What this study revealed is quite counter-intuitive. That developing farmland can actually be better for wildlife than farming it – provided the development is done in the right way, of course. Development versus green fields is a classic tension that plays out daily up and down the country. We undoubtedly need new houses and places of employment, at the same time we need to protect the environment - our approach is to push the boundaries of sustainable development to find a balance. But what we’ve found is more than that.

“There’s no denying that farming is responsible for the massive decline in wildlife in Britain over the last 50 years, but the idea that developing on that land is better for wildlife, is quite an exceptional one.

“To be able to boost biodiversity by building on green fields is an amazing possibility. If Eco Park goes ahead we hope that it might help set a new standard for the rest of the country”

The study focused on biodiversity gains for habitat, however there are separate enhancements being made for species, which haven’t been considered by the study. The 16% improvement equates to 13.8 biodiversity units.

The biodiversity study will be included as part of the FEI submission which will be issued to Stroud District Council in the coming weeks.

Ecotricity customers boost England’s national woods and forests

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Livia Ionescu) — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 15:24:44 +0000

Customers joining Britain’s leading green energy company, Ecotricity, can support new conservation projects in England’s national woods and forests.

A new partnership with Forest Enterprise England, the Forestry Commission agency that manages England’s national woods and forests, could lead to thousands of pounds going towards a new conservation fund.

Ecotricity will donate up to £50 for anyone who signs up to the company’s green electricity and gas using a new Forestry Commission sign-up offer.

New customers will also receive a £10 discount on a Discovery Pass, the membership scheme which allows free car parking and a range of other benefits at local forests managed by Forest Enterprise England.

Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity, said: “Trees and forests are really important. Sustainably managed, they can provide vital wildlife habitat, carbon sinks and a great place to visit.”

“So to team up with Forestry Enterprise England is something we’re really pleased to be doing.”

Simon Hodgson, Forest Enterprise England Chief Executive said: “Alongside the income we generate from suppling sustainably-grown timber, we look for new business partnerships that offer additional sources of revenue to invest in the nation’s forests we manage.

“The extra funding helps us make them more interesting and exciting places to visit and we can continue with our conservation work. We’ve had great successes over the years including ospreys in north England and purple emperor butterflies in the south.”

The Forestry Commission is one of the largest land-owners in England and works to maintain and preserve woodlands and forests. It also conducts scientific research and promotes recreation across the estates, including walking and cycling.

Eco Park gets “green light”

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Jen Hoskins) — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 14:39:39 +0000

A study by Stroud District Council (SDC) has identified Eco Park as the best location – based on landscape sensitivity – for future employment growth.

As part of the ongoing review of the Stroud District Local Plan, independent consultants carried out a ‘Landscape Sensitivity Assessment’ of 220 pieces of land being considered for future housing and employment. The study used a traffic light system to designate ‘landscape sensitivity’ – rating each site on a ‘Red, Amber or Green’ spectrum.

Eco Park was the only employment site given a ‘Green’ rating, after it was found to have the “lowest landscape sensitivity to employment use” of all 220 sites being considered.

The study looked at the potential impact of the 220 sites against 18 development constraints, including: Conservation Areas (SSSI, AONB), Historic Landscapes, Key Wildlife Sites, Public Footpaths, and Flood Risk.

It also assessed the “landscape sensitivity” of each site, using measures such as: scenic quality, character, rarity, tranquility, noise, visual relationship with the area or nearby settlements.

Ecotricity founder Dale Vince said: “Whenever you build anything anywhere, you are going to have an impact. The important job is to get the balance right between gains and impacts.

“We always thought our site by Junction 13 was one the least impactful sites in the district and its great to see that made plain in this study by the council.”

Green Britain Centre launches vegan menu after record breaking 2016

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Max Lawrence) — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 11:27:22 +0000

The Green Britain Centre in Swaffham has launched a fully vegan menu, following the appointment of a new head chef.

The Centre, which is funded by Ecotricity’s charitable arm - the Green Britain Foundation - celebrated its most successful year on record in 2016, welcoming more visitors, hosting more events and serving more food than ever before.

Jannine Parry, from Lynn,has been named as the Centre’s new head chef and her menu will focus on delivering organic, local and seasonal food with a minimal environmental impact and using produce grown on site in the organic vegetable garden where possible.

The Centre has been vegetarian since it was taken over by the Green Britain Foundation in 2011 - the final step to make the Centre fully vegan has been to remove cow’s milk from the menu.

Jannine Parry, head chef at the centre, said: “I feel very privileged to be part of a great team which is creating an amazing plant based café using local growers and the organic garden right outside our door.

“I’ve been vegan for 12 years and will be using my food waste, community building and organic gardening skills to create a café that is truly for everyone.”

The Centre includes a 100m windmill, which was the first in the world open to the public to climb, as well as a solar panel which tracks the sun, an organic garden, a variety of hands-on exhibits, two record-breaking renewable powered cars, a 100-seater theatre and a vegan café.

It’s open to the public all year round, hosts sustainability focused school trips and also has a range of fantastic events and conferencing spaces.

A total of 22,000 people visited the centre in 2016, with 8,000 of them climbing the 300 steps to the viewing platform at the top of the windmill to take in the fantastic views of the surrounding countryside.

More than 140 schools – with 5,500 pupils - attended the centre over the year to find out more about the key themes of Energy, Transport, Food and Making Room for Nature. They visited from across Britain and around the world, with a fifth of those coming from overseas including France, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Poland and Portugal.

13,000 delegates attended more than 600 events and conferences over the year, making use of the various flexible meeting rooms in the space.

The café also proved more popular than ever, serving an average of 25 meals per day and a total of 12,680 drinks, as well as catering for the events and conferences.

Paul Woodmin, head of the Green Britain Centre, said: “We had a great year as we welcomed visitors from far and wide to the centre - and we want that to continue in 2017.

“The Green Britain Centre is cutting edge environmental hub which is a great place for schools, businesses and local people to discover the latest technology in Energy, Transport and Food and learn how to apply these things to everyday life.”

You can find out more about the Green Britain Centre at www.greenbritaincentre.co.uk.

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Max Lawrence) — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 15:02:52 +0000

Ecotricity’s ambitious plans to create a Green Technology Business hub as part of the proposed Eco Park have been praised by the boss of one of Britain’s leading science parks.

Tom Beasley, the head of the Forum and Innovation Centre at the Bristol & Bath Science Park, has backed the plans for Eco Park, which will be a place where green businesses and technology companies will come together and share ideas, creating a focal point of creativity and innovation for Gloucestershire.

Mr Beasley said: “Bristol & Bath Science Park tenants have benefited first-hand from clustering like-minded businesses together. This has resulted in an increase in jobs, new business start-ups, new technology and business growth.

“As science and technology businesses in the area of low carbon and environmental technologies grow, it is good to know there is the potential for increased accommodation capacity, collaboration and clustering.

“We are looking forward to working with Eco Park as a member of a strong south west cluster of science parks and incubators.”

Mr Beasley was also impressed by the focus on sustainability and biodiversity in the Eco Park plans, which include the creation of a new nature reserve, enhancing biodiversity on the site and creating new wildlife corridors.

He continued: “Eco Park has the potential to demonstrate how development can be undertaken sustainably with thought and care given to the environment.

“We will all benefit from the lead being taken in sustainable construction, as we strive to further limit our impact on the environment and reduce carbon emissions.”

Eco Park is a proposed 100 acre sports and green technology centre at Junction 13 on the M5 – with 50 acres dedicated to creating state-of-the-arts sporting facilities, including a new stadium for Forest Green Rovers, while the other 50 acres will comprise a green technology business park capable of creating up to 4,000 jobs.

Universal Music UK and Abbey Road Studios now powered by Ecotricity

ez@bluetel.co.uk (Max Lawrence) — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 10:55:55 +0000

Music recorded at Abbey Road Studios will now be powered by the wind and the sun, after the UK’s leading music company – Universal Music – switched supply to green energy company Ecotricity.

Ecotricity will supply green electricity to four of Universal Music UK’s key London locations, including its Kensington High Street HQ and Abbey Road studios, the oldest purpose built recording studio in the world.

Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity, said: “Powering a business with green energy is the biggest single step that any business can take to cut the emissions that cause air pollution and climate change.

“Simply by switching to green energy, Universal Music UK will reduce the environmental impact of their own operations – while also supporting Britain’s energy independence and the green economy.”

Universal Music UK recently achieved three-star certification under the Industry Green sustainability kitemark, awarded to creative organisations with a systematic, achievable and inspiring approach to environmental sustainability.

Universal Music UK COO, David Sharpe,said: “Universal is committed to sustainability, as are many of our artists, and we hope other organisations will follow our lead and take similar steps to power their operations with green energy.”

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