Northumbrian Water has paved the way for increased renewable energy thanks to a significant solar power instillation at one of the country’s biggest environmental management sites. The supplier’s Bran Sands water treatment plant based in Middlesbrough will now be home to one of the UK’s largest commercial rooftop mounted solar panel installations, with 943 solar panels. The installation comes as part of the company’s ‘Power Purchase Agreement’ (PPA) with Lightsource Renewable Energy, the leading solar energy company in Europe. Lightsource will operate, design and fund the system which will provide Northumbria Water with a straightforward solution to its power requirements, while making a carbon and energy saving equal to 24 cars being taken off the roads per year. Bran Sands data can then be used to gauge the potential for installing more solar panels in other sites owned by Northumbrian Water. In its first year, data shows that the instillation is on target to reach its projected savings target of £6,353, while long-term projections show that costs could be reduced by in excess of £386,000 over the course of the next 20 years. Steve Coverdale, Plant Manager at Bran Sands, said that the installation of solar energy at the site will enable the water supplier to continue its move towards reaching parity of importing energy, with the long-term hope being that it can become an exporter of energy. He said that Northumbrian Water are always on the lookout for methods to improve its energy efficiency and sustainability, while also caring for the environment and cutting down on costs. He added that the results they have seen thus far have shown reason for optimism that the solar installation is having the desired effects and that the company will keep reassessing what will be achieved in order to establish the role of solar energy. The panels were installed within two weeks so that both Lightsource and Northumbrian Water could meet the government’s deadline for reduced ‘Feed-in Tariff’ support.

The Construction Industry Trading Board is trying to provide work experience and career insights in order to secure the best available talent for the industry. Go Construct, the newly formed recruitment campaign for the industry, has launched the ‘Experience Matching Service’, which gives people the opportunity to experience the construction industry first hand. Employers in the industry have been signing up to provide project placements, careers talks, site visits and work experience to anyone with an interest in a career in the construction business, as well as conducting mock interviews and taster days. The idea behind the scheme is to enable young people to experience for themselves how the construction industry works and provide good, clear information about a career in the sector. The companies are trying to make sure that there is a clear correlation between what they say it is like to work in construction and the reality of it. They are saying that even one or two weeks spent working with them will be of huge benefit to young people considering taking their first step into the business and could even become their first break into it. There are also many benefits to the industry and employers by offering work experience as they could come across some special talents who they want to join their team through a positive experience for both parties. Businesses are also showing pride that they work in the construction industry by offering these opportunities and presents them as forward thinking organisations who want to strengthen relationships with local colleges and schools. It is hoped that the skills gap will be reduced and the very best talent will be secured for future generations of the construction industry by providing these experiences and career insights, as well as reducing the number of people who drop out of the industry later on.

Reduced price batteries may be the solution for electric cars being purchased by the masses. The expensive price of batteries has put people off the idea of electric cars for a number of years, with the reason for their price due to the specific needs of electric car batteries. They need to be light enough for the cars not to be drained by the battery, while also being big enough to ensure the car has enough energy to drive for hundreds of miles from one charge to the next. Chairman of Faradion (a technology company that researches cheap energy store solutions), Chris Wright, admits that current battery costs are equal to the rest of the electric car, something he says needs addressing. Wright said that as a result electric car advocates are trying desperately to find cheaper batteries to supply and that the automotive industry must provide a solution to make batteries that do not rely on lithium, which is the core matter of rechargeable batteries. He says that Faradion’s solution to this problem is sodium, which has similar energy properties but is less expensive to source, meaning that electric cars may soon become a realistic option for the masses. Wright pinpoints new drivers and commuters as those who would benefit most from an electric vehicle due to their affordability and ease of use. He added that the company have made sodium materials that work as well, if not better than lithium systems in battery cells. While petrol and diesel powered cars are still outselling electric vehicles by a considerable margin, sales of electric cars have seen a sharp rise over the last 12 months. This increase is due to fewer people being scared of the car running out of battery and being stuck along with consumers realising the financial benefits of running an electric car, along with being better for the environment.