archived news
02 December 2011 - How safe is your reputation? By Brian Hornsby Many of you will be familiar with my views on the Government’s scrapping of the CRC Scheme’s revenue recycling and its retention of its Performance League Table (PLT) as merely a reputational driver. So, I couldn’t let publication last month of the inaugural PLT pass without comment. On November 8, the Environment Agency (EA) published the league table claiming over 60 per cent of organisations had taken steps to improve their energ
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01 December 2011 - TEC Energy Winter Outlook Newsletter December, 2011 Prepared for: The Energy Consortium Although commodity prices have suffered widespread declines in recent weeks as the economy slows and mild weather weighs on demand, prices rose sharply through 2010 and the first half of 2011, supported by strong emerging market demand growth, the Arab Spring uprisings, impact on global oil balances, and the fallout from the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. Brent crude has been the key driver of longer dated
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28 November 2011 - New website functionality Recognising how much information we make available to you, we took a decision a few months ago to overhaul the way you upload and store files and have taken steps to simplify the process. From January, information will be stored in related sections or folders, rather than a simple list format. This should improve navigation significantly, enabling you to source relevant or new documents quickly, rather than scrolling through the screen. In addition, we’re creating
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23 November 2011 - Focusing on Flex On 22 November we held our annual Flex Focus Group at Longbridge and had a good turnout of almost 20 people. This was our third such event and the increased attendance compared to our first forum reflects the growing switch there has been to flexible contracts. Indeed around 20% of our Members are now on flex. We had a good mix of people around the table from energy and environmental managers to finance directors. Peter Nesbitt of Utilyx summarised the past year but the main foc
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12 October 2011 - The Energy Consortium (TEC) claims that changes made to the CRC Scheme post Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) mean that proactive Carbon Managers are penalised twice; once because revenue recycling has been scrapped, and twice because allowances now have to be purchased for automated meter readings (AMR). TEC's Head of Carbon Advisory Service, Brian Hornsby said that pre-CSR there was some logic in the CRC Scheme’s approach to early action incentives. "Installing AMRs was market
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01 October 2011 - For many of our university Members, the year 2012 will mean an Olympic effort on their part as they play pivotal roles in researching, training, hosting and supporting the teams competing in the London Olympic Games. We wish them every success as we do the British athletes. For us, 2012 will see us revisiting the venues we selected for this year’s annual conference to stage more winning performances! Our northern event being held at the Royal Armouries in Leeds will take place on Wednesday
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09 September 2011 - With energy prices continuing to rise and the future of nuclear power being questioned globally, there's never been a better time to look seriously at renewable energy generation. And with the Welsh Assembly firmly behind it, now's the time to explore technology options and financial schemes available such as the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). To give an overview of some of the technologies your university and college peers have adopted we've organised a special conference on Septem
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19 August 2011 - Last month we sent you details of the special conference we're hosting on September 28 at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells on the theme of 'increasing renewable generation'. The topic itself has prompted widespread debate and strength of feeling throughout Wales in recent months and we recognize the need for organisations to secure future energy supplies but not at the expense of increased cost and administration or alienating local communities. The programme we've carefu
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29 July 2011 - Increasing renewables is too hot a topic for you to miss out on in Wales, particularly in light of the recent EMR White Paper on the Government's commitment to diversified technologies to secure future energy supplies. But which technology is best? In June, we held successful conferences in England outlining alternative renewable options - with case studies- and cost and planning implications. We wouldn't want you excluded from such impartial, valuable advice so we're hosting a speci
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20 May 2011 - At the beginning of this month the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change claimed that renewable technologies could supply 80% of global energy needs by 2050 as well as reduce greenhouse emissions by a third, provided governments step up policies to stimulate investment and enable industries to grow substantially. Currently, renewable energy accounts for 12.9% of global supply and a business-as-usual approach will not be enough to bring about change. The question is, in which technologies sho
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05 April 2011 - We have first hand experience to be shared at our summer conferences in Leeds and London by Lancaster University. Director of facilities, Mark Swindlehurst, will present the challenges the university faced on both the site and planning, while head of infrastructure, Mike Sheppard, will reflect on turbine selection and connection. Mark has a real interest in sustainability and, with over 35 years in the building industry, we can expect some real insight from Mike on the sort of issues you could e
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29 March 2011 - Recent developments globally have affected markets, so what are the prospects for the remainder of 2011 and what are the implications of the Government's electricity market reforms on future energy prices? The answers to these questions and more will be provided by Andrew Horstead from Utilyx who is our third guest speaker at both our Leeds and London conferences. Andrew has the unenviable responsibility of looking at future energy markets and is a regular media commentator on supply and dem
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25 March 2011 - UK energy prices saw surprising strength towards the end of 2010, extending gains that have seen power and gas prices rise progressively since March 2010. Over that period front month NBP gas prices jumped 120% while Summer-11 gas firmed 59% hitting levels not seen since May 2009. With gas the dominant fuel source in UK power generation, movements in gas have fed through to UK power and similarly, front month power gained 53%, while Summer-11 was 36% higher than levels seen last March, by the en
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22 March 2011 - With investment capital severely constrained in the public sector, what are the alternative options available for renewable generation? Book your place at our 2011 conference and hear David Povall CEO of RES Enterprises debate the options. RES Enterprises is one of the world's leading independent renewable energy developers. David has worked extensively across the world in the energy sector and latterly in developing sustainable buildings and will reflect on the different renewable technolog
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16 March 2011 - Taking to the stage at our Leeds event on June 22 will be HEFCE's Senior Policy Advisor, Joanna Simpson, who orchestrated the organisation's sustainable development strategy and who's a regular Government advisor. This is the first of a series of news articles to alert you to the impressive speakers we've got lined up to talk at our summer conferences on increasing renewable generation. We're thrilled that the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has agreed to
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22 February 2011 - HEFCE to headline The Energy Consortium’s twin events this summer on renewable generation When The Energy Consortium (TEC) address the issue of increasing renewable generation at its northern and southern conferences this June, it will be joined on the conference platform by keynote speakers from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Also contributing to the debate will be specialist consultancy Inbuilt and Lancaster University. The conferences are being held on June 22
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12 November 2010 - David Oldham smiled; "We like to think of ourselves as leading edge not cutting edge; though a couple of times we have strayed into cutting edge territory". This was just one remark at the start of tour around Edge Hill University at which David is the Director responsible for Capital Developments; the tour had been organised as an information gathering exercise to support the forthcoming HEFCE/TEC Guide to Renewable Generation and Knowledge Hub. Edge Hill certainly has a reputation fo
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12 November 2010 - Our conferences next year will be held in two prestigious,historic venues; the Royal Armouries in Leeds and the Imperial War Museum in London. Delegates will get the dual opportunity of stepping back in time and touring the museums as well as looking to the future as we debate ‘Increasing Renewable Generation’ as our conference theme. By June 2011 we shall have the findings from the project we’re conducting with Harper Adams University College and the Universities of Lancaster,
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05 November 2010 - On 3 November, we held our inaugural, annual Flexible Focus Group meeting, which was attended by 20 delegates representing 10 of the 19 institutes currently running flexible gas/electric contracts. The objective of this meeting was to inform Members using flexible contracts of their performance to date, the strategies utilised, and strategic options that may be available for the future. The morning session consisted of presentations by TEC and Utilyx on a forward market review, the current and p
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01 November 2010 - TEC is delighted to report on its success in the last round of Higher Education Funding Council for England ("HEFCE") LGM funding grant applications. £50,000 has been awarded by the HEFCE and TEC has agreed matching funding. We are embarking on a major study for the education sector which we hope that, once completed, will prove to be an essential guide for best practice renewable generation and be a knowledge hub for renewable generation projects in the future. We shall build th
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08 September 2010 - With only six weeks to go before the results of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) are due to be published, The Energy Consortium (TEC) is gearing up to help its public sector members meet the massive demands expected to be set. TEC will be primarily encouraging public bodies visiting the Energy Event to upskill and procure their energy through flexible contracts, just like their private peers. TEC currently purchases gas and electricity for more than 85% of the UK’
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12 July 2010 - OCG Action Note 15/10 12 July 2010 Issue 1. Some organisations that are not contracting authorities have either established or are attempting to establish arrangements described as frameworks agreements for use by contracting authorities across the public sector. These arrangements should not be used by contracting authorities - this PPN outlines the issues and risks for contracting authorities considering the use of these agreements. Dissemination 2. Please circulate this Procurement Policy Not
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06 July 2010 - Brian Hornsby, the former energy co-ordinator at Loughborough University and ex-tall ship sailor, has been appointed head of carbon advisory services at TEC and his task is to advise Members on their EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) submissions and registrations for the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme. A retired chartered quantity surveyor, Brian has spent the past six years developing robust data collection and management systems at Loughborough University enabling it to better respond to Governm
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22 June 2010 - Today George Osborne unveiled what he described as an ''unavoidable'' but ''progressive'' budget characterised by a raft of spending cuts and tax increases. In terms of energy and climate change policy, the industry is likely to be disappointed by the absence of clarity on several issues including the proposed Carbon Floor price and the Renewable Heat Incentive. Following the Coalition Government’s decision to abolish the Infrastructure Planning Commission w
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18 May 2010 - When The Energy Consortium (TEC) takes to the road next month for its inaugural roadshows it will be joined on the conference platform by keynote speakers from Encraft, Eversheds and the Office of Government Commerce (OGC). Three conferences addressing ‘Supporting sustainability in education and the wider public sector’ are being held in Leeds, Bath and London. Matthew Rhodes of Encraft headlines each event and will address renewables generation and the feed-in tariff system. Cassie
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23 April 2010 - Birmingham, UK, 23 April, 2010 – The Energy Consortium (TEC) has won its first major tender in the public sector since being confirmed as a Pan Government public buying organisation (PBO). The tender, which it jointly presented with its service provider Utilyx, is to provide gas and electricity contracts for four of London’s top tourist attractions; the V&A Museum, the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Museum of Childhood, as well as the National Railway Museum a
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14 April 2010 - Instead of holding one major conference, The Energy Consortium (TEC) has announced it’s taking to the road this June and hosting three roadshows at universities throughout the UK, focusing on ‘Supporting sustainability in education and the wider public sector’. The roadshows are targeted at energy procurers/managers in both higher and further education as well as the wider public sector. TEC’s decision to host regional roadshows was made after research conducted of its me
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25 March 2010 - The New Year started with a bang. Just as the market was getting complacent and singing the virtues of an oversupplied market and how low could the market go, along came the coldest winter snap in 30 years covering the UK in a blanket of snow and lifting NBP gas demand to record levels and prices up to 60p/th, levels not seen since February 2009, forcing National Grid to issue a gas balancing alert on four separate occasions. The GBA’s were a call to market to source more gas and for indus
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01 February 2010 - The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme (previously known as the Carbon Reduction Commitment) is a new, mandatory, energy saving and carbon emissions reduction scheme for the UK. CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme Conference The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme (previously known as the Carbon Reduction Commitment) is a new, mandatory, energy saving and carbon emissions reduction scheme for the UK. The CRC starts in April 2010. If you qualify for CRC, you must register as a Participant or make an Information Disc
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30 January 2010 - On the 19th January, the draft CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme Order 2010 was laid in the UK and Scottish Parliaments and in the National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly. It is subject to the approval of all four Administrations before it comes into force from April 2010. CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme Stakeholder Update Dear Stakeholder, A number of new CRC documents are now available: Draft CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme Order 2010 On the 19th January, the draft CRC Energy Efficiency
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10 November 2009 - With recent low prices, TEC has been busy making energy purchases for its flexible contracts as far out as the Winter season for 2011; as a result of this all members of TEC’s Flexible Gas Basket now know exactly what price they will paying for their gas in the academic period 2009/2010. As TEC also benchmarks an equivalent FPFT price at the beginning of each contract these institutes can effectively report to senior management the consequences of moving to a flexible contract as opposed t
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12 September 2009 - The Energy Consortium (TEC) appoints Rocket Creative marketing agency Not for profit purchasing body retains agency to improve its service delivery to HE, FE and the wider public sector. Birmingham, UK, 24 April, 2009 – The Energy Consortium (TEC), which, up until now has exclusively procured energy services for higher and further education establishments has just appointed East Midlands marketing agency, Rocket Creative, to rebrand and assist with the introduction of its new contracts acr
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01 September 2009 - Prominent speakers lined up for The Energy Consortium’s autumn conference and exhibition. Balancing individual choice with the power of collaborative purchasing headlines the event. Birmingham, UK, 26 August, 2009 – The Energy Consortium (TEC) will be joined on the conference platform this autumn by eminent speakers from bodies like the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) and the Association of University Directors of Estates (AUDE). The conference, which takes place on November 11 i
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12 August 2009 - The Energy Consortium (TEC) reports a groundswell in take-up by educational bodies of aggregated, flexible and risk managed procurement since the OGC actively started promoting it in June Birmingham, UK, 24 July, 2009 – The Energy Consortium (TEC) has just signed up five UK universities to its ‘Flex Energy Contracts’ and attributes winning the new business to not only the cost-saving message of flexible over fixed contracts finally getting through but also TEC’s recent re
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19 July 2009 - The Energy Consortium (TEC) powers up its national team Not for profit energy procurer increases its staffing levels to improve service delivery. Birmingham, UK, 30 July, 2009 – TEC has made three strategic appointments to strengthen its national representation as well as creating a new marketing post. Rejoining the not for profit organisation are David Thomas and Gary Ward, while the new face on board is Kathryn Baldock. Former contracts support officer (CSO) Sarah James has been made mar
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