REA and STA to explain policy obstacles and opportunities for your renewable energy projects and businesses at Ecobuild 2014

The big issues for the future of renewables

Ahead of this week's EU Environment and Energy Council meetings, REA Chief Executive Dr Nina Skorupska wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron and Energy Secretary Ed Davey to state the case for binding 2030 renewables targets for EU Member States [1]. Nina will be tackling the big issues again at Ecobuild on Wednesday afternoon, where she will take part in the panel debate Fracking, nuclear, renewables or fusion - what is our energy future? in Ecobuild's South Arena.

Ahead of the debate, Dr Nina Skorupska said:

"This debate is very timely. Ed Davey is speaking about energy efficiency just after the session I'm in, which will be very interesting. He'll be just back from debating 2030 targets at the EU Environment and Energy Councils so I hope he watches my session too!

"When we look at renewables, fracking, fission and fusion, only renewables are actually deploying today, creating jobs, reducing emissions and bringing down costs. Binding 2030 renewables targets will keep that momentum going."

Come and talk to us on our exhibition stands

Ecobuild takes place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week at ExCel London [2]. The REA will be exhibiting on Stand N2416, where visitors can meet our policy and membership teams as well as representatives from the Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC). The STA will be exhibiting on Stand S2240, alongside sponsors Enphase Energy UK, Trina Solar and Viridian Solar. The STA will be promoting its online ‘Your Roof' platform, designed to make it easier for householders to make the smart move to solar power and solar thermal [3]. ‘Your Roof' supports the STA's 1 million roofs campaign, which aims to achieve 1 million domestic rooftop solar energy systems in 2015.

Renewables in new buildings: reducing bills and emissions

The REA and STA are both campaigning to promote the role of on-site renewables in reducing energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions in new homes [4]. This campaign is in response to the limited progress on the Government's Zero Carbon Homes objectives and its proposal to "amend or remove" the Planning & Energy Act, which enables local authorities to set their own targets for emissions savings, energy efficiency or renewables in new buildings. New information about the campaign will be available on both associations' exhibition stands.

REA and STA policy experts explain what policy means for your project or business

The REA and STA policy experts speaking at Ecobuild are focusing on how renewable energy companies and their customers can make sense of regulations and benefit from support schemes. The full programme of REA & STA activities at Ecobuild 2014 is below.

Tuesday 4th March

Ø 10:45-12:15 Green Energy Zone STA PV Specialist Ray Noble will chair the session The renewables market: incentives, payback, & regulatory drivers.

Ø 12:30-14:00 Green Energy Zone REA Head of Policy Paul Thompson will chair the session Benefitting from the non-domestic renewable heat incentive (RHI).

Ø 12:30-14:00 Solar City STA PV Specialist Ray Noble will introduce the session Successfully leveraging large scale rooftops for commercial PV power generation.

Wednesday 5th March

Ø 10:30-12:00 Green Energy Zone STA PV Specialist Ray Noble will chair the session The business case for PV at different scales.

STA Chief Executive Paul Barwell will also speak in this session.

Ø 13:45-14:15 MCS Stand: N2050 Stuart Elmes, Chair of the STA Solar Thermal Working Group, will present an Update on MCS solar thermal standards.

Ø 14:45-15:45 South Arena REA Chief Executive Dr Nina Skorupska will participate in the debate Fracking, nuclear, renewables or fusion - what is our energy future?.

Thursday 6th March

Ø 10:30-12:00 Green Energy Zone REA Head of On-site Renewables Mike Landy will chair the session Benefitting from the domestic renewable heat incentive (RHI).

Stuart Elmes, Chair of the STA Solar Thermal Working Group, will also speak in this session.

Ø 10.30–12.00 Solar City STA Chief Executive Paul Barwell will introduce The big debate: Are planning rules the greatest threat to the development of PV?.