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Work has begun on Viking Link, an interconnector which will allow the exchange of electricity between Denmark and the UK. This 765km long undersea cable will stretch 765km to link Bicker Fen in Lincolnshire with Revsing in Denmark, connecting the energy systems of the two countries. The project is a joint venture between National Grid Ventures and the Danish electricity system owner...

DEFRA-coordinated annual Bees’ Needs Week begun today with an online launch to highlight what everyone can be doing at home to care for pollinators. Bees and other pollinators play a crucial role in food production and agriculture - they contribute the equivalent of more than £500 million a year to UK agriculture and food production, by improving crop quality and...

DIGGING ponds in the countryside can deliver unprecedented gains for nature, according to a study involving the University of York. The nine-year project found that creating 20 clean water ponds on farmland increased wetland plant species by more than a quarter (26%). The project found that rare plants almost trebled, while species that had gone extinct in the area returned. Penny Williams,...

THE UK’s first draft Water Innovation Strategy has been launched setting out a vision for change across the water sector. The plan has been published in anticipation of Ofwat’s £200m innovation fund and the establishment of a Centre of Excellence that will act as a UK hub for global water innovation. The draft strategy looks ahead to 2050 and provides a...

THE GOVERNMENT has announced £40 million of funding to unlock thousands of green jobs by developing the next generation of nuclear energy technology. Part of this funding will support three Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) projects, which are far smaller than traditional nuclear plants and use intense heat generated in nuclear reactions to produce low-carbon electricity. They can be used at remote...

THE LOCKDOWN led to a significant drop in some pollutants in the UK’s towns and cities, mainly as a result of less traffic, a new report reveals. Some urban areas saw a 30 to 40 per cent drop on average in nitrogen oxides (NOx) according to a comprehensive analysis of UK air quality data up to 30 April. The evidence review,...

DURHAM University has won major funding for three new research projects to decarbonise heat which will significantly reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers in Durham Energy Institute (DEI) will develop technology and processes to decarbonise heating and cooling across homes, businesses and industry. Solar energy can provide heat without greenhouse gas emissions, but only one per cent of this is used...

A PARTNERSHIP between Yorkshire Water and CCm Technologies will see a new ammonia and phosphorus recovery process at one of its wastewater treatment works. The pioneering technology will use carbon dioxide to stabilise nitrogen and phosphate held within the waste treated at the plant and turn them into sustainable plant nutrients. The new approach, which will cut greenhouse gas emissions and...

THE ENVIRONMENT Agency is seeking feedback from the community and national stakeholders on applications for three environmental permits required for operation of the proposed Sizewell C nuclear power station. EDF SZC Co is looking to build a new nuclear power station next to Sizewell B in Suffolk. As well as regulating the proposed site, through these environmental permits, the Environment Agency...

THE GOVERNMENT, the Green Finance Institute, and 12 leading financial professional bodies have launched the first Green Finance Education Charter. The Charter was announced in the UK’s Green Finance Strategy in July 2019 and is a significant commitment from Chartered and professional bodies in the UK and internationally to integrate green finance and sustainability into their core curricula, new qualifications, and the...