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VOLVO Cars will become 'the first car maker' to implement global traceability of cobalt used in its batteries by applying blockchain technology. The announcement follows the reveal last month of the company’s first fully electric car, the XC40 Recharge. Traceability of raw materials used in the production of lithium-ion batteries, such as cobalt, is one of the main sustainability challenges faced...

THE wildfire in northern Scotland which burnt for six days on peatland could have released an equivalent to six days’ worth of carbon of Scotland’s total greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report released today by WWF UK. Gina Hanrahan, Head of Policy for WWF Scotland, said: “We’re facing twin climate and nature crises. People and nature in the...

UK-BASED onshore and offshore wind, wave and tidal energy companies are now exporting their products and services to 37 countries across 6 continents, according to a new report published today by RenewableUK. Using an illustrative sample of companies involved in the sector, 'Export Nation' reveals that 47 UK firms signed 465 contracts worth up to £53m per company in the...

MULTI-MILLION pound project with Manchester City Council and Electricity North West designed to help the city to reach its carbon-neutral ambitions is set to begin. The project will see 3km of electricity cables installed along Upper Brook Street, which will provide a new connection to the council’s £25m Civic Quarter Heat Network (CQHN) announced in the summer. The CQHN is designed...

FOLLOWING a 14-month suspension, work has restarted on a waste-to-gas plant in Swindon, Wiltshire. The facility is expected to convert 8,000 tonnes per year of household waste into 2.2 million cubic metres of natural gas, enough to heat the equivalent of around 1,800 homes. Advanced Biofuel Solutions acquired the plant from administration and claims it will be 'the first plant in the world...

OVER 100,000 people have signed a petition by Greenpeace UK calling for leaders of all political parties to take part in a national televised debate on the climate and nature emergencies in the run up to next month’s general election. The campaign for a televised climate debate – which is being led by the climate charity, Possible, with the support...

Recent public attitudes tracker show that opposition to renewables has hit an all-time low of 2% This comes in the run-up to what has been deemed by a number of political parties as the ‘climate election’ Other key findings include support for biomass hitting a record of 70% The latest public attitudes tracker published by BEIS has found that...

NEW eel screen to stop the endangered species from entering the abstraction pipe intake have been installed by Anglian Water at its site in Peterborough. The European eel is now classed as critically endangered after a 95 per cent decline in population over the last 25 years. As part of Anglian Water’s Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), the scheme is...

Just Eat restaurant partners tackles plastic pollution with a trial a range of Hellmann’s sauces served in seaweed-based sachets. The trial, supported by the Innovate UK fund, is a result of a four-way project between Hellmann’s, Just Eat, Innovate UK and Notpla. Andrew Kenny, Managing Director, Just Eat UK, said: “As market leader, we take our responsibility to affect positive change...

PLANS have been outlined for £900,000 worth of major gas mains replacement programme in Ipswich from January 2020. Cadent is planning five projects in the town to replace ageing gas mains with tough new pipes which should remain in service until around the Year 2100. Vince Doggett, Authorising Engineer at Cadent, said: “These projects will help ensure our gas network keeps...