JUST 100 WINDMILLS COULD POWER GLOUCESTERSHIRE SAYS ECOTRICITY’S VINCE

The founder and Chief Executive of Stroud-based green energy supplier Ecotricity has said that Gloucestershire could be powered with just 100 windmills.

But he warns that there would need to be changes to planning and how many of the county’s residents view where they live.

Council kick-starts new plans for Gloucester’s King’s Square regeneration

renewable energy is ideal for this. It’s here that a big opportunity exists.”

“We could power all those homes with just 100 modern windmills, taking up just three per cent of the hilltop land area of the county”

In a Facebook post late last year, Dale said: “We need to get from 30 per cent renewable energy today to 100 per cent in10 years. The technology exists to do this and the economics make sense. We have to build a lot of new generation to get there and a new energy system using technology such as smart meters and battery storage, and the unique attributes of renewable energy – scaleable, decentralised and democratised.

“The most efficient place to make any energy is close to where it is used –

Gloucestershire has a little over 250,000 homes and 600,000 people, he said. “We could power all those homes with just 100 modern windmills, taking up just three per cent of the hilltop land area of the county. Those windmills could be owned by the district and county councils, harnessing the economic benefits of generating green energy – and using them to boost the local economy and support public services.

“It’s a chance to create energy industry sector and a new role for the public sector. These 100 mills could return between £8 million and £10 million per year to local authorities, net of debt repayments – that’s a big contribution to local public sector budgets.”

EDF Group buys battery storage and electric vehicle charging network

EDF Group, which employs around 2,000 people at its Barnwood base in Gloucester, has bought London-based start-up Pivot Power, specialising in battery storage and infrastructure for electric vehicle charging. This move will allow EDF, already the largest low carbon electricity producer in the UK, to become a leader in battery storage.

Pivot Power has an extensive portfolio of projects in more than 40 locations across the country. There are plans to install batteries connected directly to the highvoltage transmission system – with a total capacity of up to 2 gigawatts. The first two storage projects at Cowley in Oxford and Kemsley, Kent have land, planning and grid connection agreements in place and are expected to be commissioned this year. As part of its projects, Pivot Power will develop a private wire infrastructure to enable, among other opportunities, the development of mass rapid charging points across the UK.

Battery storage and EV rapid charging infrastructure are two significant enablers for the UK’s goals to reach net zero by 2050.

Images revealed by Gloucester City Council show how King’s Square in Gloucester could look if plans for a multi-million-pound regeneration of the area gets the go-ahead.

The computer-generated images show how the square, which has undergone a long history of failed regeneration projects, could become a focal point for visitors to the city and people who live and work in the area.

Spaces for markets, outdoor dining, a temporary stage, outdoor cinema and other leisure uses are proposed to breathe new life into the area. New feature fountains – inspired by the Severn Bore – are proposed to create a new landmark.

Plans have been submitted by Gloucester City Council to support the next stage of Gloucester’s King’s Quarter transformation, featuring proposals for new homes, office space, restaurants and shared workspace in the heart of the city. If approved, the plans will see a number of buildings in the city centre replaced with 150 homes (including homes for key workers in the city), 40,000 sq ft of office space and new shops, bars and eateries.