Demand response firm KiWi Power has recruited hotel giant Marriott to take part in a key smart grid trial taking place across London this summer. Temporary drops, sustained Marriott: from Miami to London Part of network distributor UK Power Networks’ £23.8 million Low Carbon London project, the trials will see several London businesses paid to sustain temporary drops or cuts in their power supply... 

British Gas is to end the process of automatically rolling-over contracts for its business customers, in a move that could signal the beginning of the end for the controversial tariff structure. Sales of automatic roll-over contracts will cease from the beginning of September, while the company will start a new process for renewing the contracts of existing customers from June 2014 – making it the... 

The UK government has launched its proposals for a new energy efficiency scheme targeting businesses, requiring all large enterprises to carry out comprehensive energy audits to identify cost-effective energy saving opportunities. Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme Launched as a part of the UK’s implementation of the EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive, the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)... 

Ealing Council is hoping to chop 29% off its energy bill following a series of upgrades to three of its buildings. Ealing’s Town Hall is a distinctive late-Victorian gothic building on Ealing Broadway Ealing Town Hall, Perceval House and Greenford Hall – all owned by the council – are undergoing a major energy overhaul as part of an energy performance contract (EnPC) between Ealing Council... 

Six west London councils could potentially cut their energy demand by up to a quarter, according to research carried out by “built environment” scientists at the Building Research Establishment (BRE). The report, commissioned by the six-strong group of councils in the West London Alliance (WLA), highlighted key energy saving opportunities in the west London boroughs of Barnet, Brent, Ealing,... 

Energy supplier npower has predicted that energy bills will rise by 19% to 2020 – and that the government’s energy efficiency policies must shoulder its burden of the blame. The report, entitled Energy Explained, has sought to dispel the widely held view that energy suppliers are using energy price rises to make record profits at the expense of UK homes and businesses. “A recent npower survey... 

BT has committed to reducing the carbon emissions at both ends of its value chain, as part of an ambitious new carbon impact methodology. The “3:1” initiative will see the company commit to reducing the carbon impact of its customers’ use of BT services by three times that of its own internal operations, while also working to reduce the carbon emissions of its supply chain. Bearing responsibility The... 

UK county councils and city councils could save £500 million a year with an energy performance contract (EnPC), according to energy services company Anesco. Adrian Pike, CEO of Anesco, said an EnPC, also known as the  ‘ESCO model’, could reduce councils’ energy expenditures by around a third each year, potentially rising to up to 50% in certain areas, and generating annual savings running... 

Selection of the correct support system and the right provider are key Over the past six years, since leaving the nine to five – well, eight to seven – business world and working for myself, I have written a number of articles and run many sessions about how to plan and manage a route to a low carbon future. I have an understanding of everything from climate change policies to legislation,... 

The role of the energy manager is emerging as a stalwart in the company organisational chart. But, with only 5% of existing energy managers holding formal energy qualifications, selecting the right person for the job is famously difficult. Energy Demand investigates. Rising energy prices, a stagnant economy, energy taxes and regulation and increased awareness of sustainability issues: after decades...