A scorching summer, increased exports and the production of renewable energy has helped north-east ice-cream makers achieve record revenues and profits. The company produce more than 70% of the energy required for the business and renewable energy generation on its Aberdeenshire farm contributed £1.1m to turnover of the business in 2018. He added: “Over the last five years, Mackie’s has invested a further £3.9m in solar panels and a wind turbine. “We are continuing with further investments on the site to make the ice cream production more energy efficient and to help our advances to become 100% self-sufficient in renewable energy by 2020. “We’re proud that the majority of our power is now generated on site, helping us to offset more carbon that we produce.”
Energy Voice 26th Feb 2019 read more »
Europe’s 100% renewables dream needs a flexible grid concept and more storage. A European energy system powered solely by renewables is economically feasible, according to a study which suggests decentralized energy systems operating within the framework of a stronger pan-European energy trade could reduce the cost of electricity from the €69/MWh price seen four years ago to around €51 in 2050. An energy system offering the best aspects of the energy-independent ‘prosumer nations’ and pan continental ‘supergrids’ could offer Europe the prospect of an energy system powered entirely from renewables in 2050. That is the finding of a new study by Christian Breyer, professor of solar economy at Finland’s Lappeenranta University of Technology, and Claudia Kemfert, head of energy, transportation and environment at the German Institute of Economic Research (DIW). In the paper Flexible electricity generation, grid exchange and storage for the transition to a 100% renewable energy system in Europe, Breyer and Kemfert claim a smart grid approach – midway between a super-grid and completely decentralized energy systems – would be necessary to help Europe to have an energy mix based on 100% renewable energy by 2050 – an ambition outlined by Breyer in a pv magazine interview.
PV Magazine 25th Feb 2019 read more »
