The Horizon Energy Cooperative Microgrid is an innovative project to deliver renewable energy from social housing in the UK. The Horizon Microgrid will develop a Virtual Power Plant from renewable energy sources across Greater Manchester and sell the energy to the National Grid. Revenues will be used to fight fuel poverty, stimulate training and jobs and assist the delivery of the Greater Manchester Low Carbon Economic Area.

Horizon Microgrid plans in the Financial Times 27 May 2010

Posted Sat, 29/05/2010 - 12:38 by Andrew Melchior

Microgeneration: Communities target means of production
By Andrew Bounds
Published: May 26 2010 17:20 | Last updated: May 26 2010 17:20
Across the north-west, a radical idea is taking hold: for people to own the means of energy production. The vehicle for doing this, the co-operative, may be hundreds of years old, but proponents argue it is ideal for a new age of localised power generation.

China and beyond

Posted Mon, 17/05/2010 - 13:45 by Andrew Melchior

Having just returned from the a UK Trade and Investment sponsored market visit to Shanghai and Beijing you can rest assured I am not resting on laurels.

The visit proved to be more than fruitful in conjoining the aspirations of the HEC and its vision of distributed generation across the Greater Manchester area and building partnerships with other city regions as well as technical delivery and system designers for smartgrid technologies.

EICP at Shanghai EXPO 2010 'Better City, Better Life

Posted Sun, 09/05/2010 - 23:45 by Andrew Melchior

The EIC Partnership have joined the UKTI Trade Delegation to Shanghai EXPO 2010 and Beijing to discuss the development of the Greater Manchester Smartgrid Project.

The trip is being supported by UKTI Northwest and will include extensive meetings with smartgrid technology companies, grid energy suppliers and regional representives to develop an international dialogue about the delivery of similar projects in China with the assistance of the China Energy Council.

Energy Market Visit to China

Posted Sun, 09/05/2010 - 23:31 by Andrew Melchior

The EIC Parternship have graciously been invited to Shanghai Expo 2010 and Beijing. EICP will be in conversation with the media, suppliers and state officials concerning the work currently being undertaken developing the Social Housing microgrid in Manchester.

You can follow updates on www.horizonmicrogrid.com as the @ energysmart Twitter account is blocked by the Great Firewall of China.

Andrew Melchior

The Chinese Renewable Energy Law

Posted Mon, 26/04/2010 - 10:29 by Andrew Melchior

Some insight into the work for renewables in China.

The Chinese Renewable Energy Law

The breathtaking growth of the Chinese wind energy industry has been driven primarily by national renewable energy policies. The start of the government’s active engagement in renewable energy development dates back to 2004, when the nation was drafting its first “Renewable Energy Law”. The law was adopted in 2005 and entered into force in 2006.

Vote 2010: policy guide - energy

Posted Tue, 06/04/2010 - 20:14 by Andrew Melchior

The country's energy security is an issue the winning party have have to address after the general election, as is the requirement to decarbonise the economy, as Julian Rush writes.

Say energy to most people - and most politicians - and they'll talk to you about electricity. In fact, electricity generation, using gas, coal, nuclear and renewables, accounts for only a third of Britain's energy use, with another third taken by heating homes and offices and by industrial processes, mainly using gas, and another third by transport, almost exclusively from oil.

Investing in a microgrid?

Posted Mon, 22/03/2010 - 10:56 by Andrew Melchior

HEC are currently working with a number of finance models and discussing options with asset and fund managers to generate the upfront investment package to deliver the ambitious targets of the proposed microgrid.

Our current work is delivering some interesting highlights:

Renewable energy is one of the few remaining active areas of project finance

• Loans are already being offered on our co-operative's shared and limited liabiltity basis

• The market for UK renewable energy sector is now opening up, given the need to attract international banks to increase lending capacity

Why a Smart Grid?

Posted Mon, 15/02/2010 - 17:10 by Andrew Melchior

Specifically, a smart grid will:

* Reduce peak demand by actively managing consumer demand: The percentage of available appliances and equipment that can respond to both consumer and utility operator priorities continues to grow. The ability to manage power requirements in both directions—to the utility as well as from the utility—will reduce the need for power, especially during high-use periods like hot summer afternoons when the cost of producing and delivering power is extremely high.

NWDA confirms Greater Manchester ERDF bid success

Posted Thu, 11/02/2010 - 08:23 by Andrew Melchior

The Northwest Development Agency have confirmed that the Greater Manchester bid, which includes the Horizon Microgrid submission, has been approved to progress to the final stage of the current bid round. This means that we are going into the proof of concept stage, which is great news. And also means some burning of the midnight oil. Or should I say solar powered, hand wound torch....

Why the Microgrid Could Be the Answer to Our Energy Crisis

Posted Sat, 06/02/2010 - 20:07 by Andrew Melchior

Great article from Fast Company on Microgrids from 09.

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