Encouragement for low carbon firms - Yahoo! News UK

A bid to combat climate change by developing new low carbon business ventures has been launched.
The Carbon Trust has announced the creation of a commercial subsidiary, Carbon Trust Enterprises, to accelerate the transition to a low carbon economy.
The first new commercial business developed by Carbon Trust enterprises is Connective Energy, a three-way joint venture with Mitsui Babcock Energy Limited and Triodos Renewables, which aims to become a leading supplier of low carbon heat solutions.
The Carbon Trust's analysis shows that about 45% of the UK's industrial primary energy consumption is currently wasted as heat released into the environment.
The amount of wasted heat that could be re-used is equivalent to the heating needs of Greater Manchester and represents a core market potential of up to £1 billion a year in the UK alone, plus an annual carbon saving potential of 7.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Connective Energy will capture this wasted heat at source and transfer it in the form of steam or hot water to other industrial or public sector consumers in the same area, providing a stable, low cost heat supply. The joint venture will identify, develop, finance and operate the pipeline infrastructure required to capture and transfer the heat.
Mitsui Babcock, recognised globally for its advanced steam generating technology, will provide the technical knowledge and expertise to the venture, whilst Triodos Renewables brings the financial expertise of Europe's leading ethical bank.
One of Connective Energy's prospective first customers is Wienerberger Ltd, a brick manufacturer with factories throughout the UK.
Connective Energy would supply waste heat from a nearby small station to the dryer chambers at one of Wienerberger's factories in Warnham, West Sussex.
Stephanie Vissiere, Wienerberger's Energy Manager said: "We are delighted to be working with Connective Energy to make good use of reclaimed waste heat. Wienerberger takes the impact that its business has on the environment seriously and this project could lead to carbon savings of nearly 7,000 CO2e tonnes annually, as well as generating revenue through energy savings for our company."