Brigstock pupils call on government for solar panels at school
"Young people right across the country care about these issues," he said. "Also, they are pointing out something really important, which is that we have this free resource of the sun and we should use it. "That is why putting solar panels on schools and elsewhere is big project for Great British Energy."In March, the government announced hundreds of schools and hospitals would receive £180m for solar panels from the new state-owned energy company.
Brigstock Latham's said it was "so proud of our eco-activists" and explained the children had heard about funding for other schools to get solar panels and "they felt it was unfair that we didn't get any funding".The school, in the village of Brigstock, which has about 15 children in each of its year groups, said solar panels would help it to become more sustainable and save money.It said its pupils were "courageous advocates for green energy and wanting to look after our planet".
Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Telegraph
Network Rail cuts maintenance spending after net zero increases electricity costs
Network Rail has slashed its maintenance budgets after the Government's net zero targets pushed up electricity prices. Sir Andrew Haines, the chief executive of Network Rail, said rising electricity prices had forced the organisation, which looks after train tracks and stations, to 'focus more on refurbishment than renewal' in the coming years. He said the change in focus meant more money had to be spent buying power for trains instead of replacing worn-out railway infrastructure. A rail trade body chief described this as a 'consequence of Britain's broken energy policy'. Writing in Network Rail's annual financial accounts, published this week, Sir Andrew said: 'We've seen our spend on traction power rise by 40 per cent, squeezing what we have left further. 'Our Control Period 7 plans reflected that, setting out that we are expecting to focus more on refurbishment than renewals, but with a continued focus on safety and performance.' Control Period 7 is the name for Network Rail's £43.1bn operations and maintenance budget over the next four years. It covers everything from electricity for trains to buying new rails and revamping stations. It comes as the country struggles with soaring electricity prices caused by net zero policies. Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, has previously claimed bills are rising because of the price of gas used in some power stations. Others point to the number of wind and solar farms being built, with Government officials guaranteeing to developers that high prices will be paid for the electricity those sites generate. Steven Mulholland, the chief executive of the Rail Plant Association, which represents railway maintenance vehicle companies, condemned the shrinking maintenance budget. He said: 'Network Rail's decision to cut back renewals and rely on patch-up repairs is a direct consequence of Britain's broken energy policy. 'Track renewal isn't optional. It underpins safety, reliability and growth. If the Government allows short-term costs to dictate strategy, it risks dismantling the supply chain we'll need to rebuild later at far greater cost.' Freight firms fading In July, The Telegraph revealed an electric freight train company was on the brink of collapse, partly because of high power prices. Varamis Rail has suspended all operations and stopped paying its staff after finding it too difficult to compete against road freight, although it hopes to restart in mid-September. Among the high costs it has faced are those for traction electricity used to power its trains, which, according to Telegraph analysis of Network Rail figures, doubled in price between 2020 and 2024. Other rail freight companies have invested in ' bi-mode ' locomotives, which can run on either electricity from the overhead lines or an onboard diesel engine. Operators of such engines, including GB Railfreight, which is currently introducing its bi-mode Class 99 locomotives into service, can therefore run them on whichever propulsion method is the cheapest, depending on diesel and electricity prices. A Network Rail spokesman said power costs had increased by 50 per cent between the 2022-23 financial year and now. He said: 'Although utility costs represent a larger share of our spending in this control period compared with the previous five years, they still represent a relatively small portion of our overall expenditure. 'It is true to say that wider inflationary pressures are having an impact, however. While a third of our income comes from Track Access Charges, which are subject to inflation, the remainder is fixed for the control period and the increase in costs from our supply chain and across the board over the past year means there is increased pressure on funding and therefore the amount of work we can deliver.'
Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Telegraph
One of Britain's last refineries runs out of oil
One of Britain's last five major oil refineries is expected to halt operations on Friday after running out of crude oil supplies. The Lindsey oil refinery, previously run by the Prax group, will be wound down imminently after the collapse of its parent company. It has been in the hands of the Insolvency Service since the end of June and officials have been unable to find a buyer willing to take the whole site on. Around 400 workers have been told they will remain employed until October 31. It is understood that staff who stay until that date have been promised a retention bonus, as they are needed to safely shut down the equipment. After October, workers have been told that some will also be needed to remain for a further year to carry out decommissioning. The end of refining at Lindsey, where roughly 10pc of the UK's fuel was produced before the recent crisis, has prompted warnings that Britain will be left more dependent on foreign imports. Another refinery in Grangemouth, Scotland, closed earlier this year – with the remaining facility now only being used as an import terminal. Earlier this week political leaders in Lincolnshire including Reform UK's Dame Andrea Jenkyns, the Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, called for an urgent meeting with Ed Miliband on future options for the refinery. They claimed Lindsey's closure, together with Grangemouth, would result in the loss of 25pc of the UK's refining capacity within a few months. According to local media, Dame Andrea said: 'The refinery is not just a local employer – it is a national asset. 'Its closure would be a devastating blow to our communities and a reckless step backwards for the UK's energy resilience. 'We need urgent action from the Government to protect this vital infrastructure.' The Government has dismissed the refinery's importance to national fuel supplies, arguing it is the smallest of the country's remaining facilities. On Friday, a spokesman for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero insisted UK fuel supplies were resilient. However, it is understood that the Official Receiver will continue selling Lindsey's refined output for several more – allowing petrol stations and other buyers more time to adjust. Michael Shanks, the energy minister, said: 'We are deeply disappointed with the untenable position in which the owners left Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery. 'As a result, after a thorough process to determine whether a sale was possible, no credible offers have been made to purchase the entire refinery and it will be winding down operations, while the Official Receiver continues to pursue interest in individual assets. 'Our sympathies are with the workers, their families and the local community. 'While we continue to strongly encourage the owners to do the decent thing and publicly commit to making a voluntary financial contribution to support workers, all those directly employed at the refinery are guaranteed jobs over the coming months.' Unpaid tax bill worth £250m The refinery, which employs more than 400 people, was previously part of the wider Prax Group, which includes some 200 petrol stations and oil and gas operations west of the Shetland Islands. It supplied more than one tenth of the country's fuel supplies – including petrol, diesel, fuel oil, kerosene, aviation fuel and bitumen. Prax, which is owned by the businessman Sanjeev Kumar Soosaipillai, purchased the facility from French oil giant Total in 2021. However, the company had been experiencing cash-flow problems for more than a year, partly due to an unpaid tax bill thought to be worth £250m. Mr Soosaipillai had been in talks with the Government since April about its situation, but Whitehall sources said he was unable to answer basic questions about Prax's finances. Despite this, Prax is understood to have repeatedly assured officials that the refinery was not under immediate threat. But that position suddenly changed when bosses revealed they were rushing to declare insolvency at the end of June, a move that blindsided ministers. Mr Miliband has since ordered an investigation into the circumstances behind Prax's collapse. Meanwhile, Mr Soosaipillai is facing legal action from administrators who are now in de facto control of the remaining Prax group, excluding the refinery. According to refinery and Whitehall sources, his whereabouts are currently unknown and the Telegraph has been unable to contact him.
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Heathrow's £49 billion third runway battle is back on
A planning row was set to take off today as Heathrow unveiled its designs for a third runway. Britain's biggest airport believes the project, including terminals and infrastructure, can be built within a decade at a cost of around £49 billion. If passed, it will allow flights to 30 new destinations, add 0.43 per cent to the UK's GDP and carry 66 million more passengers per year, Heathrow says. But it is set to face a battle, with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (pictured), who is strongly opposed to a third runway on noise and environmental grounds, suggesting he could launch a legal challenge. The extension would involve diverting a section of the M25 through a tunnel running underneath the new runway and will mean a major redesign of the airport. The submission of the plans comes ahead of the Government formally approving proposals for a second runway at Gatwick in the next few weeks. It marks the largest expansion of Britain's airports for half a century, as Labour attempts to revive Britain's sluggish economy with infrastructure projects . But it will also reignite a major row within the party and highlight sharp divides between those who want growth and those concerned about the environment. While a majority of MPs are likely to back the project if it goes to a vote, Sir Keir Starmer and many of his Cabinet ministers have previously voted against Heathrow expansion. Earlier this year, Ed Miliband (pictured), the Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero, had to issue a statement saying he wouldn't quit over the third runway given his previous opposition to the plans. Political rows and legal challenges over pollution have repeatedly held up plans for a Heathrow expansion, which were first raised more than two decades ago. The plans will be reviewed by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander before a consultation on the airport's national policy statement. Should permission be granted for a new runway, a full planning application can then be submitted in 2028. The new runway would mean 276,000 new flights annually and 68million more passengers. It would cost £21billion, with the rest of the planned budget paying for a redesign of the airport. The total number of flights would increase to 756,000 a year, carrying 150million passengers. Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye said: 'It has never been more important or urgent to expand Heathrow. We are effectively operating at capacity to the detriment of trade and connectivity.' The expansion will be financed by private investment, but airlines have expressed concern that the airport will hike its passenger charges to pay for the project. Business groups welcomed the plans, saying they were 'an investment in the nation's future'. A joint statement from the Confederation of British Industry, British Chambers of Commerce, MakeUK, Federation of Small Businesses and Institute of Directors said: 'The benefits are clear: for exporters, it opens up vital access to major and emerging markets; for visitors, it enhances global and domestic connectivity; and for businesses, it unlocks billions in private investment, strengthening supply chains, creating jobs, and driving skills across the country.' But green campaigners continue to oppose the expansion, arguing that it is bad for the environment due to noise and air pollution. Dr Douglas Parr, policy director for Greenpeace UK, said: 'The Government has decided yet again to prioritise more leisure opportunities for a comparatively small group of frequent fliers, while the rest of us have to live with the consequences of their disproportionate polluting.' Richard Holden, Shadow Transport Secretary, welcomed the announcement but said it was vital it got the expansion right. 'The Government's role is now to ensure the process delivers real benefits for Britain, for passengers, protects taxpayers, and guarantees proper local consultation,' he said.
