Having delayed for years, the UK government is finally set to implement a financial incentive scheme for solar energy. Under the proposal, which is due to become law in the first quarter of 2010, electricity produced from solar energy will receive a guaranteed price per unit. This guaranteed price, called a feed-in tariff, aims to remove the uncertainty around price that has hampered growth in the industry for many years. By taking this step, Britain is finally following the example of other major European economies like Germany, France and Italy. At a solar energy conference in London later this year, UK and international experts will talk about the prospects of the solar PV industry in the UK. The conference, scheduled for 22 June 2010, will act as a platform, with networking opportunities for UK and international business executives. Major stakeholders, from regulators to industry experts and financiers, will be discussing their expectations.

While other European solar energy markets have been thriving in the last five years, the UK market for solar electricity (also known as photovoltaics, or simply PV) has remained small and is still in its infancy. But all this is about to change. The new feed-in tariffs are scheduled to come into effect by 1 April 2010. The photovoltaic industry expects growth to kick in quickly after that date. More than 50 solar companies around the UK are eagerly waiting for the law to be finally passed in the House of Commons in April 2010. "Other countries in Europe have shown how quickly clear framework conditions can translate into growth. We are now ready for growth in the UK as well, and hope that other stakeholders like the financial institutions will also see the opportunity," says Joachim Gerhard, a London-based solar energy consultant.

On Monday 18 January 2010, the Government is launching the second phase of its Carbon Offsetting Facility (GCOF II) which will offset emissions resulting from Government air travel and potentially other emissions created by public sector organisations. It will cover emissions generated in the period April 2009 to March 2012. There is the possibility of extending it to March 2013. The Government recognises a hierarchy of actions to combat the effects of climate change. The public, businesses and the public sector are all urged to take action on their carbon footprint by calculating emissions, avoiding emissions, reducing emissions and then, lastly, to consider offsetting. Offsetting mitigates the impact of emissions that cannot currently be avoided or reduced by leading to emissions reductions elsewhere in the world. GCOF II will facilitate the purchase by Government Departments and other public sector organisations of Gold Standard or equivalent Certified Emissions Reduction (CER) credits under the United Nations' Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). All purchases will be quality assured under the Government's Quality Assurance Scheme (QAS) on carbon offsetting, operated by AEA Group plc.

* New ‘Round 3' rights granted in 9 UK coastal zones
* Potential for 6,400 additional turbines generating 32GW far exceeds previous plans
* £75 billion offshore wind industry could support up to 70,000 clean energy jobs by 2020
* These are high value jobs in manufacturing, research and engineering, installation, operation and services

The UK's long term energy and climate security was strengthened substantially today as The Crown Estate, owner of the UK's coastal seabeds, granted rights to energy companies to develop the biggest expansion of wind energy ever seen in the world. The announcement has the potential to see an additional 32GW of clean electricity feeding into the UK grid, on top of 8GW from previous rounds. 32GW is enough offshore wind energy to supply nearly all the homes in the UK and will mean an extra 6,400 turbines. Investment in UK offshore wind overall could be worth £75 billion and support up to 70,000 jobs by 2020. The next generation of offshore wind farms that will be developed under the licenses announced today will require larger and more efficient turbines, capable of generating 5MW of power. It was hailed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Energy and Climate Secretary Ed Miliband, who met The Crown Estate in London today.

The recession will not deflect the Government's efforts to cut carbon emissions and move to a low carbon economy, Energy and Climate Change Minister Ed Miliband said today. Speaking as the Government formally responded to the Committee on Climate Change's first annual report on carbon budgets under the Climate Change Act, Mr Miliband said Britain stood to gain not only from a green jobs revolution, but from measures to help people cut the amount of energy they use. The UK is on course to over-achieve on its carbon budgets - the emissions equivalent of fiscal budgets - with an estimated 36% cut on 1990 levels projected by 2020. Government will not rely on the reduction in emissions brought about by the economic downturn to meet its climate targets. To reinforce this, any over-achievement in the first carbon budget due to the recession will not be carried forward to allow for higher emissions in the future.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said: "The recession will not deflect the Government's efforts to cut emissions and move to a low carbon economy. We will not let up on the fight against climate change, instead we must redouble our efforts at home and internationally so the UK emerges from the global downturn building on the opportunities and benefits a low carbon future will bring."

10:10 is the citizen-led campaign to cut the UK's carbon emissions by ten per cent in 2010. Sign up to do your bit - if you keep this particular new year's resolution, you'll also find that you save money. This coming year, 10:10 is asking individuals, schools, hospitals and workplaces to cut the UK's carbon emissions by ten per cent. More than 51,000 individuals and several thousand businesses and organisations have already signed up. These include:

* city councils: Liverpool, Manchester, London and others
* more than 1200 schools and colleges
* businesses: among them Logica, O2, TMobile, Time Out Group, Walker Books
* Royal Mail, the Cabinet Office, boroughs and district councils

Cut your carbon footprint in 2010.