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UTILITY WEEK | 20TH - 26TH MARCH 2015 | 5 WATER WATER This week, renewable energy firm TLS Hydro Power united with Triodos Bank to launch a £2.5 million bond issue. The issue will offer investors a basic gross interest of 7 per cent fixed per year for five years, and a further 0.25 per cent for energy customers of the group's retail arm, LoCO2 Energy. The minimum individual subscription is £1,000, but LoCO2 energy customers are able to invest a minimum of £500. The money raised will fund new hydro power projects including a 1MW scheme in Scotland, planned to begin construction in autumn this year. One utility specialist on Bristol Water CMA inquiry Ofwat names market opening director Only one member of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) panel investigating Bristol Water's final determination is a specialist in the utility sector. The CMA announced at the end of last week that Robin Aaronson is the only person on the four-strong panel to come from the CMA's specialist utility group. He will serve under the chairmanship of former Oftel deputy director general Anne Lambert, alongside Katherine Holmes and Stephen Oram. Aaronson was appointed to the CMA's predecessor body – the Competition Commission – in 2009 and is an economist specialising in competition policy. Chair of the panel Lambert has 30 years' experience in the civil service and between 2003 and 2008 was the UK's deputy permanent representative to the EU. The panel will determine the appeal, referred to it by Ofwat, and if it deems necessary set a new price control for Bristol Water by 3 September. Ofwat has named Adam Cooper as the new director for market opening following the second major overhaul of its plans, Utility Week can exclusively reveal. A spokesman for the regulator told Utility Week last Friday that Cooper had already taken up the role. He was appointed after the board of Scottish water regulator Wics vetoed plans for it to oversee the programme, under Alan Sutherland's leadership. Cooper will report directly to Ofwat chief executive Cathryn Ross. He has worked as an economist at Ofgem, the Bank of England, and the Australian Treasury. He has also worked for Merrill Lynch, Shell and Centrica, and has experience in energy market opening with involvement in policy, regulatory and commercial activities. 317,000 Number of households that switched energy supplier in February, according to Energy UK "Protecting the environment is in the Lib Dems' DNA" Energy secretary Ed Davey on his party adopting the five green laws into its manifesto "The next government must stand up to the fuzzy-headed ideological fringes" Energy and Climate Change committee chair Tim Yeo on the importance of a stable, evidence-based energy policy SEVERN TRENT WATER'S PLANS FOR INCREASING USE OF RENEWABLES Severn Trent Water uses around 900,000MWh of electricity a year. Renewables currently meets around 28 per cent of Severn Trent Water's needs – it is investing £190m to meet half of its own demand by 2020. Where STW's electricity is sourced Renewable sources Open market What STW uses electricity for Pumping and sewage treatment Water pumping and treatment Buildings 2020 2015 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120% 2% 45% 53%