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UTILITY Week 19th May 2017

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UTILITY WEEK | 19TH - 25TH MAY 2017 | 5 NUCLEAR NIA says apprentice levy should be more flexible The government has been urged to allow big nuclear companies to pass on cash they receive from the government's new apprenticeship levy to their suppliers. The Nuclear Industry Association (NIA), in a new document setting out its priorities for the next government, said companies should have greater leeway over how they use the credits they receive via the levy. Under the scheme, all companies with a payroll of more than £3 million have to pay the equivalent of 0.5 per cent into the initiative. They then recoup credits, which they can use to train apprentices, but these cannot be passed on to other firms until next year when they will be able to redeploy 10 per cent. Greater flexibility over how firms use the apprenticeship levy is one of a number of recommendations by the NIA to plug the nuclear industry's skills gap. The NIA paper also expressed concerns that planned civil nuclear power projects will have to compete with other infrastructure schemes for staff. "Our manifesto for growth is about creating certainty and confidence, a fresh commitment to the Climate Change Act, a smooth and orderly transition from the EU, and a clear and ambitious clean growth plan." Nina Skorupska, chief executive, Renewable Energy Association Top 10 The UK has regained its place in the top 10 in EY's global ranking of the most attractive countries for renewables investment. See p21 Forest Green Rovers – the football club owned by Ecotricity founder Dale Vince – has been promoted to the Football League for the first time in its history. Vince came to the club's rescue in 2010, becoming its majority shareholder and chairman, saying he saw "an opportunity to take our message to a new audience". The stadium is equipped with solar panels and has an organic pitch, maintained by a solar-powered robot lawn mower. Forest Green made headlines in 2011 when Vince banned burger sales in the stadium in favour of a vegan menu. A survey of grassroots Conservative party mem- bers showed they do not view Theresa May's pledge to cap energy prices as a priority, rating it around 3 out of 10 for importance. The "dirtiest" hour of generation in the first three months of 2017 was cleaner than the typical hour half a decade ago, according to the latest Electric Insights report from Drax and Imperial College London. During the quarter's most carbon- intensive 60 minutes, 424g of CO2 were released for each kilowatt- hour generated compared with an average of 471g/kWh between 2009 and 2013. UK makes solid progress in decarbonising generation Carbon content per unit of electricity consumed in Britain 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 Current Average Range Carbon intensity (g/kWh)

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