E.ON UK Press Releases

E.ON volunteers give up work for the day to join in National Cares Day in Nottinghamshire

DeannaMooney — Fri, 09 May 2008 08:57:00 GMT

More than 60 eager E.ON employees will be leaving the office for the day and getting back to nature to take part in the first National Cares Day on the 16^th of May.

Organised by Cares, an initiative of Business in the Community, the day will help hundreds of schools and community organisations in some of the most deprived areas of the UK.

Two teams of E.ON volunteers will be heading out in Nottinghamshire to help make a difference.

The first group of 50 staff from E.ON's Energy Services Finance team will be helping out at Balloon Woods in Wollaton Vale to clear an unused area of woods to make way for an outdoor forest school.

The second group will be going to St Augustine's Catholic Primary School in St Anns to paint an under-the-sea mural to help brighten up the school's playground.

Jane Branscombe, Community Relations Manager at E.ON, said: "We've been working with Nottinghamshire Cares for a number of years and are delighted to support them in making a real difference in the community on National Cares Day.

"It's also great to see the employees get out into their local communities and do something that is a change from their usual jobs."

Jackie Fuller, from Nottinghamshire Cares, said: "This is a fantastic day to be part of, over 3,000 volunteers will be active across the UK, and, in Nottinghamshire, we'll be making a huge difference to environmentally themed projects where community groups just do not have the manpower to do it themselves.

"Over 10 companies are sending employees to come together for one day and make a real difference to the community they live and work in."

E.ON finds and supports volunteering opportunities which provide a rewarding challenge for employees as part of its wider community relations programme. In 2007, staff spent 11,445 hours volunteering on projects in their local communities.

Ends

Notes to editors:

In 2007, 3,269 E.ON UK employees (representing nearly one in five employees) took part in at least one energy in the community volunteering programme, raising a total of £476,368 for good causes and volunteering a total of 45,866 hours;
E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. We employ around 17,000 people in the UK.

Business in the Community

Business in the Community is a unique movement of over 800 member companies, with a further 2,000 plus engaged through its programmes and campaigns.
It operates through a local network of more than 100 business led partnerships and 60 global partners. Members of Business in the Community commit to action and to the continual improvement of their company's impact on society.
Cares is Business in the Community's national campaign to engage employees in their communities through volunteering. More than 400 companies support city-based and regional Cares partnerships in 32 locations across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Cares acts as a broker and advisory service between companies seeking to contribute time and resources and the voluntary/community sector seeking help.

For further information contact:

Deanna Mooney on 024 7618 3678

Nottinghamshire Cares - Jackie Fuller on 0115 924 7407

E.ON staff in Kingswinford join together to help out children at local special needs centre

DeannaMooney — Wed, 07 May 2008 08:58:00 GMT

A group of seven staff from E.ON's Energy Services Kingswinford office have donated nearly £140 worth of capital bonds vouchers to the Phoenix Centre, a local charity centre for children with special needs.

The team decided that the vouchers, which they won as a part of a safety scheme, could be put to better use by the centre to buy equipment for the children.

Mark Cullen, one of the staff involved, said: "I asked around the team to see who'd be interested in donating their vouchers, and it turned out a lot of people were.

"It's great to know that they will be going to such good use to help buy things for the children."

The Phoenix Centre, which is an independent local charity based in Wordsley, aims to help children between the ages of two and four who have developmental problems.

Jo Wells, the Centre Manager, said: "We're delighted to receive this donation from E.ON staff as we rely entirely on donations from the local community to provide resources for the children.

"We hold four sessions each day for up to six children, and our voluntary helpers ensure that all children are given individual attention and encouragement within a very happy environment.

"The vouchers mean that we'll be able to buy some new art materials for the children to use, which is something they all love getting involved in."

Ends

Notes to editors:

E.ON is one of the UK's largest integrated power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and Gas Company. We employ around 17,000 people in the UK;
Energy Services is a division of E.ON UK and brings together new connections, metering and home energy services. It connects homes and businesses to power and gas, fits energy efficiency measures and boilers and provides all types of metering services.

For more information contact:

Deanna Mooney on 024 7618 3678

Devon eco-centre gets a funding boost from E.ON for bio fuel energy project

DeannaMooney — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:42:00 GMT

Energy company E.ON has given a £30,000 grant under its new SOURCE community initiative towards the cost of installing a renewable energy woodchip boiler at the Slapton Ley Field Centre in Kingsbridge, Devon.

The field centre attracts thousands of visitors each year who enjoy a range of educational and environmental opportunities, from guided walks to week-long residential courses, and also manages the Slapton Ley Nature Reserve in partnership with the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust.

The cash will be used to help pay for the design and installation of a 100kW woodchip boiler.

Tony Jenkin Jones, Community Relations Executive with E.ON, said: "We're delighted to be able to contribute towards this exciting project for The Slapton Ley Field Centre as part of our new SOURCE scheme, which is designed to help community groups get their sustainable energy projects off the ground.

"They're looking to replace their existing oil boiler with woodchip technology in order to reduce their carbon emissions, to minimise their impact on the environment, and to make significant cost savings."

The project will provide a demonstration of how alternative energy can be used as an integral part of residential accommodation through educational visits and public open days.

The automated woodchip boiler will provide both heating and hot water for four existing buildings on the centre grounds, including classrooms and accommodation facilities.

It is expected that the woodchip boiler system will save the emission of up to 53 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, as well as helping to support the development of the woodchip industry in South Devon.

Andrew Pratt, Head of the Slapton Ley Field Centre, said: "The funding we've been given by E.ON means we'll be able to immediately reduce our personal carbon footprint enormously, as well as support the local economy and encourage sustainable woodland management.

"The woodchip boiler system will provide a valuable hands-on educational resource for students of all ages, as well as proving that an environmentally friendly lifestyle is within reach for us all."

E.ON, one of the UK's leading green electricity generators, launched its SOURCE fund in 2007 to help with the costs of sustainable energy projects for community buildings.

The fund is backed up by the SOURCE website, which provides information and advice for community groups seeking to become more energy efficient or generate their own energy from sustainable sources.

The website, which contains full details of how to apply for a grant, can be accessed at www.eon-uk.com/source.

The next deadline for applications for funding is Friday 3^rd October, 2008.

Ends

Notes to editors:

The SOURCE fund is available until the end of 2008 and the closing date for applications is Friday 3 October, 2008;
E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. We employ around 17,000 people in the UK;
E.ON is the new name for Powergen. Our retail business is a leading energy supplier in the UK, with around 8 million electricity and gas customer accounts, covering domestic, SME and industrial. E.ON offers central heating and boiler care through its Home Energy Services business;
We're one of the leading green generators in the UK, with 21 wind farms located from Cornwall to Northern Ireland. We also burn biomass material mixed with coal in two of our power stations and have recently opened the UK's largest dedicated biomass power station at Lockerbie. Combined, our renewable portfolio generates enough green energy to power the homes in a city the size of Manchester;
We plan to spend £1bn on new renewables in the next five years, including new onshore and offshore wind, new biomass and wave and tidal power;
Our target is to cut the carbon released by each kW of electricity we generate by 10% between 2005-2012, having already reduced it by 20% since 1990;
We have 1,300MW of renewable capacity under development;
We invested £53 million in energy efficiency in 2006. These measures included loft and cavity wall insulation, installation of energy efficient boilers and smart metering, a technology we are investing a further £12 million in over the next two years.

For further information contact:

Deanna Mooney on 024 7618 3678

A selection of E.ON UK images is available free of charge to the media by registering at www.newscast.co.uk

E.ON employees get running to support Knowle Fun Run

DeannaMooney — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:46:00 GMT

A group of 75 eager E.ON employees will be taking part in the 25^th annual Knowle Fun Run on Sunday 11^th May to raise money for local Solihull charities.

The five mile fun run has been organised by the Knowle and Dorridge Lions, and, this year, 1,900 entrants are expected to take part in the main run, as well as 300 children in the 400 yard mini fun run.

Bob Taylor, Managing Director of Generation at E.ON, said: "I regularly run in this event and it's always a fun day.

"I've encouraged as many E.ON staff to take part as possible and will be personally donating £5 to charity for each colleague that joins our team."

Dave Carter, the fun run organiser, said: "This year's fun run is already sold out and we're delighted to have a large contingent of E.ON runners joining us.

"Everyone that participates this year will receive a specially minted 25^th Knowle Fun Run medal, as well as a certificate of achievement.

"Last year we had just over 1,500 people join us and we managed to raise over £37,000 for local charities, and this year we're hoping to raise even more for Acorns Children's Hospice, Jennifer Trust, Meningitis Trust, as well as other local charities.

"We're inviting everyone to come along to cheer on the runners and support Knowles' biggest community event, as the day is not about winning, but raising money for good causes."

The event will be taking place on Sunday 11^th May from 11am, and further details can be obtained from the official website,

www.KnowleFunRun.org.uk.

Ends

Notes to editors:

In 2007, E.ON UK donated almost £180,000 through matched funding to the charities supported by 1,169 employees;
In 2007, 3,269 E.ON UK employees (representing nearly one in five employees) took part in at least one energy in the community volunteering programme, raising a total of £476,368 for good causes and volunteering a total of 45,866 hours;
E.ON is one of the UK's largest integrated power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and Gas Company. We employ around 17,000 people in the UK.

For further information contact:

Deanna Mooney on 024 7618 3678

Career connections: E.ON welcomes Women Engineers of the future

AndrewBarrow — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:47:00 GMT

More than 100 budding young women engineers from across the Midlands have been making a connection with a possible future career, taking part in E.ON UK's first ever Women Into Engineering education programme.

A group of 130 students aged between 14 and 16 took part in the project, spending a day either at Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station or the Learning and Skills Centre at Tipton, taking part in activities lead by women engineers already working at E.ON, the UK's largest integrated power and gas company.

The main aim is to attract more women into what has traditionally been seen as a male-dominated industry.

Workshops included sessions with overhead linespersons, cable jointers and fitters with an opportunity to take part in exercises to simulate real-life working situations, including scaling electricity poles.

Among the engineers from E.ON helping out and talking about their experiences was electrical engineer Alice Delahunty who earlier this year scooped the top accolade at the prestigious Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards.

Alice, 26, said: "Engineering has traditionally been seen as a male-orientated profession but with this scheme we're aiming to change all that.

"It was amazing to see how keen these girls were. It's not so long ago now that I was at the beginning of my career and I hope they go on to find it as rewarding as I have."

The sessions were organised by Gemma Taylor, a mechanical design engineer at Central Networks who is herself an E.ON graduate trainee.

She said: "The days were a great success, with more than 100 girls having experienced what life working on the network can be like.

"It was designed to give local girls the chance to try out life as a craftsperson, and experience what it is like to work on the electricity network."

Pupils from King Charles 1 High School in Kidderminster took part. Eileen Stead, the school's Business & Enterprise Project Manager, said: "Students were given information about overhead and underground repair work and enjoyed pole climbing and simulated electrical activities.

"They were inspired to see the opportunities and training available to them within engineering.

"The students had a brilliant day and are definitely considering a career in engineering and were impressed with the opportunities at E.ON."

E.ON already runs the Young Apprenticeship Programme, a two-year course that takes place during the final two years of students' GCSEs, with the successful candidates spending a total of 50 days at E.ON with professional engineers to gain practical experience.

Ends

Notes to editors:

E.ON is the UK's largest integrated power and gas company - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. We employ around 15,000 people in the UK;
E.ON has developed two programmes to support the teaching of energy topics in schools. The Energy Experience comprises printed and interactive web-based teaching materials, with links at key stages 1-4 to the science and geography curricula. A second initiative, plugin2engineering, has been designed to assist with the teaching of electricity at key stages 3 and 4 by helping students to see how their classroom learning has applications in the real world.

For more information and to request pictures contact:

Andrew Barrow on 024 7618 3677

E.ON to hold public exhibitions to inform local people about proposed wind farm off the Yorkshire coast

JameeMajid — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:39:00 GMT

Energy company E.ON is holding a second series of public exhibitions to give local people a chance to find about more about its proposed £700m offshore wind farm off Spurn head.

If approved, the 300MW Humber Gateway Offshore Wind Farm, which would consist of up to 83 turbines, would generate enough clean, renewable energy to power up to 195,000 homes. The project will also see the construction of a 30km underground cable which will connect the wind farm to a substation near Salt End, east of Hull.

The three exhibitions will take place at venues in Easington, Withernsea and Hedon, with staff on hand to answer questions and provide information. Full details and plans of the proposed wind farm, offshore substation and cabling will be on display.

Chris Sherrington, project manager for E.ON, said: "We want to ensure that residents who might be affected by the wind farm or who live on the cabling route are fully aware of our plans. These public exhibitions will give local people a chance to talk to the project team and ask any questions they may have.

"Humber Gateway will not only play a major part in helping the country reach its renewable and carbon emission reduction targets, but it will provide a clean, secure supply of energy to help keep the lights on for homes and businesses across the East Riding."

The public are invited to attend one of the following exhibitions, each of which will take place between 3pm and 8pm:

Wednesday 30^th April

Easington, Community Hall

Thursday 1st May

Withernsea, Northfield Country Club

Friday 2^nd May

Hedon, Alexandra Hall

Residents requiring transport to the public exhibitions should contact the Community Relations team on freephone 0800 3777 345.

Combined, E.ON's renewable portfolio generates enough green energy to supply the homes in a city the size of Manchester. The company currently has enough renewable energy projects in development in the UK to power the equivalent of one million homes and displace the emission of two million tonnes of carbon every year.

Ends

Notes to editors:

E.ON is one of the leading green generators in the UK, with 21 wind farms located from Cornwall to Northern Ireland. We burn biomass material mixed with coal in two of our power stations and we've just opened the UK's largest dedicated wood-fired biomass power station at Lockerbie. We're also currently building Robin Rigg in the Solway Firth, which when completed will be one of the largest offshore wind farms in Europe;
E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. We employ around 17,000 people in the UK;
E.ON is the new name for Powergen. Our retail business is a leading energy supplier in the UK, with around 8 million electricity and gas customer accounts, covering domestic, SME and industrial. E.ON offers central heating and boiler care through its Home Energy Services business.

For more information contact:

Jamee Majid on 024 7618 3679

Simon Taylor, TAS Communications, on 01482 867867

E.ON employees to hold charity football game in Nottingham in memory of colleague

DeannaMooney — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:48:00 GMT

A group of E.ON employees are organising a special charity match in memory of their friend and colleague, Gavin Smith.

Gavin, who worked for E.ON for a number of years, died tragically last year and his colleagues clubbed together to organise the charity match to raise money for his favourite charity, CP (cerebral palsy) Sport.

The match, which is sponsored by O2, will feature two teams of Gavin's friends and colleagues and will be refereed by Premiership referee Pete Walton.

As well as the match itself, the FA Cup will be on display and spectators will be able to test their shooting skills with E.ON's popular ‘shoot-the-O' game.

Sharon Mee, who has been involved with organisation of the event, said: "Gavin was a popular friend and colleague at E.ON to many. He was a caring and selfless person who often raised money for charities like CP Sport.

"He was also a keen Notts County fan and would be so proud of this event, he would have immensely enjoyed watching his friends play football at a ground that was so special to him."

The event will be held at Notts County's Meadow Lane ground on Sunday 27 April, and kick off is at 2pm.

Tickets are £3 for adults, with free admission for children under-16s and over-60s.

The admission price includes a commemorative programme and entry into a draw to win a pair of tickets for the 2008 final of The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON. Other prizes include a football signed by Alan Shearer and an O2 Apple iTouch phone.

Tickets can be bought on the day or in advance from the Notts County football shop, or donations can be made directly to the charity by visiting www.justgiving.com/gavinsmith-cpsport

Ends

Notes to editors:

In 2007, E.ON UK donated almost £180,000 through matched funding to the charities supported by 1,169 employees;
In 2007, 3,269 E.ON UK employees (representing nearly one in five employees) took part in at least one energy in the community volunteering programme, raising a total of £476,368 for good causes and volunteering a total of 45,866 hours;
E.ON is one of the UK's largest integrated power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and Gas Company. We employ around 17,000 people in the UK.

For further information contact:

Deanna Mooney on 024 7618 3678

E.ON and University of Nottingham go back to the future with the 2016 house

AndrewBarrow — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:31:00 GMT

Energy company E.ON and the University of Nottingham have announced plans to go back to the future by building a replica 1930s semi-detached house to research the challenges and costs involved in improving the energy performance of the UK's ageing housing stock.

The project will involve building a house which is typical of many of the ageing and energy inefficient domestic properties in the UK. The house will then be used to assess how to make best use of natural resources such as the sun, wind and rain, as well as for trialling the effectiveness of new carbon energy reducing technologies and materials.

Dave Clarke, Head of Research and Development at E.ON, said: "Homes are big contributors to the causes of climate change, as they currently account for almost a third of the carbon dioxide emitted in the UK. The average house emits enough carbon to fill six hot air balloons full of CO2 in a year.

"The fact of the matter is that, even with the Government's target for all new homes to be zero carbon from 2016, we'll have to retro-fit low carbon measures to existing homes in order to significantly reduce our carbon emissions."

The 2016 house will use advanced design principles, sustainable materials and modular construction techniques to help reduce the need for heating and lighting.

Details of the project are available from the E.ON website at
http://eon-uk.com/about/2016house.aspx

A central element of the design is a lightweight extension that will be built from modules and which will have its roof positioned to maximise the potential use of solar panels.

Low carbon technology will also be used to generate and manage energy within the house. The additional living space this will provide could be used as additional work or family areas.

During the project, students will live in the house, and monitoring equipment will be installed to measure the effectiveness of each of the upgrades.

"We're very excited to be working with the University of Nottingham on this long-term pioneering project so we can test and research the energy technologies of the future," said Dave.

"To face the challenges of climate change today, we need to look forward to the energy efficiency measures we'll need tomorrow - and these solutions must be affordable and sustainable."

E.ON UK's 2016 house is part of the University's Creative Energy Homes initiative, which will see a total of six sustainable homes built on the campus in the near future. All of the houses will be inhabited for long periods and monitored thoroughly to trial every aspect of sustainable living.

Dr Mark Gillott, Research and Project Manager for Creative Energy Homes at the University of Nottingham, added: "The E.ON 2016 research house is an important addition to our site, as over 21 million houses, or over 86% of our current housing stock, will still be in use by 2050.

"It's therefore vitally important that we identify and research technologies that are aimed at reducing the energy consumption associated with existing homes, and these are issues that the vast majority of us can identify with."

The house will be built on University Park in conjunction with academics from the School of the Built Environment, and construction is expected to be completed in August this year.

Ends

For more information contact:

E.ON - Deanna Mooney on 02476 183 678 or Andrew Barrow on 02476 183 677.
University of Nottingham - Lindsay Brooke on 0115 951 5793

Notes to editors:

An animation of the 2016 house and selected still images are available from the E.ON contacts above.

E.ON UK

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. We employ around 17,000 people in the UK;
E.ON is the new name for Powergen. Our retail business is a leading energy supplier in the UK, with around 8 million electricity and gas customer accounts, covering domestic, SME and industrial. E.ON offers central heating and boiler care through its Home Energy Services business;
Our distribution business, branded Central Networks, provides a reliable supply to 4.9 customers in central England through 133,000km of underground and overhead cables - enough to go round the Earth almost four times - and via almost 97,000 substations. The company covers an area from the Peak District in the north to parts of Bristol in the south, and from the Welsh Borders to the Lincolnshire Coast;
We are investing up to £50 million in new technologies and approaches over the next ten years, through the Energy Technologies institute;
We're one of the leading green generators in the UK, with 21 wind farms located from Cornwall to Northern Ireland. We also burn biomass material mixed with coal in two of our power stations and are currently building one of the UK's largest dedicated biomass power stations at Lockerbie. Combined, our renewable portfolio generates enough green energy to power the homes in a city the size of Manchester;
We plan to spend £1bn on new renewables in the next five years, including new onshore and offshore wind, new biomass and wave and tidal power. Our green development portfolio could power over a million homes and displace the emission of almost two million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year;
Our target is to cut the carbon released by each kW of electricity we generate by 10% between 2005-2012, having already reduced it by 20% since 1990.

University of Nottingham

The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 70 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and Times Higher (THES) World University Rankings;
It provides innovative and top quality teaching, undertakes world-changing research, and attracts talented staff and students from 150 nations. Described by The Times as Britain's "only truly global university", it has invested continuously in award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia;
Twice since 2003 itsresearch and teaching academics have won Nobel Prizes.The University has won the Queen's Award for Enterprise in both 2006 (International Trade) and 2007 (Innovation - School of Pharmacy);
Its students are much in demand from 'blue-chip' employers. Winners of Students in Free Enterprise for three years in succession, andcurrent holder of UK Graduate of the Year, they are accomplished artists, scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, innovators and fundraisers.
Nottingham graduates consistently excel in business, the media, the arts and sport. Undergraduate and postgraduate degree completion rates are amongst the highest in the United Kingdom.

Cumbrian school kids get in the spirit to name E.ON’s new boat

JameeMajid — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:15:00 GMT

One of the new boats built to maintain E.ON's Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm has been named the ‘Solway Spirit' by pupils from Ewanrigg Junior School in Maryport this week.

The 45-foot catamaran, which is specially designed to safely transfer wind farm engineers onto the offshore turbines, will be delivered to the Port of Workington this summer.

The naming came about after three members of E.ON's Workington-based Robin Rigg operations team visited the school to give a presentation about the new wind farm and challenge the children, aged between nine and 11, to choose a name for the new boat.

Steve Johnson, a wind farm engineer for E.ON, said: "It was a fantastic opportunity to talk to some very inquisitive kids about Robin Rigg and give them an opportunity to ask questions about wind farms and why we need to generate clean, renewable energy.

"Most of the team is from this area and we all feel it's very important that we talk to local people, both young and old, about the vital role this project will play in fighting climate change and in helping to keep the UK's lights on.

"The children were really enthusiastic and came up lots of terrific names, but, in the end, the judges felt that the ‘Solway Spirit' was the most appropriate. The team is delighted that the boat we'll be working on every day has been named by local kids."

First prize for selecting the winning name went to Lauren Hamilton. Joint second prize was awarded to Liam Kirkbride for his suggestion ‘Solway Rocket' and to Jay Hodgeson for ‘General Turbine'. The winning children will all receive book tokens and the school will be presented with £500 at a special ceremony at the school on May 23^rd. All three children and their families will also be invited to the official launch of the ‘Solway Spirt' in the Port of Workington this summer.

Miss Anne Alexandar, science teacher from Ewanrigg Junior School, said: "We'd like to thank the E.ON team for giving our school the opportunity to be a part of the project and we look forward to working with them in the future."

Ends

Notes to editors:

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and Gas Company. We employ around 17,000 people in the UK;
E.ON is the new name for Powergen. Our retail business is a leading energy supplier in the UK, with around 8 million electricity and gas customer accounts, covering domestic, SME and industrial. E.ON offers central heating and boiler care through its Home Energy Services business;
Our renewable portfolio generates enough green energy to power the homes in a city the size of Manchester.

For more information contact:

Jamee Majid on 024 7618 3679

Former student returns to Solihull school to award £15,000 E.ON grant for wind turbine

DeannaMooney — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:02:00 GMT

Energy company E.ON has given a £15,000 grant under its SOURCE community initiative to Langley Primary School towards the cost of installing a wind turbine.

And former pupil Lisa Smith, who now works for E.ON, returned to the school in Solihull to present the cheque to the school for the 5kW wind turbine.

As well as generating electricity, the school wants to use the turbine as a tool for teaching about renewable sources of energy and their role in reducing people's carbon footprints.

"I was so chuffed to go back to my old school to give them the money for the project", said Lisa.

"It's brilliant that we're not only helping the school to become more energy efficient, it's also a great educational opportunity for the children."

The school's Eco-Club came up with idea of installing a wind turbine in its grounds, and pupils will monitor its output using data display equipment being put in at the same time.

Eco-Club pupil members Hajrah and Seema said: "All of us in the Eco-Club are really excited about getting the wind turbine because it'll help the environment and help the school save both energy and money from our electricity bills which can be used elsewhere.

"It's also fantastic because we'll be the first school in Solihull to get one."

E.ON, one of the UK's leading green electricity generators, launched its SOURCE fund in 2007 to help with the costs of sustainable energy projects for community buildings.

The fund is backed up by the SOURCE website, which provides information and advice for community groups seeking to become more energy efficient or generate their own energy from sustainable sources.

Jane Branscombe, Community Relations Manager with E.ON, said: "We know there are plenty of local groups that want to go green by reducing carbon emissions from community buildings, and we're keen to help them contribute to the fight against climate change in this way.

"In addition to the funding available, the website has been designed for simple navigation and brings together all the information community groups need to put their sustainable energy ideas into practice.

"The website contains tips on saving energy and downloadable fact sheets on ways of generating your own power or heat, as well as full details of how to apply for a grant."

The website, which contains full details of how to apply for a grant, can be accessed at www.eon-uk.com/source.

The next deadline for applications for funding is Friday 25 April, 2008.

Ends

Notes to editors:

The SOURCE fund is available until the end of 2008 and closing dates for applications in 2008 are 25 April, and 3 October;
E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. We employ around 17,000 people in the UK;
E.ON is the new name for Powergen. Our retail business is a leading energy supplier in the UK, with around 8 million electricity and gas customer accounts, covering domestic, SME and industrial. E.ON offers central heating and boiler care through its Home Energy Services business;
We're one of the leading green generators in the UK, with 21 wind farms located from Cornwall to Northern Ireland. We also burn biomass material mixed with coal in two of our power stations and have just finished building the UK's largest dedicated biomass power station at Lockerbie. Combined, our renewable portfolio generates enough green energy to power the homes in a city the size of Manchester;
We plan to spend £1bn on new renewables in the next five years, including new onshore and offshore wind, new biomass and wave and tidal power;
Our target is to cut the carbon released by each kW of electricity we generate by 10% between 2005-2012, having already reduced it by 20% since 1990;
We have 1,300MW of renewable capacity under development;
We invested £53 million in energy efficiency in 2006. These measures included loft and cavity wall insulation, installation of energy efficient boilers and smart metering, a technology we are investing a further £12 million in over the next two years.

For further information contact:

Deanna Mooney on 024 7618 3678

A selection of E.ON UK images is available free of charge to the media by registering at www.newscast.co.uk

E.ON submits planning application to build one of the UK's largest offshore wind farms off Yorkshire coast, hopes for swift resolution to MoD objection

JonathanSmith — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 08:25:00 GMT

E.ON, one of the country's leading green generators, has today submitted a planning application for a £700m offshore wind farm located over 8km off the East Yorkshire coast.

If built, the 300MW Humber Gateway Offshore Wind Farm - which would generate enough clean, green electricity to power up to 195,000 homes - will be one of the largest offshore wind farms in UK waters.

The application is the first for an offshore wind farm since Business Secretary John Hutton's call for more than 33GW of offshore wind to be installed by 2020.

Dr Paul Golby, Chief Executive of E.ON UK, said: "The next generation of large-scale offshore wind farms like Humber Gateway have a vital role to play in the UK's future energy mix.

"This scheme will displace the emission of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide every year and will make a significant contribution to helping the Government meet its tough renewable energy targets.

"As part of our multi-billion pound investment strategy, not only will it make a major contribution to the fight against climate change, it will help ensure a secure, reliable and clean supply of electricity for families and businesses in the UK."

E.ON is submitting the planning application despite recent objections by the Ministry of Defence to the wind farm. The MoD did not raise an objection when it was initially consulted about the project in 2004.

"We're speaking to both the MoD and BERR and we're confident that we can find a way forward that is acceptable to all stakeholders," said Dr Golby.

"We're currently in a race to replace up to a third of the UK's generation, which will be phased out over the next 15 years and so it's vitally important that the Government deliver a clear framework that will allow us to develop projects like Humber Gateway."

E.ON is committed to reducing the carbon intensity of its emissions across Europe by 50% by 2030. This builds on the existing achievement of reducing carbon intensity by 20% since 1990.

To achieve its goal, E.ON is changing energy for the better and investing for a low-carbon future. The company has recently announced plans to invest billions of pounds in renewable energy projects globally by 2030 and plans to close almost 3GW of coal-fired generation in the UK by 2015.

E.ON's UK investment plans include:

£1bn for gas-fired power stations at the Isle of Grain in Kent (which is currently being built) and at Drakelow in Derbyshire;
£1bn+ for a cleaner coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent;
£325m on building the Robin Rigg offshore wind farm in the Solway Firth;
Gas storage facility at Holford in Cheshire and at Aldbrough in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Ends

Notes to editors:

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. We employ around 17,000 people in the UK;
E.ON is the new name for Powergen. Our retail business is a leading energy supplier in the UK, with around 8 million electricity and gas customer accounts, covering domestic, SME and industrial. E.ON offers central heating and boiler care through its Home Energy Services business.

For more information contact:

Jamee Majid on 024 7618 3679

Jonathan Smith on 024 7618 3676

A 3D animation of the project is available to broadcast media

E.ON volunteers go back to school in Nottingham

DeannaMooney — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:36:00 GMT

A group of 12 eager volunteers from E.ON's Retail Customer Service team recently spent a day getting back to nature when they helped transform a playground area at Forest Fields Primary School in Nottingham.

The team helped to improve the layout of the children's play area at the school by clearing overgrown areas and to brighten it up with a lick of paint.

And it was a big job for everyone - with the work seeing wooden pillars and sleepers removed, and the play area levelled and cleared, as well as painting over graffiti.

Steven Cotterill, one of the willing volunteers, said: "It was a real team bonding experience for us, with lots of hard manual work - but we made sure we had fun along the way as well.

"One of the things we were happiest about is that the work that we've done will pave the way for the future development of the site to improve the facilities the children have to use.

"It'll also hopefully help in some way towards the regeneration of the Forest Fields area, as the community, of which the school is a big part, can really get behind the development of the school's facilities."

Cheryl Parkin, Employee Involvement Manager at E.ON, said: "This is a great example of a team taking the time to really put something back into their local community."

"They've provided the children with a safe place for them to have fun and to run off all that energy!"

Ends

Notes to editors:

In 2007, 3,269 E.ON UK employees (representing nearly one in five employees) took part in at least one energy in the community volunteering programme, raising a total of £476,368 for good causes and volunteering a total of 45,866 hours;
E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. We employ around 17,000 people in the UK.

For further information contact:

Deanna Mooney on 024 7618 3678

Monkeys in Cornwall get E.ON energy boost for solar heating project

DeannaMooney — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:12:00 GMT

Still time for other local community groups to apply for next round of E.ON's environmental fund

Energy company E.ON has given a £1,800 grant under its new SOURCE community initiative towards the cost of installing a solar water heating system at the Monkey Sanctuary Trust in Looe, Cornwall.

The Monkey Sanctuary Trust is an educational and environmental charity that promotes the welfare and conservation of primates, and attracts over 30,000 visitors each year.

The cash will be used to help pay for a solar water heating system that will be used at the Sanctuary's visitors café.

Jane Branscombe, Community Relations Manager with E.ON, said: "We're delighted to be able to contribute towards this exciting project for The Monkey Sanctuary Trust as part of our new SOURCE scheme, which is designed to help community groups get sustainable energy projects off the ground.

"They're looking to reduce their environmental impact in a number of different ways, including reducing any unnecessary energy usage, and the solar water heating system will help the Sanctuary to achieve this in a cost effective way."

This project is one element of a larger ongoing project at the Sanctuary to introduce sustainable heating, water and energy generation systems, and waste disposal to all of the site's buildings and systems.

It is expected that the water heating system will save the emission of up to one tonne of carbon dioxide each year, as well as significant cost savings which will allow more Trust money to be spent directly on the charity's educational and environmental aims.

Pippa Cann, from the Monkey Sanctuary, said: "The café is well used by the local community, and our visitors will now know that they are having less impact on the environment when they eat here.

"The café is also the meeting point for local school groups who come here, and they'll be able to learn about how the system works and what a difference it makes.

"We really appreciate the grant from E.ON as anything that saves the Trust money means we can spend more of our funds on promoting the welfare and conservation of primates and sustainable living.

"This system will not only save us money, but will directly contribute to our sustainable and educational aims too."

E.ON, one of the UK's leading green electricity generators, launched its SOURCE fund in 2007 to help with the costs of sustainable energy projects for community buildings.

The fund is backed up by the SOURCE website, which provides information and advice for community groups seeking to become more energy efficient or generate their own energy from sustainable sources.

The website, which contains full details of how to apply for a grant, can be accessed at www.eon-uk.com/source.

The next deadline for applications for funding is Friday 25 April, 2008.

Ends

Notes to editors:

The SOURCE fund is available until the end of 2008 and closing dates for applications in 2008 are 25 April, and 3 October;
E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. We employ around 17,000 people in the UK;
E.ON is the new name for Powergen. Our retail business is a leading energy supplier in the UK, with around 8 million electricity and gas customer accounts, covering domestic, SME and industrial. E.ON offers central heating and boiler care through its Home Energy Services business;
We're one of the leading green generators in the UK, with 21 wind farms located from Cornwall to Northern Ireland. We also burn biomass material mixed with coal in two of our power stations and have just finished building the UK's largest dedicated biomass power station at Lockerbie. Combined, our renewable portfolio generates enough green energy to power the homes in a city the size of Manchester;
We plan to spend £1bn on new renewables in the next five years, including new onshore and offshore wind, new biomass and wave and tidal power;
Our target is to cut the carbon released by each kW of electricity we generate by 10% between 2005-2012, having already reduced it by 20% since 1990;
We have 1,300MW of renewable capacity under development;
We invested £53 million in energy efficiency in 2006. These measures included loft and cavity wall insulation, installation of energy efficient boilers and smart metering, a technology we are investing a further £12 million in over the next two years.

For further information contact:

Deanna Mooney on 024 7618 3678

A selection of E.ON UK images is available free of charge to the media by registering at www.newscast.co.uk

E.ON enters UK Government's carbon capture and storage competition

JonathanSmith — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:37:00 GMT

E.ON, one of the country's leading power generators, has today announced that it will be one of the entrants to the Government's carbon capture and storage (CCS) competition.

The company's entry into the competition is based on its proposed Kingsnorth coal-fired project in Kent which it plans to build CCS-ready in anticipation of this technology being successfully developed.

E.ON is also proposing that a decision on its Kingsnorth planning application is not made until later in the year, following completion of the Government's consultation into what will be required to make a coal-fired power station CCS-ready.

The company's entry into the CCS competition is supported by partners, including:

Arup - for project management;
EPRI - for international technology dissemination.
Fluor - as carbon capture technology supplier;
MHI - as carbon capture technology supplier; mf
Penspen - for pipeline transportation; and
Tullow Oil - for carbon dioxide storage.

Dr Paul Golby, Chief Executive of E.ON UK, said: "Decarbonising fossil fuels - and especially coal - is one of the key challenges to be overcome if we are to combat climate change and we aim to be right at the centre of the debate. That is why we have consistently supported the Government's competition and that is why we have entered Kingsnorth.

"By making it clear we will use our proposed Kingsnorth site to develop CCS technology, we are addressing one of the fundamental issues in the whole debate: how can we demonstrate that carbon capture works on a commercial scale unless we first build a station which is CCS-ready and then fit the technology to that station? Moreover, how can we expect other nations such as China or India to adopt carbon capture technology unless we can demonstrate that it can be retrofitted?

"That is also why we are also proposing to Government that the Kingsnorth planning decision is made following their consultation process, when we will all know exactly what is required by the Government for a station to be deemed CCS-ready. Once the Government's consultation process is complete and its results published, we can move forward accordingly."

E.ON is reducing its reliance on coal and oil by over 2.6GW between now and 2015. This involves shutting 2.9GW of coal power station capacity split between the existing Kingsnorth and Ironbridge power stations, closing the 1.3GW Grain oil-fired power station by the end of 2015 and building two new, more efficient CCS-ready 800MW coal units at Kingsnorth.

E.ON is committed to reducing the carbon intensity of its emissions across Europe by 50% by 2030. This builds on the existing reduction in carbon intensity of 20% since 1990.

To achieve its goal, E.ON is changing energy for the better and investing for a low-carbon future. Its plans in the UK include:

£325m on building the Robin Rigg offshore wind farm in the Solway Firth;
£700m on building the Humber Gateway offshore wind farm;
Joint venture partner in the London Array, the world's largest offshore wind farm;
£1bn for gas-fired power stations at the Isle of Grain in Kent (which is currently being built) and at Drakelow in Derbyshire; and
Gas storage facilities at Holford in Cheshire and at Aldbrough in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Ends

Notes to editors:

E.ON (http://www.eon-uk.com/) is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. We employ around 17,000 people in the UK;
E.ON is the new name for Powergen. Our retail business is a leading energy supplier in the UK, with around 8 million electricity and gas customer accounts, covering domestic, SME and industrial. E.ON offers central heating and boiler care through its Home Energy Services business.

Partners:

Arup is a global firm of designers, engineers and business consultants providing a diverse range of professional services to our clients around the world. Sustainability underpins our work and the firm is the creative force behind many of the world's most innovative and sustainable buildings, transport and civil engineering projects.
Established in 1946, Arup has nearly 10,000 employees, based in 92 offices in 37 countries, working on up to 10,000 projects at any one time. Our unique structure, with the firm held in trust on behalf of its employees, gives us complete independence. Our profit at 31 March 2007 was £48.5m GPB, before tax and profit share, while our turnover rose 21% on the previous year to reach £572.4m. Arup has been listed in the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies for the last seven years, and we are currently ranked 41st.
Arup's multi-disciplinary approach means that any given project may involve people from any or all of the sectors or regions in which we operate. Our aim is to achieve excellence in all we do by bringing together the best professionals in the world to meet our clients' needs. More information on Arup at http://www.arup.com/

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) conducts research and development on technology, operations and the environment for the global electric power industry. As an independent, non-profit center, EPRI brings together its members, scientists and engineers, along with experts from academia, industry and other centers of research to:
collaborate in solving challenges in electricity generation, delivery and use;
provide technological, policy and economic analyses to drive long-range research and development planning; and
support multi-discipline research in emerging technologies and issues.

EPRI's members represent more than 90 percent of the electricity generated in the United States, and international participation extends to 40 countries. EPRI has major offices and laboratories in Palo Alto, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn., and Lenox, Mass.

Fluor. Fluor Corporation is one of the world's largest, publicly owned engineering, procurement, construction, project management and maintenance services companies. The company has built its reputation over the past century by successfully executing some of the largest, most challenging projects in energy industry. Fluor conducts its business in a way that meets the needs of our clients and stakeholders today whilst also protecting, sustaining and enhancing the human and natural resources needed tomorrow. Fluor has a workforce of more than 45,000 employees and maintains a network of offices in more than 25 countries across six continents.
"Fluor is pleased to be supporting E.ON in the UK Government's carbon capture and storage competition and we look forward to the opportunity of demonstrating our proprietary technology process on a large scale power station, removing carbon dioxide from flue gas as part of a carbon capture programme", said David Constable, group president of Fluor's Power Group. "Fluor is focussed on improving its environmental signature and performance working with the UK government and other states around the world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

For more information, visit http://www.fluor.com/.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading heavy machinery manufacturers, with consolidated sales of 3,068 billion yen in fiscal 2006 (year ended March 31, 2007). MHI's diverse lineup of products and services encompasses shipbuilding, power plants, chemical plants, environmental equipment, steel structures, industrial and general machinery, aircraft, space rocketry and air-conditioning systems. For more information, please visit the MHI website (http://www.mhi.co.jp).
About MHI CO2 Capture Technology. MHI provides an extensive range of environmental and power systems equipment for the power utility sector and, in particular, offers high efficiency flue gas desulphurization which has been widely applied throughout the world. MHI also brings real value to this project, in the field of CO2 capture technology, where the company has deployed a number of commercial CO2 recovery plants and furthermore, MHI has a long history of CO2 capture R&D which includes the successful demonstration testing of a CO2 capture pilot plant at a coal fired power station in Japan. For more details see the MHI CO2 capture website; www.mhi.co.jp/en/
Penspen (http://www.penspen.com/): Penspen is a leading independent group of companies providing Studies, Engineering, Operations, Integrity and Maintenance to the Oil and Gas Industry for Pipelines, Production, Transportation and Storage Facilities both Onshore and Offshore. Penspen has over 1600 staff working in 15 offices worldwide and has undertaken over 5000 projects in almost every market. In addition to oil and gas, Penspen offers services to projects concerned with carbon capture storage (CCS) and in particular the transportation of CO2 from the point of capture to underground sequestration.

Tullow Oil plc - http://www.tullowoil.com - is one of the largest independent oil and gas exploration companies in Europe. The Group has over 100 licences in 23 countries, with operations in Africa, Europe, South Asia and South America. Tullow is headquartered in London and employs over 350 people world-wide. Current production is over 75,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. In 2007 the Group drilled over 100 exploration, appraisal and development wells, which included multi-well campaigns in Ghana and Uganda. In addition to activities to extend production life of their Southern North Sea fields, Tullow is investigating the potential longer-term use of Hewett reservoirs and infrastructure for both natural gas and carbon dioxide storage.

For more information contact:

Jonathan Smith on 024 7618 3676

E.ON awards Hoo Peninsula community groups over £32,000 from community investment fund

DeannaMooney — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:24:00 GMT

Still time for other local community groups to apply for next round of funding

E.ON, the company behind Kingsnorth and Grain power stations, has awarded 17 community groups in the Hoo Peninsula a total of £32,000 in funding from their £100,000 community investment fund.

The special fund was launched in May last year to celebrate the start of work at the new gas-fired combined heat and power (CHP) station on the Isle of Grain.

The successful projects that received funding were:

St James Church - £1,800 for disabled ramps
K&M Walking Bus - £500 for high visibility coats
Stoke VH - £3,000 for doors and windows
High Halstow Youth Club - £400 for equipment
UJ Community Partnership - £2,800 for equipment and security
Grain Youth Club - £1,150 for equipment
Cliffe & Cliffe Woods PC - £5,000 for youth shelter
Allhallows PC Youth Committee - £1.312 for building improvements
High Halstow PC - £1,500 for recreation ground
Cliffe Woods CA - £1,500 for tables and chairs
Hoo Youth Club - £900 for youth club group
St James PC - £5,000 for skate park upgrade
Grain Over 45's - £600 for hall hire and equipment
50^th Strood (Hoo) Scout Group - £1,500 for gas connection
Cliffe Woods Primary School - £3,500 for adventure playground
1^st Cliffe Woods Guides - £840 for camping equipment
CHUMS - £1,050 for running costs

Mel Reed, who was awarded £1,500 for the 50^th Strood (Hoo) Scout Group, said: "This money will make a world of difference to us as it will allow us to get a mains gas connection to our Scout hut. At the moment we're spending a lot of our money on expensive gas bottles to keep the hut warm.

"We'd really like to thank E.ON for the donation as it means that more of our funds will be able to go towards resources for the Scouts and also for the other groups from our village that use the hut on a regular basis."

Decisions on the grants are being made by members of a special Local Liaison Committee, which features representatives from local parish councils and members of E.ON's project teams.

Julie Wantling, from Kingsnorth Power Station, said: "The committee are faced with some tough decisions as there are many worthwhile groups that apply, and it's always great to see how even a small grant can make a huge difference, especially to those groups that are just starting up."

Malcolm Coston, from Grain Power Station's project team, added: "Our Local Liaison Committee ensures we have good representation across the Peninsula and I feel proud to be able to work with and support the community in this way."

The E.ON Community Investment Fund is part of the company's commitment to investing in communities near its sites and is designed to support effective projects that will help genuine community needs.

Billie Holland, Community Relations Executive at E.ON UK, said: "Our ambition is for the money to be used to support projects that will leave a lasting legacy and further the relationship between E.ON and our neighbours.

"The deadline for the next round of applications is May 30, and, however big or small the project, it will be considered, so please send those applications in."

The new power station at Grain will be the largest and most efficient station of its kind in the UK. It will generate enough electricity for around one million homes and also displace the emission of up to 350,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year, equivalent to taking around 100,000 cars off the UK's roads.

Further information on the Community Investment Fund, including a funding pack and application form can be found on the E.ON UK website, www.eon-uk.com/newgas/grain or by calling Action with Communities in Rural Kent on 01303 850 816.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

The total fund of £100,000 will be available to projects over the four-year construction period at Grain;
The fund is in the form of a grant administered by Action with Communities in Rural Kent, who aim to improve the quality of life of local communities, particularly for disadvantaged people, and to facilitate the development of thriving, diverse and sustainable communities;
Awards will be made by a Local Liaison Committee (LLC) including representatives from the local parish councils and members of E.ON's project teams at Kingsnorth and Grain power stations.

For more information contact:

Deanna Mooney on 024 7618 3678