Ian Melin-Jones
Pure Planet is the only renewable energy supplier recommended by Which?
Pure Planet is the only 100% renewable energy supplier to be recommended by Which? for 2021.
- 100% renewable energy supplier Pure Planet named among the country’s top providers for the second year in a row
- Pure Planet is the only supplier offering 100% green electricity and 100% carbon offset gas as standard to be recommended
- The Big Six providers - British Gas, Eon, EDF, Npower, Scottish Power and SSE (now part of OVO) - were all among the lowest rated
- High satisfaction and bill accuracy scores show digital innovation and transparent pricing make renewables a no brainer
The UK’s first digital-only energy supplier has received the recommendation of its Members again for 2021 in the consumer champion’s annual energy supplier survey, which is based entirely on customer satisfaction ratings.
And Pure Planet is the only Which? recommended supplier to offer 100% green electricity and 100% carbon offset gas to all its members as standard.
More than 8,000 people across the UK were asked to rate their energy supplier on a number of criteria including value for money, customer service, bill accuracy and digital tools as part of the annual survey.
Pure Planet - which offers 24/7 customer service via an AI enabled chatbot - achieved an overall 74% satisfaction rating plus the maximum five stars for bill accuracy and four stars for value for money, demonstrating the benefits of digital innovation and transparent pricing.
The supplier also had one of the highest proportions of customers reporting no problems in the past 12 months (91%) .
Steven Day, co-founder of Pure Planet said: “It's fantastic to be named a Which? recommended energy supplier for the second year in a row.
“We are thrilled that our customer satisfaction is among the highest of any provider while having among the lowest number of customers experiencing problems - this is a major endorsement of our unique digital-only model which delivers great service and low-cost renewable energy.
“The latest Which? rankings show that the Big 6 are way off the pace while our 100% renewable energy and carbon offset gas is cheaper than standard variable tariffs with the Big Six
“So if you want green energy and excellent service there really is only one choice.”
Bath-based Pure Planet’s 180,000 members receive 100% renewable energy at wholesale prices plus a small standing charge.
Digital service is via web and app provides 24/7 service via AI powered chatbot ‘Wattbot’ and a large Community of over 30,000 members.
Which? found the biggest six energy companies - British Gas, Eon, EDF, Npower, Scottish Power and SSE (now part of Ovo) - all finished in the bottom eight rated suppliers
Customers with these six energy giants were more likely on average to have encountered problems with their provider.
It comes as Pure Planet was also recognised with an award at the 2019 UK and European Employee Engagement Awards.
Engaging programs secure Top Employer status for AkzoNobel
Focusing on engagement and employee well-being continues to pay off as AkzoNobel receives Top Employer recertification in five key markets: the UK, China, Brazil, the US and the Netherlands.
In each country, AkzoNobel is building on a strong track record in human resources. Throughout its three-year, ongoing transformation journey, the company’s success in retaining and even adding Top Employer countries comes down to its prioritization of organizational health. The latest Top Employer certification marks the second year in a row for the Netherlands and the US, fifth for Brazil, eighth for China, and ninth for the UK.
The rigorous review by the Top Employers Institute benchmarks companies around the world against best practices in human resources. Holding onto all five Top Employer titles this year especially demonstrates AkzoNobel’s strong commitment to investing in people and people-driven initiatives.
“Focusing on employee well-being, engagement and development has helped ensure our continued success through all the unprecedented challenges in 2020,” says Joëlle Boxus, AkzoNobel’s Chief Human Resources Officer. “It’s all about making sure our employees feel included and listened to, while also enabling them to bring their best selves to work every day. We’re growing together and building our capabilities so we’re ready for the future.”
Several key initiatives supported employees in 2020. The Mind Matters health and well-being program helped employees cope with “the new normal” created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The company also made significant progress on its diversity and inclusion commitments through training, virtual broadcasts and the growth of employee networks.
Despite global uncertainty, employees remain highly engaged. Surveys reveal a significant improvement in “organizational health”, with 87% of employees indicating that they really care about the company and 86% willing to put in more effort than expected to help AkzoNobel be successful.
The belief that employees are the most important asset for building a sustainable future is central to the company’s “People. Planet. Paint.” approach. Year after year, the feedback that comes with Top Employer certification helps AkzoNobel continue to improve on its position as a leading employer.
Want to know more about working for AkzoNobel? Please visit https://akzo.no/Careers
About AkzoNobel
We’ve been pioneering a world of possibilities to bring surfaces to life for well over 200 years. As experts in making coatings, there’s a good chance you’re only ever a few meters away from one of our products. Our world class portfolio of brands – including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon – is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and have set our sights on becoming the global industry leader. It’s what you’d expect from the most sustainable paints company, which has been inventing the future for more than two centuries.
Kanthal launches 60 kW flow heater to meet higher power demands
Kanthal is adding a 60 kW heater to its range of flow heaters to meet demands for higher power in industries like aluminum and glass.
The 60 kW Kanthal® Flow Heater is targeted mainly at the aluminum and glass industries, which typically have high power demands and use open flame torches in their production processes. Switching from gas burners to electric air heaters reduces carbon emissions, increase the speed of pre-heating processes and minimizes the risk of explosions since no moisture and water is released in the equipment.
“We have the best available technology in the field of electric air heaters, but we can see that there is demand, especially from heavier industries and processes, for a heater with even higher power,” explains Markus Mann, Technology & Innovation Manager, Kanthal. “By adding a new 60 kW heater to our portfolio, we can now provide more power while minimizing the number of devices, which will provide simpler control and lower the overall cost of ownership.”
With a unique design and robust internal temperature control, the 60 kW Kanthal® Flow Heater can deliver gas outlet temperatures of up to 1100°C (2012°F), compared to 800°C (1470°F) with conventional air heaters, as well as a temperature accuracy within ±1°C. When it comes to drying and pre-heating processes, the flow heater can deliver the same performance as gas burners but with increased heat efficiency. It can also reduce the CO2 footprint and eliminate combustion-related pollutants such as NOx and SOx from processes or facilities.
The full range is available with 3.5 kW, 11 kW, 20 kW, 30 kW, 40 kW and now 60 kW. In addition, Kanthal continues to offer customized models for individual processes and demands.
Read an in-depth article on the new 60 kW Kanthal® Flow Heater.
Visit kanthal.com for more information.
Kanthal® is a world-leading brand for products and services in the fields of sustainable industrial heating technology and resistance materials. The company is part of the Sandvik Group and has a strong tradition in innovation and extensive investments in R&D.
Tidy Planet signs exclusive distribution deal and brings new rotary boilers to UK
Organic waste and Waste-to-Energy (WtE) solutions specialist Tidy Planet has signed a contract which makes the firm the UK’s sole distributor of Sugimat’s WtE boilers, for a further five years.
The extension of this industry partnership now also sees Tidy Planet able to offer the company’s latest combustion technology – the Horizon+ rotary boiler – to the UK waste and recycling market.
Joining its suite of biomass systems, the new rotary solution has been specially engineered to process high ash content fuels, including difficult to combust refuse derived fuel (RDF) and solid recovered fuel (SRF). It is the first of its kind on the market and guaranteeing 8,000 operational hours per year, can achieve significant savings in downtime and human-intervention-associated costs.
The technology also has a self-cleaning capability, which allows it to cope with the high ash content and sticky ashes typically associated with ‘dirty’ fuels like RDF and SRF and means there is no loss of efficiency. The rotating element within the equipment causes the ash to fall off boiler tubes, keeping them clear of residue and therefore elevating performance and maximising plant uptime. For particularly sticky ashes, a recyclable cleaning medium can be introduced to further improve the self-cleaning capabilities.
Commenting on the extension of the long-term partnership, Tidy Planet’s managing director, Simon Webb said: “We first started working with Sugimat in 2016, when the organisation provided a solid fuel boiler for the WtE plant we designed for Gatwick Airport. This system enables the client to process 3,000 tonnes of contaminated food and non-recyclable waste on site, which was previously sent to landfill.
“Our exclusive partnership with Sugimat means that we can continue to bring cutting-edge WtE technology to our waste and recycling industry – the new rotary boiler is the first of its kind, and we’re excited to be driving this forward here in the UK.”
Alex Mas, Sugimat’s business development director, added: “We have over 40 years’ experience manufacturing industrial boilers, and working with Tidy Planet allows us to share this expertise with UK businesses.
“As the UK is struggling to export its end-of-life waste overseas, an increasing number of organisations are turning their attention to the value of RDF and SRF. We believe it is important for companies to harness the potential of this waste stream and close the loop, instead of shipping this valuable energy source elsewhere.
“We share this ethos with Tidy Planet and that’s why our partnership works so well.”
The UK environmental firm is now working with companies across the country – within the waste and recycling, aviation, rendering, fish farming and wood recycling sectors – to build customised WtE plants featuring Sugimat’s advanced combustion equipment.
Two Horizon+ systems are currently in production and will be ready for installation at the end of the year.
THREE60 ENERGY awarded DNO Duty Holder contract
THREE60 ENERGY, the global energy services group, has won a multi-million pound contract to deliver Duty Holder services for DNO’s two assets in the UKCS.
The contract will see THREE60 ENERGY provide operations and maintenance services as well as engineering, procurement, construction and decommissioning support activities for DNO.
THREE60 ENERGY has secured this contract as a direct result of a competitive tender process and the contract will run for an initial three-year period and includes extension options.
Commenting on the award, CEO of THREE60 ENERGY, Walter Thain, said: “We are delighted to have been selected by DNO to provide this Duty Holder service for its two UK assets. This is a strategic milestone for us as its our first Duty Holder appointment in the UKCS. It’s great to see our leadership experience and our passion for safe differentiated delivery, both in ongoing operations and future decommissioning, being recognised by an agile and growing E&P company.
DNO is a hugely important customer to us, both in the UK and Norway, and it’s great to see our collaborative business model given further recognition across our common geographies.”
Since its inception, THREE60 ENERGY has built a global service offering that supports the whole asset life cycle. Its services include subsurface, well delivery, engineering, construction and commissioning and operations management. The company has established a sound-track record, and its team of over 350 multi-disciplined technical experts now serve the world’s major oilfield operators.
About THREE60 ENERGY –
The THREE60 ENERGY group consists of 5 main service lines;
Subsurface
Its subsurface service line is a leading provider in Asia, Australia and across Europe, delivering over 250 projects within 10 years working with over 100 customers made up of the world’s oil operators.
The team has also developed its own subsurface digital technology, Poseidon. This pioneering Locate the Remaining oil (LTRO) software reduces the time taken to crunch complex reservoir data from approximately six months to just six weeks, and effectively locates remaining moveable oil in place in mature fields. More recently the team has developed its own production engineering digital technology, Titan. This intuitive user-friendly digital platform efficiently delivers the full scope of production engineering services, ultimately increasing production at lower costs.
Wells
Its Wells service line was founded in 2011 and has since built a strong track record as the leading drilling and wells delivery experts in Norway. It is made up of 160 technical well experts with backgrounds in drilling, completion, well construction, project management and plugging and abandonment.
Engineering
Launched in 2013, its Engineering service delivers engineering studies and brownfield engineering services through world-leading technical expertise and technology. Our consultancy services cover subsea developments, topsides facilities and onshore reception terminals across the entire project lifecycle. It also offers a comprehensive, multi-discipline engineering and project management service, and repair order and minor brownfield modifications.
Construction & Commissioning
The Construction and Commissioning service line specialises in the provision of construction, mechanical completion and commissioning support services for the offshore and onshore oil and gas industry. It is focused on maximising safe and efficient delivery in both the North Sea and overseas.
It has established an excellent track record covering all aspects of topsides infrastructure construction and campaign delivery covering heavy-lift, accommodation flotels, rig mobilisation and walk-to-work vessel supported campaigns.
Operations Management
The Operations Management services line was organically set up by ex-tier 1 operations service business leaders with the aim of creating a tier 2 operations service business. The company safely delivers to new entrants, independent E&P operators and late life asset owners having developed a track-record of executing O&M and duty holder contracts with innovative commercial delivery models. The company supports all elements of the asset life cycle through to decommissioning.
Find out more here: www.three60energy.com
Q.E.D. LASER One™ Natural Gas Leak Detector Now Available in North America
Leading instrument targets methane (CH4) detection and localization of leaks
Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer of innovative environmental products and subsidiary of Graco Inc., introduces the Huberg LASER OneTM natural gas leak analyzer for sale in North America.
This state-of-the-art portable natural gas leak analyzer detects methane using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. This highly-sensitive detector offers all of the advantages of optical detection in a highly compact and portable device, making it ideal for surveying networks.
The LASER One instrument provides precise and reliable findings when detecting methane leaks, with accurate detection of leaks of down to 0.5ppm in a response time of 2.5 seconds or 3.5 seconds with a probe. It is not sensitive to cross-gas contamination and does not require a gas cylinder for operation, which makes it ideal for the detection of natural gas leaks in underground natural gas distribution networks. However, it can be used for both underground and above ground pipelines and it quickly warms up in just 30 to 60 seconds. This is why the Huberg LASER One leak analyzer is trusted by leading natural gas mains distribution network operators (DNOs), and gas utility and service companies.
“Having a production and calibration facility means the Huberg LASER One natural gas leak analyzer gets great results since our lab has more precise methane quantification– this means higher accuracy, even with biogas leaks,” said Peter Bloem, Huberg Business Unit Manager for QED.
The LASER One instrument is ATEX and IECEX-certified for safe operation in Zone 1 areas. Proprietary software offers DNOs the ability to integrate into their data reporting systems.
Established in 1987, Huberg is known among industry professionals as a top manufacturer of safety instrumentation systems for gas suppliers. Through the years, Huberg has provided customers with well-engineered products, continuous innovation, professional information, consulting and customized services, all to guarantee the highest quality and reliability. QED acquired Huberg in 2019 and now distributes Huberg products to American markets.
For more information on the Huberg product line or how to become a distributor, contact QED Environmental Systems at (800) 623-2026 or visit www.qedenv.com.
About Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc.
Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, a subsidiary of Graco Inc., is a leading manufacturer of innovative environmental pumping systems, landfill products, landfill gas products, and air strippers for use at landfills, mines, oil refineries and other industrial sites, as well as hazardous waste cleanup sites. Our products are used around the world for a wide range of environmental applications, including groundwater sampling, groundwater remediation pumping, landfill leachate and condensate pumping, landfill gas collection and control, landfill and biogas analysis, air stripping and VOC removal, and wireless data acquisition. Based in Dexter, MI, QED serves customers from support centers in Michigan, California and England. For more information, call 734-995-2547 or contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ANDRITZ has been awarded major refurbishment contract by Hydro-Québec, Canada
International technology group ANDRITZ has been selected by Hydro-Québec as the exclusive partner to re-equip potentially up to all fourteen 54-MW turbine generator units at the Carillon generating station located on the Ottawa River, Canada. Hydro-Québec has awarded the supply and installation of the first set of six turbine-generator units to ANDRITZ on September 30, 2020.
The first phase encompasses complete re-equipping of six units with new generators, speed governors and turbines. ANDRITZ is responsible for design, manufacture, transportation, assembly, testing and commissioning of the entire equipment.
The existing units were supplied and commissioned by ANDRITZ in the early 1960’s. With its knowledge of this technology as the Original Equipment Manufacturer, expertise and local presence of the company’s execution teams as well as the company’s proximity to the Carillon generating station, ANDRITZ is the perfect partner for Hydro-Québec in execution of this important project, which will span over 16 years in total, with commissioning of the last unit planned for 2036.
This order confirms the strong relationship between ANDRITZ and Hydro Québec and is another important milestone for ANDRITZ in the Canadian hydropower market. ANDRITZ has been present on the Canadian hydro market since 1890, delivering about 1,000 units with a total capacity of 50 GW in Canada. The ANDRITZ GROUP has in total around 1,000 employees in Canada.
Carton recycling trial set for Tesco stores
Tesco, Kellogg and the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE UK) have announced a five month trial to collect cartons at in-store recycling points.
Carton recycling points will be introduced into eleven Tesco stores in England and Wales to test how prepared customers are to return the packaging to stores for recycling. Cartons are commonly used to pack products such as fruit juice, lunch box sized drinks, soups, passata and custard yet only 68% of councils collect the packaging at kerbside.
This trial comes as a part of Tesco’s 4R plan for packaging, Remove, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and builds on ACE UK’s national carton bring bank network.
Tesco’s Head of Packaging James Bull said, “We are overhauling our packaging by removing unnecessary and non-recyclable packaging from our business and will make sure everything we use can be recycled continuously. Inconsistency in the UK’s recycling infrastructure remains a problem and it is vital that the Government quickly implements its plans for collection across councils. In the meantime, we will test new in-store recycling facilities for packaging such as cartons to see if we can improve recycling rates.”
The new carton recycling points can also be used as a short-term recycling solution for Pringles. Kellogg, the company that owns the snacks brand, has committed to improving the recyclability of the Pringles tube so they can be recycled in household collections and is also testing a ‘widely recyclable’ paper packaging solution.
Chris Silcock, UK managing director, Kellogg said “We know people want to be able to recycle their Pringles tubes. This trial will allow our shoppers to return them to be recycled into something new and is an important step to help us assess the success of in-store collection for Pringles. We’re pleased to make further progress on our commitment to make all our packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by the end of 2025.”
ACE UK represents the UK’s leading beverage carton manufacturers, Tetra Pak, Elopak and SIG Combibloc. The industry body has run the beverage carton industry’s recycling programme for over twelve years, and the trial will use its specialist recycling facility at Stainland, near Halifax. Opened in 2013 the facility was set up as a dedicated beverage carton recycling plant and as part of the trial will process Pringles tubes alongside cartons.
Commenting on the new trial, Mandy Kelly, Recycling Manager for ACE UK said, “We are delighted to be working on this collaborative project with Tesco and Pringles. Whilst our primary focus will remain on increasing kerbside collection for beverage cartons we know that the easier it is for consumers to recycle, the higher the recycling rate. This trial represents an ideal opportunity to increase easy access to carton recycling while we continue to work hard to get cartons collected at kerbside everywhere in the UK.”
About ACE UK
The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) UK provides a platform for the industry to profile and benchmark cartons as a renewable, recyclable and low-carbon packaging choice, and to drive its environmental initiatives. This includes running the industry’s carton recycling programme.
ACE UK represents Elopak, SIG Combibloc and Tetra Pak, the leading manufacturers of beverage cartons for the UK market. It is also supported by BillerudKorsnäs and Stora Enso, which produce about 98% of the paperboard used by ACE UK members in beverage cartons in Europe. www.ace-uk.co.uk
Eco Wave Power Announces Strategic Collaboration with Painhas Engineering and Construction Company for its Portugal Project
Publicly traded wave energy developer, Eco Wave Power (EWPG Holding AB, Stock Symbol: ECOWVE), has just announced the strategic collaboration with Painhas for the technical support for the licensing of its’ Portugal project.
Painhas, which was founded in 1980, has more than 40 years of experience in providing engineering and construction, operation and maintenance services for the energy sector in Portugal and other countries (including Production, Distribution and Power Transmission sectors)
Painhas will take an integral part in the technical support needed for the official licensing procedures for the Eco Wave Power planned 20MW wave energy project in Portugal, as part of the company’s newly signed Concession Agreement with the Port Authority of Leixões, APDL.
Once licensing is obtained, the parties will work towards a continued collaboration for the execution of the project.
Helena Painhas, member of the board, said: “The Company has a mission of taking an active part in the implementation of innovative renewable energy sources in Portugal. In the past, we have provided our engineering and construction services to the wind, solar and hydro industries, and we believe that now it is the right time to expand to the promising wave energy sector, through our collaboration with Eco Wave Power”
Inna Braverman, Founder and CEO of Eco Wave Power said: “We are very pleased to announce our strategic collaboration with Painhas, which is a top tier expert in the energy sector in Portugal. We believe that such collaboration will shorten our licensing procedures and enable us to reach the next step of our Portugal project.”
About Painhas SA
Painhas was founded in 1980 in Viana do Castelo and has more than 40 years of experience in the energy and telecommunications sectors. The Company executes engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance and management of operations across the energy sector value chain, developing its’ activity in the areas of production, transport, distribution and maintenance of networks and infrastructures across Europe and Austral Africa. With more than 2000 direct employees, Painhas SA has specialized management and operational teams, with significant skills, resources, equipment and technologies adapted to the needs of its’ costumers. Throughout its history, the company has participated in key national projects, giving its’ contribution in the development of energy production infrastructures for renowned entities. The Company has integrated the Eolicas de Portugal cluster, responsible for the installation of 1200MW of wind power in recent years. In addition, it also participated in the development of wind farms by EDP, Gamesa, VentoMinho and Generg and participated in large scale hydroelectric projects, such as the projects of Venda Nova and Salamone, in partnership with Siemens and the Tamega Hydroelectric project for Iberdrola. The company has also participated in the execution of the waste treatment plant in Mirandela, as well as electric biogas plant and several photovoltaic parks in Spain. Due to the Portuguese Government´s plan to make the country carbon-neutral by 2050, with 80% of electricity to de derived from renewables by 2030 and in particular in solar energy, the Company has prepared and is now one of the key players in EPC contracts for solar photovoltaic projects, helping to achieve the Government ambition.
About EWPG Holding AB (SE0012569663)
EWPG Holding AB (publ) (“Eco Wave Power”) is a leading onshore wave energy technology company that developed a patented, smart and cost-efficient technology for turning ocean and sea waves into green electricity. Eco Wave Power’s mission is to assist in the fight against climate change by enabling commercial power production from sea and ocean waves.
EWP is recognized as a “Pioneering Technology” by Israel’s Ministry of Energy and was labelled as an “Efficient Solution” by the Solar Impulse Foundation. Furthermore, EWP’s project in Gibraltar has received funding from the European Union Regional Development Fund and from the European Commission’s HORIZON2020 framework program. The company was also recently recognized by the United Nations in receiving the “Climate Action Award”, which was granted to the company during COP25 in Madrid, Spain.
The Eco Wave Power share (ECOWVE) is traded on Nasdaq First North Growth Market.
FNCA is the company’s Certified Advisor (+46 8-528 00 399, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Read more about Eco Wave Power at: www.ecowavepower.com
Metso Outotec launches next-generation HRCe high pressure grinding technology for superior grinding and energy efficiency
Metso Outotec is launching the next evolution of the high pressure grinding roll, the HRC™e HPGR. The industry standard was set when the HRC™ HPGR was launched back in 2014 pioneering the use of flanges and non-skewing design. Now, the proven grinding performance that brings energy efficiency, lower circulating loads and increased throughput is strengthened with an additional evolution in design.
The new HRCe comes with a decreased installation CAPEX compared to the HRC. Changes in design allow for maximum productivity with proven technology that leads to superior grinding efficiency.
“We are very excited about the new HRCe which combines proven technology and customer-focused evolutions. Metso Outotec is the only OEM that has been able to design and develop reliable flanged HPGR technology that has demonstrated superior performance for many years in the mining industry. We will continue utilizing our proven technology but have evolved the design to maximize value for our customers and superior grinding efficiency,” says Christoph Hoetzel, Head of Grinding business line at Metso Outotec.
Key benefits of Metso Outotec HRCe
- Improved energy efficiency by up to 15%
- Lower circulating load by up to 24%
- Increase throughput by up to 19%
- Elimination of edge effect from combination of proven flange design and anti-skew assembly
- Elimination of downtime caused by skewing events
Find out more about HRCe on our website.
Metso Outotec is a frontrunner in sustainable technologies, end-to-end solutions and services for the aggregates, minerals processing, metals refining and recycling industries globally. By improving our customers’ energy and water efficiency, increasing their productivity, and reducing environmental risks with our product and process expertise, we are the partner for positive change.
Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Metso Outotec employs over 15,000 people in more than 50 countries and its illustrative combined sales for 2019 were about EUR 4.2 billion. The company is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki. mogroup.com