Dulas brings Endurance wind turbines to the UK

On the back of the first successful installation, Ashden award-winner leading renewables firm Dulas is pleased to announce its appointment as a national distributor for Endurance wind turbines.

(Photo credit: Dulas Ltd)

The company was among a small number selected for their dedication to the renewable energy industry and their specific capabilities and experience in the wind turbine market.

Endurance Wind Power is a manufacturer of advanced wind turbines designed specifically for distributed wind power applications. Ian Draisey, Director at Dulas said of the announcement, “Dulas is thrilled to have been selected as a distributor for Endurance turbines and knows that there is a buoyant market for this product as a result of the feed in tariff for microgeneration. Until recently the best financial returns were limited to the largest wind farm developments. Now the new feed-in tariff (FIT) guarantees high rates of return on generation from medium scale wind turbines like the Endurance 50kW product making it an ideal application for those prepared to invest in microgeneration”.

Dulas has a highly experienced wind team with over 20 years’ knowledge of turbine siting, wind measurement and planning to medium scale wind. The company has a proven track record of over 350MW of consented applications for a wide range of clients.

For more information on renewable energy consultancy, planning and installations please visit www.dulas.org.uk, for more about Ashden Award winners please visit www.ashdenawards.org.

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After recent floods award-winner GERES is working on reconstruction in Ladakh, India

After the recent devastating flash floods in Ladakh, India, past award winners GERES are working hard to begin reconstruction in the region.


See a recent news release from the association:

“The GERES teams, based in Leh in Ladakh, in the Indian Himalayas, have escaped unscathed from the violent floods that hit the region on the night of August 5. However, we regret the disappearance of three relatives of our local accountant, whose house was swept away by the flood. The association wishes to express its deep sorrow and convey its unwavering support to their families.

For over twenty years, GERES has been working in Ladakh and in the valleys of Zanskar, Kargil, Lahaul and Spiti. In partnership with local NGOs and the Indian government we work together in the field of social and economic development and environmental protection. A pioneer in the implementation of passive solar architecture in the Himalayas, GERES has to its credit a number of technical, social and environmental achievements. A major programme underway (Passive Solar House) includes the introduction of energy efficiency technologies in the construction or rehabilitation of 1,000 domestic and community buildings. These new structures play a key role in local populations. They promote the improvement of living conditions, economic activity and crafts.

It appears that the buildings of our project have withstood the floods well, but this is not the case of neighbouring recent facilities that were built too quickly, despite the rules of town planning. Half of the homes located in Choglamsar, a downstream suburb of Leh, have been destroyed. Although a direct link cannot be currently made, it is feared that the floods will worsen in future years due to climate change. In one area, normally totally spared by the monsoon, this has been the second episode of serious flooding since 2006.

GERES is already getting ready for reconstruction within the area. Last week GERES participated in a meeting with local government, international and local NGOs to develop a strategy to define the areas in which buildings, both temporary and permanent, should be constructed, according to the context, the level of damage, and the availability and cost of land. GERES has been appointed as a local expert coordinator for reconstruction and will participate in planning workshops to share its technical expertise. The "Passive Solar House" programme, will also be resumed as soon as the lines of communication are restored.

If you wish to support GERES in this reconstruction phase, send a gift to: GERES, 2 cours Foch, 13400 Aubagne with mention "GERES India" on the back of the cheque.”

For more information on the work of GERES visit our website.

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Co-founder of Trees, Water & People wins humanitarian award

Stuart Conway, the Co-founder of Ashden award-winning Trees, Water & People (TWP), has been honoured with the 2010 Sargent Shriver Award for Distinguished Humanitarian Service. This prestigious award is presented annually by the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA). The award recognises Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) who continue to make sustained and distinguished contributions to humanitarian causes or are innovative social entrepreneurs bringing about significant long-term change. Conway is a proud RPCV who served in Guatemala for three years as an Extension Agent and Trainer for the Conservation of Natural Resources Programme.

Trees, Water, & People won an Ashden Award in 2005 for their work, led by Conway, to develop and install the fuel-efficient Justa cookstove. These nifty stoves improve human health while reducing wood usage for fuel and decreasing carbon emissions. Conway has since expanded his beneficial stove program throughout Central America and Haiti, coordinating the building of more than 40,000 fuel-efficient stoves and directly improving the lives of more than 200,000 people. He has also managed the planting of nearly 4 million trees throughout Central America and Haiti since 1998.

For more information on the work of Trees, Water & People, visit our website.

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Off-grid renewables workshop and Ashden India Collective launches in Delhi

Our recent event in Delhi combined a workshop 'Scaling up off-grid renewables' and the launch of the Ashden Awards India Collective. Jointly hosted by the Ashden Awards and DFID, the workshop 'Scaling up off-grid renewables' drew together policy makers, financial institutions, NGOs and donor organisations to explore new initiatives to stimulate renewable energy in India. It was also attended by the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), who plan to work with the Ashden Indian Collective on policy work in the coming year.

In the morning, the session kicked off with a welcome by Mariana Mazon, our International Programme Manager and Philip Douglas, First Secretary of the British High Commission and DFID. The first session was a presentation by NERA Economic Consulting on a fund, supported by DFID and MNRE, for providing financial incentive to scale up pro-poor renewable development. This was followed by a session that looked at the experiences challenges and success of collective members with Hemant Lamba of Aurore Energy speaking about electricity generation and Svati Bhogle, TIDE, presenting on heat generation. This session ended with a presentation by MNRE on their programmes for incentivising the use of off grid renewable energy by Gauri Singh, Joint Secretary at MNRE. The following discussion picked up on the lessons learned to date from business and policy experience and areas where the Ashden India Collective could add most value. It was a welcomed and fresh opportunity to have a cross section of sectors debate and share experience on pro-poor renewables in India.

In the afternoon, past Ashden award-winners came together to formally launch the Ashden India Collective. They met to look at strategy for the next year. Led by a core group and managed by a coordinator, the collective will focus their work in the coming year on building a solid policy programme for widespread decentralised renewable energy in India. The idea of an Ashden India Collective developed after the conference last February 'Building a Sustainable Energy Future for India' hosted by the Ashden Awards, the Confederation of Indian Industries and the Department for International Development

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