CQuel

01/11/2024

After reading the International Energy Agency (IEA)'s annual World Energy Outlook, we've come away with a few thoughts:

The main points being covered by press are:

📈 The world is set to reach 'peak emissions' by approximately 2025
☀️ Solar is on course to become the world's largest source of energy by the mid-2030s
💡 Global solar capacity is now expected to hit 16,000 GW by 2050—30 percent higher than as was projected last year
🌡️ Even if all current pledges are met, the world is still set to reach 2.4 degrees Celsius of warming this century

The report generated a lot of reflection and discussion in the office, after which our team emerged with two main takeaways:

1️⃣ For those of us in the real estate sector, we mustn't look at these projections and think decarb is now an inevitability, and therefore we can sit on our heels and wait for it to happen. The process still requires active time and effort (though less when CQuel is involved!)

2️⃣ This has particularly important implications here in the UK, where limited grid capacity is a serious issue. For big commercial property owners who need solar as part of their decarb strategy, they need to move especially fast so as not to be hamstrung by the DNO application process

World Energy Outlook 2024 - Analysis and key findings. A report by the International Energy Agency.

01/10/2024

"[I]t is undoubtedly hugely ambitious to get to clean power by 2030. It requires not only for us to do everything that we can do quicker, but also very, very differently as well.”

We've always known that 'business as usual' isn't going to cut it if the UK is to meet its clean energy targets. Now there's finally some wind in our sails—we can't let it go to waste.

Time for bold action and a ground-up rethinking of our energy infrastructure.

Fintan Slye, head of the new grid operator Neso, is aware that critics are sceptical about achieving ‘clean power by 2030’. But with tough decisions, he says, it can be done

20/09/2024

Introducing our new Sustainability Engineer, David Pearce!

We’ve been thrilled to have David officially join the CQuel team this week. Drawing from his previous experience at Arup, David will be leading the charge when it comes to wrangling decarbonisation datasets and expanding the technologies our platform can tender for.

With his multidisciplinary skills in mechanical and software engineering, he’ll be growing our backend capabilities in order to make complex processes work better and faster for everyone.

20/09/2024

🏗️ How did we manage to build Europe's largest net zero installer marketplace?

The answer's pretty simple. We talked to installers—a lot of them—as we were creating our tendering platform.

They told us what mattered to them when looking at projects; what parts of the tendering process drove them crazy; what made them sit up a bit straighter.

In the end, this is what we came up with—an experience we like to call, 'tendering without the noise'.

📨 Pre-qualified customers sent straight to their inbox
📋 Project details compiled in a clear, concise format
🚀 Responses submitted in 13 questions or less
🔑 Hands-on support in arranging access for surveys

Sounds pretty good, right? If you're an installer and want to find out more, us out at https://hubs.li/Q02QnNGN0.

CQuel’s streamlined tendering platform connects you with pre-qualified customers and reduces time spend on bids.

06/09/2024

🔋 Similar to what we saw with solar PV, public incentives and technological advancements are poised to drive down the cost of battery storage.

Grid-scale batteries are taking off at last

05/09/2024

💬 "Great decarbonisation plans often end up gathering dust in a drawer."

We've heard this story across the real estate industry, from asset managers to ESG consultancies. It's one thing to make a plan—it's another to get it implemented.

This has become the north star of our tendering platform: to streamline procurement, and overcome blockers on time and resources that prevent plans from turning into reality.

⏩ Tenders created in < 30 minutes
🦺 Responses in < 7 days
⭐ Tap into our marketplace of 100+ pre-vetted installers
💡 Easily compare quotes to find your perfect match

Think this sounds like something you might need? Find out more at:

CQuel makes decarbonising feel seamless by connecting you to the right expertise, technologies and installers for your project, all on one platform.

24/07/2024

The UK Government are awarding the sixth round of their Contracts for Difference allocation this summer. How will it impact our trajectory to net zero?

Contracts for Difference (CfD) is the government's primary mechanism for supporting renewable energy projects. This allocation (AR6) has the largest budget of any CfD auction to date, set at £1b+.

☀️ Solar and onshore wind projects will be allocated £120m, while £105m will be given to floating offshore wind and geothermal, and £800m ringfenced for offshore wind.

🚫 Last year the auction received no bids for offshore wind projects, as developers felt the price set for electricity generated was too low. This was considered a "multi-billion pound lost opportunity".

📣 Experts at Carbon Brief and Ember are calling for the budget to be increased in order for the UK to have a fighting chance at hitting net zero targets.

📈 According to Ember's Senior Energy and Climate Analyst, increasing the AR6 budget by 25% would deliver an additional 1GW of renewables—the equivalent of heating 630,000 homes using fossil fuels.

Tell us your thoughts on these projections. How do the Labour Government need to rethink their CfD scheme if they're to hit their 2030 deadline for clean energy? 🤔

22/07/2024

✅ What's on CQuel's wishlist for the future National Energy System Operator?

By summer 2024, the UK government will have established the National Energy System Operator, a new public corporation in charge of planning the UK's gas and electricity networks. Here are a few things we'd like to see from them:

🚦 Prioritise increasing grid capacity. Electrification will bring increased demand on the grid, and there's already a backlog of renewable energy projects waiting to connect!

🌈 Given their remit of assessing our energy supply's resilience and security, we'd expect a strong focus on boosting homegrown renewables and fostering a diversified energy mix.

👍 Create more incentives for renewable energy generators, such as increasing government support, encouraging community ownership and streamlining planning processes.

What issues would you like our future NESO to tackle? Let us know! 👀

18/07/2024

🤔 "If the UK grid is indeed powered by 100% renewable energy by 2030, doesn't that mean our buildings will be entirely run off clean energy too? Why do we still need to decarbonise our buildings?"

There are actually several reasons why it's now more important than ever to retrofit your buildings for net zero!

💰 A shift towards renewable energy will likely include policies that discourage fossil fuel usage, which may make it more expensive to run equipment like gas boilers.

🤝 Buildings that are fully equipped to take advantage of a clean grid will be much more valuable to customers and buyers.

📉 Technology that improves your building' efficiency, like heat pumps and HVAC optimisations, is the best way to reduce operating costs, no matter what kind of energy they use.

🪴 On-site renewable sources, like solar PVs, will still lessen your dependency on the grid, and protect you from price fluctuations.

Has Labour's new deadline of 100% clean energy by 2030 impacted your business' sustainability strategy? We'd love to hear about it! 💭

15/07/2024

💡With their impressive ROI and compatibility with existing fixtures, LED retrofits are often a no-brainer for property owners and their teams.

But have you ever wondered how a retrofit might differ from a dedicated system, and what other benefits LED can bring to the table? Well, let our guide to LED retrofits light the way.

Read our comprehensive guide on LED lighting retrofits for businesses in 2024. Learn more from the experts at CQuel about how switching to LED can cut energy bills, reduce emissions, and improve light quality.

11/07/2024

What is Great British Energy, and what impact will it have on renewable energy projects in the UK? It's early doors still for Labour's big flagship green policy, but here's a breakdown on what we know so far: ⬇️

⚡ GB Energy will be a state-owned renewable energy company, and is central to Labour's commitment to completely decarbonise the UK grid by 2030.

🏗️ Unlike France's EDF, which builds, owns and operates its own energy projects, GB Energy will mainly invest in new technologies, like floating offshore wind, and partner on renewable energy projects with local authorities and the private sector.

👷 Some critics argue that focusing on emerging technologies is a distraction, when the government should be doubling down on scaling proven technologies.

🤝 Proponents say that having government support for projects like offshore wind farms will be vital to diversifying the UK's energy supply and bringing the UK's offshore wind sector into British public ownership. Currently, only 0.03% of UK offshore wind is owned by UK public entities.

What are your thoughts on GB Energy? Do you think it'll be the lynchpin in Labour's clean energy plans, or is it an unhelpful distraction? 💭

05/07/2024

On the campaign trail, Labour promised to make the UK a "clean energy superpower".

Time for them to deliver on that promise.

Labour’s victory, alongside strong Green performance, gives next PM mandate to be bold on net zero, say campaigners