Archived press release

UK's first solar powered recording studio opens in London

30 June 2006

The UK's first professional solar powered recording studio opens today (Friday 30 June) at The Premises, a east London studio used by top musicians including Hard Fi, The Magic Numbers, Charlotte Church and Jamie Cullum.

Friends of the Earth welcomed the new studio and called on the Government to use the forthcoming Energy Review to make it make it easier and cheaper for businesses to make the most out of solar power and other micro generation technologies. The Government is due to announce the results of its Energy Review, which is investigating how the UK should meet its future energy needs, in July.

Solar powered Studio `A' has already been dubbed `the cleverest studio in Europe' by Legendary US record producer Bob Rose. The studio, which was designed by Roger D'Arcy of Recording Architecture to be energy neutral, is powered by18 hybrid crystalline solar panels fixed to the roof.

The Infadels, Absentee and ClayHill are due to perform at the opening which also marks the 21^st anniversary of the studio. Guests will also be asked to record a note that will be mixed into a `solar powered' music track.

The Premises Managing Director, Julia Craik said:

"The idea of a solar powered studio has certainly raised a few eyebrows but it works brilliantly. We've been doing dry runs with bands like Bloc Party and the audio quality is phenomenal. These days more and more music artists are thinking about their `carbon footprint', so it was only a matter of time before a fully fledged eco-studio became a reality."

Friends of the Earth Director, Tony Juniper said:

"The Premises solar powered studio highlights how businesses can use modern technology to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions and save money. Friends of the Earths climate campaign, The Big Ask, is calling for the Government to make it easier and cheaper for businesses to make the most of solar power and similar technologies"

The Big Ask Campaign is calling for the introduction of a new climate change law which would force the Government to make annual cuts in the amount carbon dioxide emitted by the UK. This would include introducing schemes that would help homes and business to be more energy efficient and to source their energy from renewable sources.

Notes

The solar powered studio will be launched as part of The Premises open evening from 4pm - 12pm on 30^th June 2006. The Infidels, Absentee and Clay Hill will perform at the opening party and guests will also be asked to record a note that will be mixed into a `solar powered' music track.

For more information go to www.premisesstudios.com

The Big Ask campaign is calling for a new law to commit the Government to reducing the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by 3 percent every year. A Climate Change Law would force the Government to take action to reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions - for example by making it easier and cheaper for homeowners and business to make their own homes energy efficient or use their own supplies of clean energy such as solar panels. The law would also give business the clarity and confidence they need to invest in the solutions to climate change.

For more information go to www.thebigask.com

The results of the Governments Energy Strategy Review are due out in July 2006. The review was set up to investigate how the UK should meet its future energy needs. The Energy Review will assess progress against the four goals set by the Government in its 2003 Energy White Paper: to put the UK on a path to cut its carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 percent by 2050 with real progress by 2020; to maintain the reliability of energy supplies; to promote competitive markets in the UK and beyond; and to ensure that every home is adequately and affordably heated. It will also specifically ask whether or not the UK should build a new generation of nuclear power stations

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust