Alex Salmond could be forced to abandon his ambitious 100% green energy target if Scotland votes for independence, a team of academics has warned. The group of energy specialists from four universities across the UK argues that an independent Scotland would have to fund far more of the billions needed to subsidise renewable energy such as offshore windfarms and wave and tidal devices on its own, because it would lose significant financial support from consumers across the UK.

Ancient stone bridges with water pouring over the parapets, their narrow arches choked by fallen trees and debris washed down swollen rivers, have been recurring images in reporting the myriad floods of the past sodden years – and the bridges have often been blamed for damming the rivers' flow and causing misery to nearby communities.

As torrential rains wash away the snows, causing more floods in many parts of the country, English Heritage is launching a pilot study to establish whether the 7,000 listed bridges in its care are the villains or the victims of flooding.

The Green Deal needs to involve more small, local builders to work, as red-tape and negative publicity threaten to scupper the Government’s flagship energy-efficiency policy before it gets off the ground, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Just over a quarter (27%) of small to medium-sized (SME) construction firms are planning to get involved in the Green Deal according to a  recent survey by the FMB, but many said the application and accreditation process was overly complicated, while householders were unaware of the potential benefits because of a lack of positive publicity about the scheme.

Scientists have identified willow trees that yield five times as much sugar as ordinary varieties, "drastically reducing" the impact of biofuels.

UK researchers found that if the trees grew at an angle, they produced a special kind of wood that resulted in the higher sugar content.

Willow, a short rotation coppice crop, is widely grown as a source for the biofuel and biomass industries.

The findings appear in the Biotechnology for Biofuels journal.