UK Energy Crisis

Local energy production

2006-03-07T09:14:00.000-08:00

A report released today announced that adding new nuclear power stations will lead to higher carbon emissions, more reliance on gas and will be more expensive when compared to producing energy locally.

The report, called Decentralising UK Energy, concluded that 'decentralising' power - generating heat and electricity close to where it is needed will negate any need for nuclear power, as well as being cheaper, less of a pollutant and will decrease the UK's reliance on gas.

Decentralised energy is able to provide benefits because it produces power close to where it is needed whereas the current UK system is centralised, and it relies on a small number of large power stations that can create electricity miles away from the point of consumption; this method, developed in the 1930s, is so inefficient that two-thirds of the energy in the fuel is wasted before it reaches homes and workplaces.

This huge loss of energy, enough to provide central heating and hot water to all the buildings in the UK, occurs because large power stations away from towns and cities discard heat through cooling towers and cooling water, and lose more power transporting the energy long distances through power lines.

A decentralised system would not transport electricity long distances and as such there would be less wasted.

Renewable energy for London

2006-03-06T04:58:00.000-08:00

The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone today announced that EDF Energy has been chosen to work in partnership with the London Climate Change Agency to drive forward work that will aims to provide more efficient and sustainable energy supplies for the capital.

EDF Energy will tackle climate change by developing local sustainable energy solutions to London’s power, heating and cooling needs and will identify and develop sites across the capital where investment in sustainable energy technology would help to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, which are contributing to global warming.

At a time when energy prices are rising energy efficiency has never been more important.

The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said: "The issue of Climate Change is shooting up the list of priorities for Londoners.

"We must take bold steps to address global warming and it is essential that we become more efficient in the way we produce, distribute and use energy.

"The partnership with EDF Energy places London at the forefront of tackling climate change by encouraging the use of combined heat and power and renewable energy.

"Not only could this lead to a more secure and sustainable energy supply for London, but also to reduced household bills.

"I launched the London Climate Change Agency last year - following a proposal from Deputy Mayor Nicky Gavron - to deliver ground-breaking energy efficiency and renewable energy projects across London.

"Working in partnership with EDF Energy, we can drive forward our work to tackle climate change."

Chief Executive of EDF Energy, Vincent de Rivaz, said: "We are delighted to have been chosen to provide London with its own sustainable energy infrastructure.

"As a company, our history is firmly rooted in London, we distribute power to London’s homes and businesses, we work with London’s communities and we were the first company to sign up as a Premier Partner of the bid to bring the Olympics to our city.

"EDF Energy believes that a diverse mix of energy is the key to security of supply for the UK in the longer term and central to the fight against climate change. Local solutions will need to play their part as part of that diverse mix.

"The task of providing sustainable, local energy projects which help to reduce carbon emissions is a big one but it is one to which we can bring our extensive expertise.

"I am hugely proud to be involved in this initiative, which will create a benchmark for other capital cities to follow."

Energy efficiency tips

2006-03-06T04:54:00.000-08:00

Insulate your home. Lay down glass wool insulation about 4ins thick in your loft, lag the hot water tank, draught-proof windows and doors.

Get the cavity between the inner and outer walls of your house filled. Specialists use foam or other heat-retaining substances to do this. It isn't cheap but pays for itself in lower heating bills.

Double-glaze windows. The gap between panes traps a layer of still air, retaining heat.

Use heavy material to line curtains or, even better, buy a special thermal interlining. Take care that longer curtains don't drape over radiators, blocking their heat.

Wood floors may be trendy, but they conduct heat away through the floor more than carpets. A good underlay will also stop this waste. Use draught-proofing strips around doors and windows, while ensuring adequate ventilation wherever there are gas appliances.

Buy energy-efficient electrical appliances. The amount of CO2 used depends on ratings, measured in watts. Washing machines and tumble dryers now have efficiency ratings clearly marked. Although TVs and fridges have lower ratings, they are on for longer, so check their ratings too.

Close the fridge door, even if you'll go back to it soon. For every minute the door is open, the motor has to run for three minutes to cool the inside down.

Put a full load in your washing machine before you start your wash. Use lower temperatures - today's laundry powders work at much reduced levels.

Use a washing line or indoor washing horse whenever possible. Tumble dryers use twice as much energy as a washing machine.

Energy-efficient lightbulbs use 80% less electricity for the same amount of light. They cost more but soon pay for themselves.

Take a shower instead of a bath.

Cook several dishes at once in your oven. On the hob, put lids on saucepans. Instead of using the grill for toast, use an electric toaster. Microwaves use less energy than ovens.

Don't leave your television on standby. This is the norm in thousands of households, but in each case it uses £7 worth of electricity a year. The same is true of videos, DVD players and stereos.

Turn down your central heating. A one-degree adjustment on your thermostat could knock hundreds of pounds off your fuel bill.

Don't fill the kettle to the brim to make just one cup of tea.

De-ice your fridge. An iced-up refrigerator uses twice as much energy to keep food cool as an ice-free device.

Northern Ireland government promote renewable energy

2006-03-03T05:23:00.000-08:00

The Stormont estate is to go green and embrace renewable energy under a new British government drive to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels in Northern Ireland, it was announced this week.

Householders in the province will also be invited to apply for the most generous discounts in the UK to switch to solar power, biomass, wind power or geothermal energy.

It is understood that the Secretary of State will announce the measures, including initiatives to tackle fuel poverty, as part of a £59.2m funding package to increase growth in the renewable energy market.

Peter Hain warned: "We are facing two potentially catastrophic scenarios: a threat to our security of energy supply, and even more dangerous, global warming which has seen the ten warmest years on record since 1990 and threatens the very future of our planet.

We must take action now to reduce the amount of energy we use and reduce the levels of harmful emissions from our energy usage to help protect the environment.

This fund is designed to help everyone in Northern Ireland contribute to doing so."

Under the proposals the Stormont estate in east Belfast will be heated by a wood-based fuel instead of gas and 40% of its electricity will be sourced from renewable energy sources

The exceptions will be Stormont Castle and the Parliament Buildings as both have a separate pipework system.

Up to 4,000 householders will be encouraged to follow the Government`s scheme and take advantage of large discounts, between 30% and 50%, as an incentive to change their energy supplies to renewable sources. At present an estimated 400 homes in the province use renewable energy but within two years it is hoped that figure will increase more than ten-fold.

The cost of a biomass boiler is between £4,500 to £8,000 while solar panels retail at approximately £3,000. Geothermal systems can be up to £8,000 while a one kilowatt wind turbine sells for £1,500.

The discounts will likely be available on a first-come-first-served basis and the Government will pledge to invest £9m to tackle fuel poverty and install 600 solar hot water systems in Housing Executive properties.

The Environment and Renewable Energy Fund for 2006-08 will also pledge money for additional research in the field, including an assessment of the value of compressed air as an energy source.

The fund is expected to generate around £300 million of additional private sector investment in renewable energy sources which will accelerate the use of solar energy, photovoltaic panels, wave and tidal power, geothermal heat pumps, wind turbines and biomass.

By 2012 the Government hopes to ensure that 12% of the province`s electricity consumption comes from renewable energy.

Cumbrian wind farm plan rejected

2006-03-03T05:07:00.000-08:00

The UK government rejected on Thursday 2nd March 2006, an application to build a large wind farm in Cumbria due to the impact it would have on the landscape.

The UK is relying on expanding wind power to meet its renewable energy targets, however, many of the schemes face fierce local opposition to the wind farms.

This wind farm would have been built on land near the scenic Lake District and it would have produced clean electricity for over 45,000 homes.

The project would have had a capacity of between 67 and 81 megawatts, depending on the size of the turbines used in the scheme.

The UK is looking towards wind power to provide much of its target of generating 10% of the country's power from green sources by 2010. This would be an increase of 6% from what it is currently today.

This year a record number of onshore wind projects are being built totalling 600 megawatts of capacity and it is claimed by the British Wind Energy Association that onshore wind could provide at least 5% of the UK's power by 2010.

Future household energy bill debts

2006-03-03T04:53:00.000-08:00

Increasing household bills will hit consumers in the pocket to the tune of approximtely £2.6bn this year. This is equivalent to nearly a penny on income tax, new research shows.

Analysts at consultants Capital Economics say inflation busting increases in gas, electricity, water and council tax bills will threaten the recovery in consumer spending and they warn that fresh increases in oil or wholesale gas prices could see domestic utility bills rising yet again.

Powergen unveiled a record 24.4% increase in the price of gas, and said it was also raising electricity bills by 18.4% from 10 March. This is in addition to increases from British Gas, EDF Energy and Scottish Power, averaging-20% for gas and 13.9% for electricity. The water watchdog, Ofwat, has warned the average water and sewerage bill will rise by £15, or 5.5%, at the start of April.

Energy bills increase

2006-03-03T04:46:00.000-08:00

Home owners received another blow to their budgets after energy giant Powergen announced that energy bills for their customers are to rise by as much as 24%.

Powergen who have approximately six million customers in Britain, blamed wholesale gas costs for the rise in electricity bills of 18.4% and gas of 24.4%.

The increases, which come into force on 10th March, are the largest in Powergen's history. They add £56 to an average annual electricity bill, with gas customers facing an increase of £107.

They are the latest in a series of price rises facing householders in the United Kingdom. Consumer groups warn that bill payers are now facing the choice between "putting food on the table and staying warm".

Water bills issued by United Utilities have already increased by 8.4%, with further rises expected in coming years.

British Gas announced a 22% rise earlier this month.