tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61487541277233899322024-02-19T09:48:21.932+00:00GREEN TECH FOR THE HOMEEco Friendly LivingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger845125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-72769937603617400622022-07-02T19:18:00.002+01:002022-07-02T19:18:59.143+01:00League Table of UK Feed in tariff PV<p> </p><div class="entry-content" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a237e; font-family: Poppins, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16.5px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h1 style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 2.4375rem !important; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; outline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Smart Export Guarantee</h1></div><div class="entry-content" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #1a237e; font-family: Poppins, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span class="first-element-fix" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; background: transparent; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16.5px; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><p class="has-large-font-size" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a237e; font-family: Poppins, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--large) !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; outline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">League Table.</p><p style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a237e; font-family: Poppins, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16.5px; margin: 1.21875rem 0px 0px; outline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Smart Export Guarantee is the new way to get paid for your power. If you have a solar PV system, and generate more power than you need, the surplus will be put onto the grid. Under the Smart Export Guarantee, electricity suppliers offer payment for each unit of power you export to the grid. </p><p style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a237e; font-family: Poppins, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16.5px; margin: 1.21875rem 0px 0px; outline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Our league table reveals which suppliers are offering the best rates. Note that the best rate may not always mean the best energy package. Solar Energy UK recommends shopping around for the best deal. </p><p style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.21875rem 0px 0px; outline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #1a237e; font-family: Poppins, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="font-size: 16.5px;">https://solarenergyuk.org/resource/smart-export-guarantee/</span></span></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-65784176158293869432022-06-27T18:06:00.008+01:002022-06-27T18:52:27.512+01:00Plan to cut energy bills<p> <b class="ssrcss-hmf8ql-BoldText e5tfeyi3" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #141414; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Households could get discounts on electricity bills if they use less energy at peak times.</b></p><div class="ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86" data-component="text-block" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #141414; font-family: ReithSans, Helvetica, Arial, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1rem 0px; max-width: 36.25rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">National Grid hopes to roll out a scheme where people can save cash if they avoid high-power activities, such as cooking or charging electric cars, when demand is high.</p></div></div><div class="ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86" data-component="text-block" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #141414; font-family: ReithSans, Helvetica, Arial, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1rem 0px; max-width: 36.25rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The move follows a trial where Octopus Energy offered incentives for 100,000 customers who reduced consumption.</p></div></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #141414; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Reducing your energy bill a little by switching on appliances at a "cheaper" time of day is not, as Octopus boss Greg Jackson says, life changing. Nor is it a new idea.</span></p><div class="ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86" data-component="text-block" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #141414; font-family: ReithSans, Helvetica, Arial, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1rem 0px; max-width: 36.25rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">But any way to keep costs down will be looked at with interest by consumers who are only seeing their bill go one way at the moment - and that's up.</p></div></div><div class="ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86" data-component="text-block" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #141414; font-family: ReithSans, Helvetica, Arial, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1rem 0px; max-width: 36.25rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It has long been the selling point of smart meters, that this kind of thing is made easier is monitor and reward when suppliers have a minute-by-record of your energy use.</p></div></div><div class="ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i86" data-component="text-block" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #141414; font-family: ReithSans, Helvetica, Arial, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1rem 0px; max-width: 36.25rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">But there will be some safety concerns. For example, a fire caused by a faulty washing machine or tumble dryer is more of a risk to life if it occurs in the middle of the night, when everyone at home is upstairs asleep, than it would during the day.</p><p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00" style="border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-78421243539481535662016-07-12T09:42:00.002+01:002016-07-12T09:42:57.232+01:00The Smart Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A smart home is one in which the various electric and electronic appliances are wired up to a central computer control system so they can either be switched on and off at certain times (for example, heating can be set to come on automatically at 6:00AM on winter mornings) or if certain events happen (lights can be set to come on only when a photoelectric sensor detects that it's dark).<br /> These devices communicate with each other on your home network or via Bluetooth, doing things like sharing information, transferring files and digital media and providing remote access and control for domestic appliances.<br />Many connected home devices such as heating, lighting and security systems can be controlled remotely by a smartphone, tablet or computer, typically via an app.<br /> The most common connected devices are computers, games consoles and Smart TVs, but over the last few years the number and type of connected devices has expanded to include connected heating systems, lights, kettles, vacuum cleaners, scales and security cameras.<br />Accessories that can connect to the internet such as locks, door sensors and even babies’ dummies can be smartphone-controlled and typically use Bluetooth to connect to your smartphone.<br />Collectively, these devices are part of the Internet of Things.<br /> Many connected home devices can also be controlled remotely. Connected heating systems such as Nest’s Protect or British Gas’s Hive allow you to turn your heating on and off remotely using a phone, so if you get back home late one night you don’t waste money heating your house while you are away.<br />Connected home devices can also work together. Nest’s system includes a thermostat and the Nest Protect smoke/carbon monoxide detector, and if the latter detects a carbon monoxide leak, it will communicate with the thermostat to turn the heating off.<br />America is slightly ahead of the UK in terms of connected-home technology, Amazon Echo, an internet-connected hub that works with Alexa, a cloud-based voice system that can respond to voice commands.<br />Echo and Alexa work with smart home gadgets made by other companies. Using their voice, Ford owners can lock/unlock their car doors, Philips Hue users can dim their home lights or Nest owners can adjust the thermostat temperature.<br />If you're elderly or disabled, home automation systems like this can make all the difference to your quality of life, but they bring important benefits for the rest of us as well. Most obviously, they improve home security, comfort, and convenience. More importantly, if they incorporate energy monitors, such as thermostats, or sensors that cut the lights to unoccupied rooms, they can help you reduce household energy bills; automated systems such as Bye Bye Standby, which cut the power to appliances when they're not being used, can dramatically reduce the energy wasted by appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, and TVs when they're not actually being used.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com105tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-86290884604981940072015-09-04T19:21:00.000+01:002015-09-04T19:21:13.878+01:00Slashing household solar subsides will kill off industry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Guardian Text Egyptian Web, Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">The government wants to slash by 87% subsidies for householders who install solar panels on their rooftops, in a move that renewable energy experts warn could kill off a promising industry.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Guardian Text Egyptian Web', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px;">The potential reductions in the level of feed-in tariff (FIT), contained in a long-awaited consultation document released by the Department of Energy & Climate Change (Decc), and are far larger than expected.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Guardian Text Egyptian Web, Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">The assault on solar power comes after ministerial decisions to remove financial aid from new onshore wind farms and slash home energy efficiency measures. There is even speculation that Decc could be wound up as a standalone department.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Guardian Text Egyptian Web, Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">From 1 January, ministers are proposing reducing the feed-in tariff for smaller scale solar installations from 12.47p per kilowatt hour to 1.63p with large standalone units eligible for subsidies of 1.03p per kWh, compared with 4.28p today.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Guardian Text Egyptian Web, Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">The government has blamed concerns that the £7.6bn budget for renewables will be drastically overspent, and argues that solar and onshore wind should be able to largely support themselves.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Guardian Text Egyptian Web, Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/aug/27/slashing-household-solar-subsides-kill-off-industry-government-feed-in-tariff">full article</a></span></span></div>
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<a class="rich-link__link" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background: transparent; color: inherit; cursor: pointer;">The government’s efforts to kill off the solar industry and lead us to fracking hell</a></h1>
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<strong>Letters:</strong> Solar power is citizen power, so – if you do not want a toxic nuclear future or degraded fracked landscapes and lives – keep building those solar roofs, because each single one is footstep to a cleaner, safer, freer energy future</div>
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Read more</div>
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<a class="rich-link__link u-faux-block-link__overlay" href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/aug/30/the-governments-efforts-to-kill-off-the-solar-industry-and-lead-us-to-fracking-hell" style="background: transparent; bottom: 0px; cursor: pointer; left: 0px; opacity: 0; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 200%; top: 0px; white-space: nowrap; z-index: 2;"></a></div>
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</aside>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-22177338315446770792015-08-11T21:30:00.000+01:002015-08-11T21:32:15.210+01:00Solar PV Still Cost Effective<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1000003814697px;">A 4kWp system can generate around 3,800 kilowatt hours of electricity a year in the south of England – roughly equivalent to a typical household's electricity needs. It will save nearly two tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. A 4kWp system in Scotland can generate about 3,200 kilowatt hours of electricity a year – more than three quarters of a typical household's electricity needs. It will save more than a tonne and a half of carbon dioxide every year.</span></span></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; width: 712px;" summary="Savings"><thead style="box-sizing: border-box;">
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System size</div>
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Feed-in-Tariff generation payment (£/year)</div>
</th><th rowspan="2" scope="col" style="background-color: #400120; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; padding: 0.5em;">Feed-in-Tariff export payment (£/year)</th><th rowspan="2" scope="col" style="background-color: #400120; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; padding: 0.5em;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.15em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Electricity bill savings (£/year)</div>
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Carbon dioxide savings (kgCO2/year)</div>
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<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><th scope="col" style="background-color: #400120; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; padding: 0.5em;">Valid between 1st April - 30th June 2015</th><th scope="col" style="background-color: #400120; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; padding: 0.5em;">Valid between 1st July - 30th September 2015</th></tr>
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<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">London, South England</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">4kWp</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£510</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£495</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£90</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£135</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">1,870 kg</td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">Aberystwyth, Wales</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">4kWp</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£480</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£460</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£85</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£125</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">1,750 kg</td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">Manchester, North England</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">4kWp</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£450</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£435</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£80</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£120</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">1,650 kg</td></tr>
<tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">Stirling, Scotland</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">4kWp</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£425</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£410</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£75</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">£110</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0.5em;">1,560 kg</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1000003814697px;">The average domestic solar PV system is 4kWp and costs £5,000 - 8,000 (including VAT at 5 per cent). </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1000003814697px;">When Fits (</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1000003814697px;">Feed-in Tariff</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1000003814697px;"> ) </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1000003814697px;">were first launched in 2010, a typical large domestic photovoltaic system cost £15,000-£18,000 to install. Early adopters were promised 41.3p per kilowatt hour (kWh) generated for 25 years, plus generous savings on their electricity bills worth up to £160 a year. Incomes and savings of more than £30,000 were promised for a £15,000 investment.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1000003814697px;">Price falls in PV panels over the past five years mean that the same system can now be installed for £5,000-£6,000 – and the government has responded by cutting the income paid accordingly. Those installing a system before 30 September this year now receive 12.92p per kWh if they live in a home that is energy performance certificate band D or above.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1000003814697px;">You still need a south facing, unshaded roof, ideally at a 45-degree pitch. Those who live in the south will get the highest income. Someone installing a £6,000 panel system on such a roof in Hertfordshire can expect an income and electricity bill savings of around £600 a year. Payments are index linked and are guaranteed for the next 20 years.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1000003814697px;">For an accurate calculation of how much your roof will generate use the EnergySavingsTrust calculator.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-89839185760367097082015-08-04T18:09:00.001+01:002015-08-04T18:09:41.532+01:00Apple's HomeKit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The first products to take advantage of Apple’s smart home technology were unveiled today, just days before the start of the company’s Worldwide Developer Conference.<br />
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Five device makers announced products that dim the lights or adjust room temperature with a spoken command or control fans and other home appliances from the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Two products are available now, with others reaching stores in the coming weeks.<br />
IHome, a maker of iPhone- and iPod-compatible clock radios and audio
accessories, said its first HomeKit product would begin reaching stores
in late June. Its SmartPlug allows consumers to use Siri to control
their lighting, fans and other home devices.<br />
Lutron Electronics’ Caséta Wireless Lighting Starter Kit provides
wireless plugs, remote control dimmer switches and a smart bridge, which
allows homeowners to adjust their lights (and, in some cases, the
window shades and thermostats) without leaving their couches. Its
software will even send a notification if the homeowner has left without
turning off the lights. It is available now.<br />
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Toronto-based Ecobee announced that its wireless thermostat now works
with HomeKit, allowing users to adjust their heating or cooling using
Siri on their iPhone or iPad, while Insteon’s HomeKit-compatible hub
lets consumers control a range of home gadgets, from door locks and
garage door openers to lightbulbs. HomeKit is on sale today online.<br />
HomeKit is a system for connecting smart home devices through iOS.<br />
Apple allows for either WiFi or Bluetooth low energy (LE)-enabled devices to get certified as a HomeKit accessory. Apple is requiring device makers using both WiFi and Bluetooth LE to use complicated encryption with 3072-bit keys, as well as the super secure Curve25519, which is an elliptic curve used for digital signatures and exchanging encrypted keys.<br />
“These security protocols are bleeding edge,” said Diogo Monica, a security lead at Docker and an IEEE security expert.<br />
WiFi-enabled devices can handle these security requirements, but it seems devices running over Bluetooth LE are having some issues. The intensive processing demands for generating and sending these security keys is what’s likely causing these lag times.<br />
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Such lag times render many of these devices useless. For example, a smartlock that makes its user wait 40 seconds before it opens is clearly inferior to a traditional lock. One of HomeKit’s selling point is that it provides a more reliable user experience, so these kinds of lag times will need to be sorted out before Apple can become a major platform for the smart home.<br />
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People with an August smart lock fitted to their front door can now use an Apple Watch to lock and unlock their home with 'just a swipe and a tap'.<br />
The watch app also tells users who has recently come and gone as well as receiving a notification when someone enters of leaves their house.<br />
The August lock is made of 'durable anodized aluminium' and can be managed using the app which works on a smartphone and Apple Watch, as well as online.<br />
Owners of the lock, created by technology entrepreneur Jason Johnson and industrial designer Yves Behar, can already lock and unlock their door with their iPhone, but the watch will make the process more convenient, because the 'digital key' is already on their wrist.<br />
The battery-operated lock, which launched last year, costs $249 (£160) and its makers claim, takes just 10 minutes to install.<br />
It includes deadbolt adapters and faceplates that work with around 90 per cent of locks on the market in the US.<br />
The encrypted locking technology issues registered devices such as smartphones or the Apple Watch, or invited devices, with unique codes that can't be copied.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-56763978474416890422015-08-02T19:42:00.001+01:002015-08-02T19:42:41.446+01:00Obama's clean energy plan expected to boost renewables<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After a year of consultations and over 4 million public comments, President Obama's Clean Power Plan will be finalised early next week.</div>
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The strategy will outline restrictions on CO2 from electricity that individual states will have to implement.</div>
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The EPA said that emissions from electricity generation need to be reduced by 30% of the 2005 level by 2030.</div>
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At that time the EPA said that individual states need to get their plans in place by 2016 and they were to become operational by 2020.</div>
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But after consultations with industry, states and 4.3 million comments from the public, the EPA is likely to extend the deadline for the start of carbon cutting until 2022.</div>
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The thinking appears to be that a shorter deadline makes it more likely that states will switch from coal to natural gas, as they have been doing in recent years.</div>
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It's expected that there will be increased support for solar, wind and other renewable sources</div>
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A longer timeframe supports the view that energy efficiency, renewables and emissions trading between states could all play a greater role, and result in bigger carbon savings over time.</div>
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Experts believe that the delay will come with some sweeteners to encourage the take-up of renewable energy sources like wind and solar.</div>
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International observers are keenly awaiting details of the plan, to see how it might affect UN-sponsored talks on climate change, that are due to agree a new global treaty later this year.</div>
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The US has put forward a proposal to cut its overall emissions by 26-28% of their 2005 levels by 2025. The widespread acceptance and implementation of the electricity plan is vital to achieving this target.</div>
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Follow Matt on Twitter @mattmcgrathbbc.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-91716071146587177742015-08-02T14:29:00.000+01:002015-08-02T14:29:44.964+01:00Most Green Fuel Efficient Car<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today the selection of efficient, lower-pollution cars includes a bewildering array of technologies and models — hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery electrics, diesels and hydrogen fuel cells. Conventional gasoline cars, meanwhile, have made great strides in going farther on less fuel.<br />
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Battery electric cars — those that run solely on electricity — are the cleanest and least expensive to operate. But they typically get only about 80 miles of driving range on a full charge (Tesla's Model S is the exception, traveling more than 250 miles on a charge, but it typically sells for about $100,000.)<br />
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"Electric vehicles are the greenest choice for California drivers," said Dave Reichmuth, senior engineer at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "But even switching to a more efficient gasoline vehicle can lead to significant emissions reductions and lower petroleum use."<br />
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Battery electric<br />
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For the true environmentalist, nothing beats an electric car charged by renewable energy sources. Homeowners with rooftop solar panels can literally drive on sunshine. Electric car buyers also get generous state subsidies.<br />
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But even electric cars powered by the grid produce less carbon emissions than other vehicles. More surprising, the efficiency doesn't necessarily exact a penalty in performance.<br />
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"A lot of people don't realize that the electric motor has a lot more torque from a stop, which means the cars can be fun to drive," Reichmuth said.<br />
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But there are drawbacks. All but the Tesla have ranges under 100 miles. They can take hours to charge. They are generally more expensive than a similar gasoline vehicle.<br />
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Hydrogen fuel cell</div>
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Hydrogen powered cars are finally entering the U.S. auto market after years of anticipation. Hyundai is leasing its Tucson fuel cell vehicle to consumers who live near the handful of hydrogen stations in California. </div>
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Like electric cars, fuel cells are expensive but come with generous government subsidies to buyers. The bigger obstacle for buyers will be fueling infrastructure — just 20 stations are expected to be in operation in California by the end of this year.</div>
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Because natural gas is used to make most hydrogen, fuel cell cars are also not as clean as battery electrics. On the plus side, they can be fueled up as quickly as gasoline vehicles and have a range of about 300 miles between refills.</div>
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Diesel</div>
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Although popular in Europe, diesel has never caught on in the U.S. You see it stateside in German passenger cars, domestic pickup trucks and in commercial trucking. But modern diesel engines are cleaner, less noisy and more efficient than they have ever been.</div>
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They also offer a great driving experience and ranges of more than 500 miles, making them ideal for those with long highway commutes. When it comes to carbon emissions "diesel pencils out about the same as an efficient gasoline car but not quite as efficient as the hybrids," Reichmuth said.</div>
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Compressed natural gas</div>
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Once thought of as a promising transitional technology on the road to hydrogen and electric cars, compressed natural gas cars have driven into a dead end. Honda is discontinuing its natural gas Civic after the current model year, and no other automaker is stepping in with a passenger car that runs only on CNG.</div>
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Natural gas cars are only a little more polluting than a comparable hybrid, and they are less expensive to fuel. But the CNG tanks take up too much space, limiting the size of the cabin and trunk, and their driving range is limited. The CNG Civic travels less than half the distance on one fueling than the gasoline model and only a third of the hybrid.</div>
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.Hybrid</div>
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With the exception of the Toyota Prius, hybrids have never achieved the popularity some environmental groups and auto industry analysts expected. A variety of factors hold back sales. For instance, to reduce weight and improve fuel efficiency, automakers have removed sound deadening materials, allowing road and wind noise into the cabin, especially at highway speeds.</div>
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Hybrids cost more than regular cars. With the average price of regular gasoline now well under $3 a gallon nationally, the payback period on gas savings can be long.</div>
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Still, hybrids are a great choice for those who drive many miles — especially in stop-and-go traffic, when the cars recapture energy during braking to power electric motors that help propel the car and save gas. . A compact hybrid generates about 240 grams of carbon dioxide per mile, or just 55% of the amount generated by a conventional gasoline car that gets 25 mpg.</div>
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Some are exceptionally well done. The Honda Accord hybrid is a full-size, family sedan that gets 47 mpg in combined driving and goes more than 550 miles between gas station stops.</div>
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Plug-in hybrid</div>
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Plug-in hybrids run on electricity until their batteries are drained and then switch to gasoline. They're the Swiss Army knife of green cars.</div>
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Diesels</div>
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Diesel engines are cleaner, less noisy and more efficient than ever. Above, a diesel-powered Audi A3. (Tribune News Service)</div>
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The Volt has an all-electric range of 38 miles. As a group, Volt owners drive about 60% of their miles on electricity alone. Many drive nearly exclusively on electricity, using the gas mode only for long-distance trips. That's why Volt carbon emissions approach the levels of fuel cell vehicles and battery-only electric cars. It's also one of the least expensive vehicles to operate. Just $6.83 in power and fuel will take you 100 miles. Those numbers are expected to improve for owners of the next generation Volt, which comes out this year with an all-electric range of 50 miles.</div>
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But not all plug-in hybrids are equal. The Prius plug-in has an all-electric range of just 11 miles, making it barely useful for running the children back and forth to school. The all-electric mode on the Accord plug-in is just 13 miles.</div>
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Gasoline</div>
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Don't write off the internal combustion engine as an efficient option, especially until automakers can make alternative drivetrains less expensive and more practical. Automakers have greatly improved gas mileage in recent years and offer a wider range of economical gasoline models.</div>
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These vehicles also cost less to buy than those with alternative fuel , although they produce about a third more pollution per mile than a comparably sized hybrid.</div>
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jerry.hirsch@latimes.com</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-20003111554867567612015-07-29T17:17:00.000+01:002015-07-29T17:17:10.873+01:00Apple Ditches Nest Thermostat <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Apple reportedly has pulled the Nest smart thermostat
from both its online and brick-and-mortar stores, possibly paving the
way for its own line of smart home appliances. The thermostat
disappeared from Apple's product offerings earlier this month.<br />
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Apple's stores now are selling the Ecobee 3, a thermostat that works
with Apple's HomeKit, an Internet of Things platform that's part of iOS.
HomeKit allows users to control devices in the home via an iPhone or
iPad. The newly launched Ecobee 3 retails for US$249.<br />
This is not the first time Apple has pulled rival products. It
stopped selling devices from Jawbone and Nike ahead of its launch of the
Apple Watch.<br />
However, it seemed that Apple's partnership with Nest was fairly
solid, due largely to the fact that Nest CEO Tony Fadell helped develop
Apple's iPod. Nest's staff includes many other former Apple employees,
and there once was speculation that Apple might acquire the startup.<br />
However, Nest was snapped up by Google for $3.2 billion early last
year. That could have created a crack in the Apple-Nest relationship,
which apparently has now fractured. It's not clear how big a rift there
might be between the companies, however.<br />
The Nest thermostat is still on sale in Apple retail outlets in the
UK, Ireland, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, and the Nest camera
and smoke alarm could find their way to Apple stores in the near future.<br />
"Apple is a valued partner to Nest, and our new products will be
available in Apple in the coming weeks," Nest Labs spokesperson Ivy Choi
told the E-Commerce Times.
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-54806576544560518562015-07-28T20:38:00.000+01:002015-07-28T20:38:07.435+01:00Camco Clean Energy <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Camco Clean Energy is a business in transition – and unrecognisable from the company that effectively hit the buffers in 2012 when the carbon trading market ground to a halt.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">It is on the verge of something pretty significant, according to its broker finnCap, as it aims to become a world leader in large-scale liquid energy storage.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Okay, it is a firm in the early commercial phase; but if the technology takes off then we’ll be hearing a lot more about Camco over the next 18 months.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">And in American contract manufacturer Jabil Circuit, which manufactures the iPhone for Apple, it has a partner with enough financial muscle and scale to make some very lofty ambitions a reality.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Camco’s REDT technology can trace its evolution back to NASA in the 1970s. It uses an electrolyte of vanadium and sulphuric acid to hold an electric charge for weeks and sometimes months at a time.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">While this liquid energy storage has been around for something like 40 years, Camco is one of only two companies to have developed it to a level where it is commercially viable. The other is Cellstrom, which is now owned by the German green energy specialist Gildermeister.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">It can be deployed to garner energy from renewable sources such as wind or solar that can be fed into the grid as and when it is needed and not just when it is blowing a gale or during a heatwave.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">It can also be used to replace back-up generators that might be used by hospitals or by the telecommunications industry.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">In fact Camco and Jabil are targeting four separate markets – utilities, telecoms, diesel genset replacement and the renewables industry.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">The idea is the technology will be cheaper than what’s already out there and in most instances REDT is also likely to be a more efficient method of storing power.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">At this point it must be pointed out there is more to Camco than energy storage – although the other two businesses won’t be long-term drivers of equity value.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Its African business, which used to advise on financing renewable energy projects, is now a fund manager that has won one mandate and expects to land more as the year progresses.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">In the US it has a renewables arm, which doesn’t appear to be part of Camco’s long term focus.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">In fact in recent deals it sold California carbon credits that will bring in up to US$3.9million and will help with its short term cash needs.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">And, based on its last market update, it is also looking at potentially selling its American biogas arm, which should bring in funds enough to see it through to break-even.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">‘It has to be stressed here the equity story is very definitely the battery,’ Camco chief executive Scott McGregor told Proactive Investors.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">So the focus is on REDT and the commercial trials taking place in 12 locations around the world.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">The locations of two have already been revealed – they are 1.68-megawatt-hour facility next to a wind farm on the Isle of Gigha in Scotland and 240-kilowatts supplying an eco-hotel in South Africa.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Ten other smaller units will be unveiled as the year progresses. The idea is to show potential customers just how cost effective its product is, rather than simply asking them to take it on trust.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">‘Our view is we need to implement these systems and the demand will come,’ said CEO McGregor.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">‘We have had plenty of interest from prospective customers. We want to focus on getting the initial 12 systems out there.’</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">The Jabil tie-up, which is a long term collaboration, is an interesting one in that it provides third party validation of the technology.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">It also reveals the ambition of both sides as the US firm will be looking to mass produce units for sale around the world – so obviously believes REDT has legs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">‘Interestingly, they found us,’ said McGregor.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">‘Jabil had a team searching storage globally because they wanted to get into the market. They decided they wanted to go into flow batteries.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">‘After carrying out due diligence on number of companies they decided to go with us.’</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Broker finnCap reckons Camco could be turning over £84million (115million euros) by 2018, which translates to operating profits £8.8million (12million euros) – and that it will break even the year before that.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Certainly this isn’t factored into the share price, which has marked time in the year to date and values the business at less than £15million. And this, for prospective investors at least, provides an opportunity.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">In a recent note, finnCap analyst Raymond Greaves made this observation: ‘Camco is on the verge of turning itself into a pure-play on the commercial and utility-scale energy storage market – a market that is expected to grow exponentially at least to the end of the decade.</span></span></div>
<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">‘Its REDT energy storage business has developed a game-changing product that has been production and cost-engineered by Jabil Circuit, one of the world’s largest sub-contract manufacturers.’</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><a business="" green-power-solar-energy-installation-investment="" href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=" http:="" oct="" www.theguardian.com="">full article</a></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-75195142968616958032015-07-27T16:28:00.001+01:002015-07-27T16:28:58.554+01:00Hillary Clinton’s Climate Change Plan <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Chronicle SSm, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">Mrs. Clinton, who plans to deliver a climate-focused speech Monday in Des Moines, said in a video released Sunday evening, “it’s hard to believe there are people running for president who still refuse to accept the settled science of climate change.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Chronicle SSm, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">Mrs. Clinton’s rollout of a plan to address climate change comes on the heels of billionaire climate-change activist Tom Steyer calling for 2016 candidates to develop concrete plans to increase the share of clean energy in the U.S.’s power generation mix to 50% by 2030.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Chronicle SSm', serif; line-height: 28px;">In a statment, Mr. Steyer praised Mrs. Clinton’s proposal without offering explicit financial support. “Today, Hillary Clinton emerged as a strong leader in solving the climate crisis and ensuring our country’s economic security,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Chronicle SSm, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">The Clinton campaign said Sunday that her goal would translate to 33% clean energy by 2027 and that when combined with nuclear energy</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Chronicle SSm, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;"> Mrs. Clinton's renewable energy fact sheet sets aggressive goals for solar and renewables as it acknowledges the challenge of climate change.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Chronicle SSm, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">Clinton announced a goal of boosting U.S. installed solar capacity from its current 20 gigawatts to 140 gigawatts by the end of 2020. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Chronicle SSm, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">Clinton also announced a goal of generating renewable energy to "power every home in America" by 2026 from a combination of wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and other renewables. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Chronicle SSm, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">Clean Power Project "a crucial tool in our national strategy to reduce carbon pollution, level the playing field for and increase the deployment of renewable energy."</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Chronicle SSm, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">Opening up solar power to low-income households, expanding renewable energy on public lands and federal buildings and increasing public investment in clean energy R&D. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Chronicle SSm, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;"> "Reduce the amount of oil consumed in the United States and around the world, guard against energy supply disruptions, and make our communities, our infrastructure, and our financial markets more resilient to climate-related risks" while making sure "that fossil fuel production taking place today is safe and responsible."</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-64073542301102436032015-07-25T14:19:00.000+01:002015-07-25T14:19:46.243+01:00The Final Nail For Green Deal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On Thursday the Department of Energy and Climate Change said it was ceasing financing to the Green Deal Finance Company which issues the loans,and was bailed out by the government last November with a £34m loan. Today’s move is expected to lead to the company immediately halting the issuing of new loans, although existing ones or loans in progress – known as ‘green deal plans’ – will not be affected.<br /><br /> The government has no new scheme in place to succeed the green deal, saying simply that it would work with the building industry and consumer groups on energy efficiency policy. Which?, the consumer organisation, said it was right that the government stopped throwing money at a scheme that had not taken off.<br /><br /> British homes are among some of the least energy efficient in Europe, which can drive up household fuel bills by hundreds of pounds every year.<br /><br />The government has not yet revealed plans for a replacement scheme to carry out further work to improve household energy efficiency. <br /><br /> 'Zero interest loans to make homes energy efficient would be far more popular and could generate more tax revenue for the Treasury than it costs to subsidise.'<br /><br /> Greenpeace UK head of energy, said: “The green deal was far from being a success, but coming right after the scrapping of the zero-carbon homes target, this latest move suggests ministers are giving up on efficiency. This would be a false economy. Fixing our heat-leaking homes is a triple-win policy that can bring down bills, cut carbon emissions, and reduce our dependence on energy imports.”</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-81904202367746764022015-05-01T09:53:00.001+01:002015-05-01T09:53:47.790+01:00Tesla's home battery pack<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;">The device, which could be in homes by the end of summer, will be able to store electricity when conditions are favorable then discharge it again later in quantities large enough to be useful to homes and businesses.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The Powerwall is around three feet wide and four feet tall, weighs 220lbs, and can be installed either on an outside or inside wall of a home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The 'daily use' version has a capacity of 7 kilowatt-hours, which is around a quarter of a home's daily usage.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWEFEy4h-uMZMdkjkEgBieutZC_nPBS-mJCW5um-sL7k_Kqy1invKU2klX78W2-ZrXdX-D8tIJlFRLxmipkuHz08KP1RyzGw7hhbPNcbika_mOdOsM70RAC0ivKbHnmpd2aw4wPOjFZ8I/s1600/tesla_power_wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWEFEy4h-uMZMdkjkEgBieutZC_nPBS-mJCW5um-sL7k_Kqy1invKU2klX78W2-ZrXdX-D8tIJlFRLxmipkuHz08KP1RyzGw7hhbPNcbika_mOdOsM70RAC0ivKbHnmpd2aw4wPOjFZ8I/s1600/tesla_power_wall.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-81777879175771454532015-04-29T20:09:00.001+01:002015-04-29T20:09:31.307+01:00IFTTT connects your home to the web<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #5e5c5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Just visit IFTTT.com using your iOS device or by using an internet browser to start creating and sharing Recipes with IFTTT.</span><br />
<div align="LEFT" style="border: none; line-height: 0.19in; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 1; padding: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Arial, sans; font-size: 12.6000003814697px; line-height: 21.4200000762939px;">IFTTT</span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #5e5c5c;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">is
an amazing new service that puts the internet to work for you. IFTTT
lets you create 'Recipes' that connect ap</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #5e5c5c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ps,
websites, and devices together to perform all kinds of custom tasks
for you.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #5e5c5c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">WeMo Switch</strong></div>
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<span style="color: #4d4d4d;">WeMo Switch is one of the basic home automation solutions available today. It’s a smart plug that allows appliances to be controlled with a mobile device. Using IFTTT, users can create their own recipes to manage it, or they can choose to use one of the recipes </span><span style="color: #4d4d4d;">shared by other IFTTT users, such as using the Weather Channel to automatically control the WeMo Switch.</span></div>
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To use this weather-driven recipe, activate both the Weather Channel and the WeMo Switch Channel, then use the recipe created by <span style="font-size: 12.6000003814697px; line-height: 21.4200000762939px;">IFTTT </span><span style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.7em;">that would turn on the switch at sunset. Users can plug in their lamp on the WeMo Switch and use this recipe so that lights automatically turn on when the sun sets. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-23536593919832442792015-04-29T19:55:00.000+01:002015-04-29T19:55:08.035+01:00IFTTT If This Then That <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0.200000002980232px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">IFTTT is an essential, easy-to-use tool that lets you automate your tech life.</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0.200000002980232px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">IFTTT is truly one of the best free tools for any user. Hopefully this collection of money and time-saving recipes held something for you.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16.25px; line-height: 24px; word-spacing: 1.20000004768372px;">There are uses for it in home security and automation. The first step is checking to see if your system has a channel. The list is limited right now but growing. Even big players like ADT</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16.25px; line-height: 24px; word-spacing: 1.20000004768372px;"> are taking notice of IFTTT. Currently there are channels for Nest</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16.25px; line-height: 24px; word-spacing: 1.20000004768372px;">, Philips Hue, Life360, SmartThings</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16.25px; line-height: 24px; word-spacing: 1.20000004768372px;">, WeMo</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16.25px; line-height: 24px; word-spacing: 1.20000004768372px;">, Quirky, Wink, Android, and iPhone. While home automation companies have started to open the door for developers to create products that play together, IFTTT takes it a step further by letting you connect stupid with smart things in an extremely easy to use 1+1=2 formula. </span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 28px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 1.2px;">
The SmartThings team has created a whole list of popular recipes for those not feeling creative. There is a list of Triggers and a list of possible Alerts. Think switched on, off, open, closed, locked, unlocked, activate siren, motion, presence, temperature, humidity, moisture, or brightness as ingredients you can cook with. There are hundreds of possibilities. These ingredients can be used to make your life safer and easier if you want them to. Here are some recipes made by others that I found innovative:</div>
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 26px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 26px;">
<li style="background: url(http://securitygem.com/wp-content/themes/broadway/images/ul-dot.png) 0px 5px no-repeat; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px;">Use FourSquare to unlock your door with a #hashtag.</li>
<li style="background: url(http://securitygem.com/wp-content/themes/broadway/images/ul-dot.png) 0px 5px no-repeat; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px;">Call your phone is motion is detected.</li>
<li style="background: url(http://securitygem.com/wp-content/themes/broadway/images/ul-dot.png) 0px 5px no-repeat; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px;">Email you if it is freezing!</li>
<li style="background: url(http://securitygem.com/wp-content/themes/broadway/images/ul-dot.png) 0px 5px no-repeat; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px;">Log events to your Google Drive.</li>
</ul>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-15989864407908733062014-11-29T20:24:00.000+00:002014-11-29T20:24:39.506+00:00£250 energy saving from new 'black box'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="firstPar">
A new hi-tech way that is said to cut energy bills by up to a fifth is about
to go on the market. The idea is that a “black box” will turn appliances,
such as fridges, on and off in response to fluctuations in the wholesale
price of electricity, which occur continuously throughout the day.
</div>
<div class="secondPar">
The devices will be offered to households later this next month by a new firm,
Tempus Energy, which claims that customers will be able to save 20pc on
their electricity bills by using so-called “demand response” technology that
remotely manages their home appliances.
</div>
<div class="thirdPar">
The black boxes are installed in the customer’s home and communicate with
“smart” appliances such as dishwashers and storage heaters. The boxes
receive instructions from the energy company, which uses complex technology
to trade wholesale energy during the day. These prices change on a
half-hourly basis.
</div>
<div class="fourthPar">
For example, when energy is at its cheapest, the company’s computer system
sends a message to each black box instructing it to switch on people’s
appliances. At times of peak energy use, wholesale electricity costs more
and the black box is told to switch householders’ devices off. For example,
a fridge-freezer may be temporarily turned off in order to cut costs.
</div>
<div class="fifthPar">
Tempus Energy claimed that its technology could cut the average energy bill,
currently £1,265 a year, by more than £250.<br />
<br />
“Smart” appliances, such as dishwashers and washing machines, that can be
hooked up to a mobile phone, are already available in homes. Currently, they
can be switched on and off remotely using a customer’s smartphone. The black
box technology acts like the smartphone system but turns on the devices when
electricity is at its cheapest.
<br />
As far as the bill payer is concerned, all he or she needs to do is to
prepare, by making sure the dishwasher or washing machine is ready to go
before bedtime, for example.
<br />
But could your television be automatically switched off during peak viewing
hours? Tempus Energy says no. Certain tasks, such as making a cup of tea or
watching a television programme, are “time-sensitive” and, therefore, cannot
be switched off.<br />
<br />
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/household-bills/11196763/250-energy-saving-from-new-black-box.html<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-79600259697932720762014-10-11T19:56:00.000+01:002014-10-11T19:56:56.372+01:00SMART ENERGY APPS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
UK customers can currently buy eight smart heating systems: Hive from
British Gas, Nest (soon with Npower), Honeywell Evohome, Heat Genius,
OWL Intuition, Tado, Salus iT500, Climote and - fresh out of Kickstarter
- Cosy. Another system is in the pipeline from Lightwave RF this
summer.<br />
All of them work with the standard British Gas combi boiler, and some
work with heating powered by LPG, biogas or oil, or underfloor heating,
and even solar power. Many UK homes now have multi-zone systems so that
bathrooms, bedrooms and different floors can be heated independently to
save even more energy.<br />
There’s also integration with other smart home devices to consider,
like light switches and other power controls, monitoring your
electricity usage, and even smoke detectors.Nest, Hive, Evohome, Heat Genius, Tado, Climote and OWL Intuition all
have installation options, ranging from £40 for the relatively simple
Hive, to approved installers who will quote each job separately. Climote
is only available with an installation, whether you buy it through
their energy partners or direct. Heat Genius currently has a free
installation offer, with no end date set as yet.
<br />
The Salus iT500 is the cheapest of the hobby-install systems at £139
on Amazon, while Hive comes in at £159 for the system or £199 with
installation.<br />
Honeywell Evohome, Heat Genius and Tado all come in close to £250 for
the basic kit alone, and each has its benefits, with Evohome and Heat
Genius boasting multiroom control (at an extra cost), while Tado claims
it’s smart and easy to use.<br />
Multi-room systems like Evohome, Heat Genius, OWL Intuition and Salus
iT500 have the greatest potential for cutting your spending by heating
only the rooms you need, but you could easily end up spending four or
five times the cost of Hive, Nest, Climote or Tado on a four-bedroom
home.
<br />
Learning systems such as Nest, Heat Genius and Tado could easily
outsmart manual scheduling, especially by switching off when the house
is unexpectedly empty. Our experience with Hive suggests you won’t
always remember to turn off your heating if you’re out having a good
time.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
http://recombu.com/digital/news/smart-energy-systems-nest-hive-evohome-heat-genius-owl-tado-salus-it500-cosy_M13058.html<br />
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<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
Elon
Musk had finally introduced the world to his “D”, which happened to be
the inclusion of a dual motor/all-wheel drive option to the Tesla Model S
lineup. Included in this announcement was the high performance P85D,
which features two electric motors, all-wheel drive and incredible
performance numbers of 691 horsepower and 687lb-ft of torque. These
figures make the Tesla P85D one of the most powerful sedans in the
world. This led to the masses of general EVangelists and Muskers alike
to hit the internet and proclaim yet another victory for the
all-electric brand. - See more at:
http://www.torquenews.com/106/elons-d-cant-hang-dodge-tesla-p85d-slower-hellcat-charger#sthash.4N59d5Gw.dpuf</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-9260387343328494422014-09-01T13:59:00.002+01:002014-09-01T13:59:31.462+01:0010-year council tax discount for energy efficient homes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Households could save at least £100 a year by permanently cutting
their energy bills in a bid to help with the cost of living while
simultaneously meeting Britain's climate change targets.<br />
Energy
Secretary Ed Davey said his was the only party offering both lower
energy and council tax bills, adding: "A 10-year council tax cut will
make action to end your home's energy waste a no brainer.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-26187263847234909092014-08-30T13:40:00.000+01:002014-08-30T13:40:33.063+01:00Gtech Ram Air<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjlwCzPzR80e7kLAdn7xXJ4dSG4sxvs5WE537Lma3P-yUOZRcATL_7VL1jD_VrBiuoX8n9x6kMxCbn4tqEklz8fgkJolGcvylXi7I1pBnyl8jgtSPsJBdYUVpXKycvI8R0rwzdPsQKFE/s1600/AirRAM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjlwCzPzR80e7kLAdn7xXJ4dSG4sxvs5WE537Lma3P-yUOZRcATL_7VL1jD_VrBiuoX8n9x6kMxCbn4tqEklz8fgkJolGcvylXi7I1pBnyl8jgtSPsJBdYUVpXKycvI8R0rwzdPsQKFE/s1600/AirRAM.jpeg" height="400" width="360" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1b; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
The AirRam cordless vacuum cleaner has a host of unique design features, including PC software which counts how many calories users burn whilst cleaning.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1b; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
It weighs 3.5kg and uses just 100W of power – often compared to a number of 2000W or more in traditional mains powered vacuum cleaners.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1b; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
But the real design deviation in the AirRam is that it isn’t a traditional vacuum cleaner. It does away with bags, cyclones and the effects of poor suction - instead using a long, bristled brush bar to scour deep into carpets and pull up all dust, dirt and debris.</div>
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Rather than sucking dirt through long tubes into a bag, the AirRam immediately compresses dust into compact bales, which can then be emptied into a bin without mess or fuss.</div>
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This in itself makes the AirRam more energy efficient, as it requires less power to generate suction – whilst still delivering powerful cleaning results. Independent tests, to IEC 60312-1-5.3 specifications found the AirRam had cleaning performance efficiency of 60.4% - 50% more than a 2000W mains vacuum tested at the same time.</div>
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On top of that, the AirRam features a quality Lithium battery, which runs for up to 40 minutes on a single charge. Using the Gtech AirRAM for 20 minutes per day (at 14p per KWh of energy), would result in energy savings of around £252 over a 5 year period.</div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px;">It has a unique Data Bridge which facilitates communication between you and your vacuum cleaner’s on-board computer using a USB. Your PC will inform you the amount of electricity you saved, verify the condition of the battery and even calculate the amount of calories you burnt out. The Data Bridge will also help you find cleaning and usage details, customer support and feedback about your experience. Gtech is revolutionising the floorcare industry and taking it a step into the future.</span><br />
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And because it’s cordless, it’s easy to clean from room to room without plug sockets.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-83254227702047337322014-08-19T10:09:00.001+01:002014-08-19T10:09:54.240+01:00Taku Tanku<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6seDp73m8VP3FHDgmp4G_LfblR_66gOHXOXzqMqTnTxV4E7Gjrtk-tSynwQNpM9AxnJz-_H4HwL5QxBMRhPxKUt4Doy0IEKTUC0FexvZObLXzjXMbU0p9MyMyn4v_VaTgZ7eYvW-bGR8/s1600/Stereotank-Taku-Tanku-1-537x354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6seDp73m8VP3FHDgmp4G_LfblR_66gOHXOXzqMqTnTxV4E7Gjrtk-tSynwQNpM9AxnJz-_H4HwL5QxBMRhPxKUt4Doy0IEKTUC0FexvZObLXzjXMbU0p9MyMyn4v_VaTgZ7eYvW-bGR8/s1600/Stereotank-Taku-Tanku-1-537x354.jpg" height="210" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">The structure is composed by two 3,000 liter water tanks connected by a ring of wood that frames the entrance.</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>The interior can sleep two to three people, though there are no cooking or bathroom facilities. There is, however, a small underfloor storage area beneath the cypress wood flooring, as well as solar-powered LED lighting and fans, and hatch windows for ventilation. Designed to be eco-friendly and easily constructed from off-the-shelf and recycled materials.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.stereotank.com/Taku-Tanku">http://www.stereotank.com/Taku-Tanku</a></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-2801346543434333732014-07-10T17:08:00.000+01:002014-07-10T17:08:56.388+01:00Wind and other renewables generated a fifth of Britain's electricity in early 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
New windfarms coming online, strong winds and a good winter for hydropower plants sent <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/renewableenergy" title="More from the Guardian on Renewable energy">renewable energy</a>
generation surging to 19.4% of all electricity from January to March
2014, up from about 12% for the same period last year. The power
produced was enough for about 15m homes during the quarter. It was
hailed as a breakthrough by the wind industry, which alone provided 12%
of the overall power produced, and a rebuff to critics who have said
that renewables would never account for such a large proportion of the
energy mix.<br />
However, the DECC data could stoke a new price row with energy suppliers because it shows <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/gas" title="More from the Guardian on Gas">gas</a> prices to domestic customers rising in the first quarter with prices to businesses in decline at the same time.<br />
The
cost of gas to householders, including VAT, rose by 4.8% in real terms
between the first quarter of 2013 and the same period of this year,
while average gas prices to business customers, including the climate
change levy, were 5.2% lower.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/26/wind-renewables-generated-fifth-britain-electricity-energy">full article</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-51578939574580302412014-07-09T20:23:00.000+01:002014-07-09T20:23:35.007+01:00New pan heats food 40% faster thanks to its 'fins'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-Chy1YX6E33tTCslAmUIzYgTCtEkCGQ9-MuUevitzGjA3Da_Wen6NS4OuTeLBE61npDc1gZR0z9sDVCLVOAoQGL4b1_SBFUHrdxWjwSEDi_91kS-BTFcPYX-yIJOCa1JJ7WCzmneS5k/s1600/article-2685921-1F81AA9500000578-597_306x423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-Chy1YX6E33tTCslAmUIzYgTCtEkCGQ9-MuUevitzGjA3Da_Wen6NS4OuTeLBE61npDc1gZR0z9sDVCLVOAoQGL4b1_SBFUHrdxWjwSEDi_91kS-BTFcPYX-yIJOCa1JJ7WCzmneS5k/s1600/article-2685921-1F81AA9500000578-597_306x423.jpg" height="320" width="231" /></a></div>
<ul class="article-summary sciencetech">
<li><b><span style="font-size: 1.4em;">The energy efficient Flare design, which has fins, was dreamed up by a professor of engineering at Oxford University</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: 1.4em;">The
shape of the pan channels heat from a gas flame across the bottom and
up both sides, to capture energy that would otherwise be wasted</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: 1.4em;">This means it can heat food faster using 40 per cent less energy</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: 1.4em;">The pans, which are made from cast aluminium, will go on sale at Lakeland next month, with prices starting at £49.99</span></b></li>
</ul>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-7730289321930334192014-07-09T20:05:00.000+01:002014-07-09T20:05:11.611+01:00Electric cars 'to cost more to run than petrol vehicles'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1">
It could now cost more to run an electric car than one using fuel owing to the end of UK government subsidies. </div>
The Department for Transport's support for the installation and maintenance of chargers ended in April.<br />
Local councils, left to cover costs, tendered contracts out to private companies - and prices have gone up.<br />
Transport Minister Baroness Kramer told <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b047c770">You and Yours</a> £500m was being invested over five years to provide support for electric vehicle drivers. <br />
In the first five months of this year, nearly 2,000 electric
cars were sold in the UK - more than double the sales for the same
period in 2013.<br />
<div class="story-feature wide ">
<a class="hidden" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-28054738#story_continues_2">Continue reading the main story</a> <h2>
ELECTRIC CARS</h2>
<ul>
<li> Charge points began to appear around the UK in about 2010</li>
<li> Machines were installed by local authorities at a cost of about £50,000</li>
<li> The rapid chargers can power up an electric vehicle in 30 minutes</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div id="story_continues_2">
One of the reasons for the
increase is the perception that the running costs of an electric vehicle
will be cheaper than a fossil fuel car.</div>
There are concerns that increasing the cost of charging will choke market growth just as it begins to take off.<br />
While electric cars are around £8,000 more expensive than a
diesel or petrol one, the government offers a £5,000 grant towards the
cost of the car, and will help to install a charge system at home.<br />
Until very recently it was free to charge your car at all
public power points. Now Charge Master, one of the biggest providers,
asks for £7.50 for a half-hour rapid charge.<br />
Andrew Fenwick-Green, marketing secretary of the Electric
Vehicle Drivers Association, drives a Nissan Leaf. He said: "A gallon of
diesel for most eco-diesels will cost you £6.30 and get you around 60
miles. <br />
"A 30-minute rapid charge in my Nissan Leaf would give you a
range of 64 miles. So we're paying an extra £1.20 more to get the same
mileage. It's madness... if the rapid chargers go up to £7.50 we're
going to kill the market at a stroke". <br />
<span class="cross-head">Support</span>
The Charge Your Car company asks for £5 for a rapid charge,
and Transport for London awarded its contract to the French company
Bollore, which will introduce an annual fee of £10 for unlimited
charging from September.<br />
Charge Master chief executive David Martell has asked for more support.<br />
"Next year the amount of annual expenditure from Government
on infrastructure is going to be slashed by two-thirds, which I think is
a little too early. <br />
"We need a few years' more support from the Government to allow proper businesses models to arrive for charging."<br />
Lady Kramer said: "The whole point of this is that you charge
at home. That leaves you with a cost of about 2p per mile, which is why
it's attractive to the people who have been buying these cars. <br />
"The public rapid chargers are intended for occasional use." <br />
She added that the industry could have communicated with
customers better but the shift to charging would not stymie the emerging
electric vehicle market.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-8979734056459214302014-07-08T19:59:00.002+01:002014-07-08T19:59:45.619+01:00UK’s Green Deal Home Improvement Fund issues £8.5m during scheme’s first two weeks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">A total of GBP8.5m has been issued to British householders making energy efficient improvements to their homes, during the first two weeks of the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund scheme, the UK government’s Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) revealed on Friday.<br />
<br />
According to industry estimates, the amount issued in funding from the new initiative represents a surge of GBP6m from the first week, during which GBP2.6m was issued to households in England and Wales that are carrying out energy efficient home improvements from an approved list.<br />
<br />
The DECC said a total of 2821 applications have been made for the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund, under which domestic energy customers can get up to GBP1000 for installing two measures from an approved list and/or up to GBP6000 for installing solid wall insulation, as well as up to £100 refunded for their Green Deal Assessment.<br />
<br />
In addition, householders who have bought a property in the 12 months prior to application are eligible to qualify for up to an additional GBP500 if they carry out energy efficiency improvements.<br />
<br />
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey commented:<br />
<br />
</div>http://www.financial-news.co.uk<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148754127723389932.post-48832374920059702392014-07-08T19:56:00.000+01:002014-07-08T19:56:24.126+01:00New Green Deal is very generous, says energy secretaryThe second round of the government's Green Deal energy saving programme for homeowners opens on Monday.<br />
<br />
The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund offers cashbacks and incentives on such things as double-glazing, insulation and boilers.<br />
<br />
The first round was criticised for being complicated and low on take-up.<br />
<br />
But Energy Secretary Ed Davey told the BBC that "we have learned from what people were telling us", adding that round two was "very generous".<br />
<br />
Some £120m has been set aside for the revamped programme, with money being issued on "a first come first served" basis, Mr Davey said.<br />
<br />
Depending on the energy-saving project carried out, some money is available only to those who claim within 12 months of moving into their property.<br />
<br />
Other benefits are offered irrespective of when they moved in.<br />
<br />
If people meet all the conditions, households in England and Wales will be able to get up to £7,600 back, the Department of Energy and Climate Change said in a statement.<br />
<br />
The first Green Deal was launched last year in a blaze of publicity, and hailed as one of the biggest home improvement programmes for decades. But just 1,754 signed for phase one.<br />
<br />
Mr Davey said a key difference with the new phase was that "these are grants, not loans, and are very generous... We are trying to do everything we can to help people with their energy bills."<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><br />
bbc business<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0