At least 1m households and businesses in Britain could be generating large amounts of electricity for the grid within a decade, but it will need an overhaul of the electricity supply industry, the Conservative party said yesterday.
The party would create a mass market for decentralised "micro-energy" by encouraging everyone to invest in their own solar power and other renewable electricity generating schemes. A guaranteed price for the electricity generated in homes would be paid, with a further guarantee to run the scheme for at least 20 years.
The "feed-in tariff" scheme proposed by the Conservatives would bring Britain into line with Germany, the Netherlands and other European countries where householders and businesses generate electricity from rooftops, gardens and buildings.
In Germany more than 300,000 solar systems have been installed in three years and micro-generation provides nearly 12% of all the country's electricity. Householders can earn 8% to 10% returns on investing in their own home systems and in some cases pay their mortgages with the income earned.
Take-up of micro-power has been very slow in Britain, where no incentives are paid to small scale electricity generators. "We need to move from a top down, old world, centralised electricity system to a bottom up, new world decentralised system," said David Cameron. The party leader has applied to instal a small wind turbine on his roof but it is not yet working.
By John Vidal
full article
Saturday, 8 December 2007
Friday, 7 December 2007
Micro-CHP can deliver significant carbon savings
Findings from the most in-depth field trial to date on Micro-CHP (combined heat and power) were released today by the Carbon Trust, showing that Micro-CHP technology has significant potential to deliver CO2 savings in small commercial environments and certain types of homes.
For small businesses, the trial has demonstrated that Micro-CHP systems can cut overall site CO2 emissions by 15 to 20 per cent when installed as the lead boiler in appropriate applications, such as care homes, community housing schemes and leisure centres. These types of Micro-CHP installations can also reduce energy bills by thousands of pounds each year due to the reduced demand for grid electricity.
For domestic users, the results show that the current generation of Micro-CHP systems is best suited to larger homes with three or more bedrooms, or older houses where it is not currently cost effective to improve insulation, such as housing with solid brick walls. In such homes, Micro-CHP can potentially deliver carbon savings of between five and ten per cent – with typical reductions between 200kg and 800kg of CO2 each year. However, the currently available systems appear to offer limited benefits for smaller and newer houses.
Deploying devices in the most appropriate applications is the key to maximising benefits. The common success factor for both domestic and commercial applications is matching the thermal output of Micro-CHP devices to the buildings where they are used, to ensure that they operate for many hours at a time, rather than intermittently. The carbon saving potential of Micro-CHP has therefore been found to be best in buildings which require long and consistent heating periods.
full article
For small businesses, the trial has demonstrated that Micro-CHP systems can cut overall site CO2 emissions by 15 to 20 per cent when installed as the lead boiler in appropriate applications, such as care homes, community housing schemes and leisure centres. These types of Micro-CHP installations can also reduce energy bills by thousands of pounds each year due to the reduced demand for grid electricity.
For domestic users, the results show that the current generation of Micro-CHP systems is best suited to larger homes with three or more bedrooms, or older houses where it is not currently cost effective to improve insulation, such as housing with solid brick walls. In such homes, Micro-CHP can potentially deliver carbon savings of between five and ten per cent – with typical reductions between 200kg and 800kg of CO2 each year. However, the currently available systems appear to offer limited benefits for smaller and newer houses.
Deploying devices in the most appropriate applications is the key to maximising benefits. The common success factor for both domestic and commercial applications is matching the thermal output of Micro-CHP devices to the buildings where they are used, to ensure that they operate for many hours at a time, rather than intermittently. The carbon saving potential of Micro-CHP has therefore been found to be best in buildings which require long and consistent heating periods.
full article
Wednesday, 5 December 2007
The eco-washing machine that cleans clothes with NUTS
It is designed to work with soapnuts, natural seeds which have been used in Asia to clean clothes for hundreds of years.
The makers say the nuts are much healthier for the planet than chemical powders, liquids or tablets, once washed away down our pipes.
And soapnuts can be cultivated anywhere, cutting down on the pollution and costs associated with transport.
The machine was chosen from a field of dozens by the appliance company Electrolux for its annual green design awards.
The company says an E-wash could be on the market within a few years. Henrik Otton, head of global design for Electrolux, said: "E-wash is a brilliant connection between ancient knowledge and hi-tech.
"It takes an open-minded person to seek out solutions from one culture and apply them to another."
The machine was invented by Levente Szabo; from Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in Hungary.
He came up with the idea while trying to find a way to cut down on the packaging, production and transport costs of ordinary washing powder.
"My inspiration was the polluting effect of both the washing process and the production of the detergent," he said.
"I was looking for a substance that could replace detergent. The soapnut is a natural plant and can be cultivated.
"It does not harm nature but is a part of it."
By DAVID DERBYSHIRE
full article
Monday, 3 December 2007
Gas bills could rocket by 15%
Gas bills are expected to rise by 15% early next year, piling on the misery for families already crippled by soaring household costs.
The price rises, which could come as early as February, would add £85 to a typical family's gas bill, pushing it up to £653 a year.
Consumer groups accused suppliers of 'tacitly colluding' to talk up the price of wholesale gas to justify the 'unnecessary' increases.
Total energy bills for millions of consumers have already risen by 50% since 2004, with many paying more than £1,000 last year.
It meant around one in three local authority households - some 650,000 - struggled to meet fuel bills last year, paying an average of £814 a year compared with £590 in 2004.
Yet just six months ago many big energy firms reported bumper earnings, including record half-year profits for British Gas of £533m.
Last month, it emerged that food prices are also rising at their fastest rate for 14 years, after the price of basic ingredients such as wheat increased by 6%. This could add up to £1,000 to a family's annual grocery bill.
The average price of petrol also surged past £1 a litre last month - meaning the typical driver is £15.33 a month worse off than in 2006.
In March, British Gas slashed its prices after the price of wholesale gas fell by 50%. The reduction saw the average gas bill fall 17% to £568, while electricity bills also fell by 11% to £381. Since September, however, wholesale gas prices have risen by 38%.
This led Catalyst, a leading energy broker, to warn prices could go up by 10% in the new year. The Russian gas giant Gazprom, which supplies a quarter of Europe's gas, went even further, warning of a 20% rise.
But Allan Asher, chief executive of the consumer group Energywatch, claimed gas firms were exaggerating the possibility of supply problems over the winter to prepare the market for the price rises.
Gwyneth Rees, Daily Mail
full article
The price rises, which could come as early as February, would add £85 to a typical family's gas bill, pushing it up to £653 a year.
Consumer groups accused suppliers of 'tacitly colluding' to talk up the price of wholesale gas to justify the 'unnecessary' increases.
Total energy bills for millions of consumers have already risen by 50% since 2004, with many paying more than £1,000 last year.
It meant around one in three local authority households - some 650,000 - struggled to meet fuel bills last year, paying an average of £814 a year compared with £590 in 2004.
Yet just six months ago many big energy firms reported bumper earnings, including record half-year profits for British Gas of £533m.
Last month, it emerged that food prices are also rising at their fastest rate for 14 years, after the price of basic ingredients such as wheat increased by 6%. This could add up to £1,000 to a family's annual grocery bill.
The average price of petrol also surged past £1 a litre last month - meaning the typical driver is £15.33 a month worse off than in 2006.
In March, British Gas slashed its prices after the price of wholesale gas fell by 50%. The reduction saw the average gas bill fall 17% to £568, while electricity bills also fell by 11% to £381. Since September, however, wholesale gas prices have risen by 38%.
This led Catalyst, a leading energy broker, to warn prices could go up by 10% in the new year. The Russian gas giant Gazprom, which supplies a quarter of Europe's gas, went even further, warning of a 20% rise.
But Allan Asher, chief executive of the consumer group Energywatch, claimed gas firms were exaggerating the possibility of supply problems over the winter to prepare the market for the price rises.
Gwyneth Rees, Daily Mail
full article
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
