More and more people are investigating energy saving measures as fuel poverty looms, according to the Northern Ireland Energy Authority.
As prices rocket, the number of calls to their energy helpline has doubled since this time last year — but the real surge in demand is expected to come this autumn as temperatures drop.
Director Nigel Brady said the number of inquiries to the helpline, a one-stop-shop where people can seek energy advice, rose from 4,241 calls in April, May and June last year to 8,800 for the same period this year.
Staff have kept tabs on what questions the callers are asking and it seems they are worried about the way energy prices are going, he said.
"But if we could make our housing stock more energy efficient and encourage people to use renewable technologies then we could reduce our reliance on fossil fuels like oil which are rocketing in price," said Mr Brady.
"If we made our homes more energy efficient then we would save up to about £250 a year. "
By Linda McKee
full article
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Car firm unveils green 4x4 with a unique celling point
This is the 4x4 of the future: fuelled by hydrogen and emitting just a few drops of water for every 300 miles travelled.
On the surface it looks much like an ordinary Nissan 4x4. But under the bonnet, engineers have installed one of the most advanced hydrogen fuel cells yet. A tank filled with hydrogen enables the vehicle to travel that far - and those water drops are said to be clean enough to drink.
The Japanese car giant unveiled the multi-million-pound research car at Imperial College, London, today and said it represents the way millions of motorists will travel by 2020. Work on the firm's Fuel Cell Vehicle programme began in 1996, reaching a pinnacle with this version of the X-Trail. Nissan says it is world's most advanced FCV.
Officials admit there is still "significant" development work to be done. But scientists expect to have cracked key challenges - such as the durability of the fuel-cell - by 2010. Then they must achieve "drastic" cost reductions and make breakthroughs in the storage of hydrogen before the car can go on sale, after 2015.
Already engineers have boosted fuel-cell performance so it is 40 per cent smaller than earlier prototypes. And they have developed a system to compress hydrogen that allows enough fuel to be stored for about 300 miles.
David Williams
full article
On the surface it looks much like an ordinary Nissan 4x4. But under the bonnet, engineers have installed one of the most advanced hydrogen fuel cells yet. A tank filled with hydrogen enables the vehicle to travel that far - and those water drops are said to be clean enough to drink.
The Japanese car giant unveiled the multi-million-pound research car at Imperial College, London, today and said it represents the way millions of motorists will travel by 2020. Work on the firm's Fuel Cell Vehicle programme began in 1996, reaching a pinnacle with this version of the X-Trail. Nissan says it is world's most advanced FCV.
Officials admit there is still "significant" development work to be done. But scientists expect to have cracked key challenges - such as the durability of the fuel-cell - by 2010. Then they must achieve "drastic" cost reductions and make breakthroughs in the storage of hydrogen before the car can go on sale, after 2015.
Already engineers have boosted fuel-cell performance so it is 40 per cent smaller than earlier prototypes. And they have developed a system to compress hydrogen that allows enough fuel to be stored for about 300 miles.
David Williams
full article
Will A Water Meter Save Money
The water watchdog suggests that the first thing customers can do is check whether they would save money by having a meter installed. People living alone or those who currently pay higher than average charges are most likely to benefit. Companies install meters for free and if customers see their bills rise they are able to switch back to their old charges within 12 months. A single person living alone in a property with an average rateable value could save around £100 by having a meter installed. A water meter calculator is available on the Consumer Council for Water’s website, where customers can work out if installing a meter could save them money.
Customers who already have a meter can cut their bill by taking simple steps to avoid wasting water they are paying for. Fixing dripping taps, installing a water saving device in toilets, taking showers rather than baths and collecting rainwater for use in the garden are all great ways to be water efficient. A household paying the average metered bill who reduce water waste by ten per cent could save around £25 per year on their water bill.
WaterSure is another money saving option for customers with a water meter and on income based benefits such as Income Support, Income based Jobseekers allowance, Pension Credit, Working Tax Credit, Housing or Council Tax benefits, and have either a large family (three or more children in full time education under the age of 19) or a medical condition which requires them to use more water. The programme caps a household’s water bill at the average rate for their area, allowing metered households to use the extra water they need without having to worry about a high bill. A low income household of five with a water meter could be spending as much as £600 to £700 per year on water. Customers who meet the criteria for WaterSure could end up saving hundreds of pounds over a year by signing up and having their bill capped.
full article
Customers who already have a meter can cut their bill by taking simple steps to avoid wasting water they are paying for. Fixing dripping taps, installing a water saving device in toilets, taking showers rather than baths and collecting rainwater for use in the garden are all great ways to be water efficient. A household paying the average metered bill who reduce water waste by ten per cent could save around £25 per year on their water bill.
WaterSure is another money saving option for customers with a water meter and on income based benefits such as Income Support, Income based Jobseekers allowance, Pension Credit, Working Tax Credit, Housing or Council Tax benefits, and have either a large family (three or more children in full time education under the age of 19) or a medical condition which requires them to use more water. The programme caps a household’s water bill at the average rate for their area, allowing metered households to use the extra water they need without having to worry about a high bill. A low income household of five with a water meter could be spending as much as £600 to £700 per year on water. Customers who meet the criteria for WaterSure could end up saving hundreds of pounds over a year by signing up and having their bill capped.
full article
Monday, 14 July 2008
Green refurbishment could create a £3.5 billion market
Research from the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University indicates that refurbishing existing housing in the UK to make it more energy efficient could reduce CO2 emissions by up to 75% versus current levels, as well as creating a £3.5-6.5 billion market for builders.
Homes in the UK account for 27% of the country’s total carbon emissions and the Government has set ambitious targets to make all newly built homes in the country zero carbon by 2016 to help tackle climate change. However, the vast majority of the country’s existing housing stock is already built and will still be occupied in 2050.
“UK housing is among the worst in Europe when it comes to energy efficiency,” says Killip. “Bringing British homes up to standard is possible using existing technology but the skills and industry base to deliver the necessary change is underdeveloped.”
The recommendations include new policies from the Government that commit to and support the refurbishment of existing homes to improve energy efficiency, cutting VAT on refurbishing work from 17.5% to 5%, introducing Council Tax rebates on energy efficient homes and feed-in tariffs to stimulate use of microgeneration.
full article
Homes in the UK account for 27% of the country’s total carbon emissions and the Government has set ambitious targets to make all newly built homes in the country zero carbon by 2016 to help tackle climate change. However, the vast majority of the country’s existing housing stock is already built and will still be occupied in 2050.
“UK housing is among the worst in Europe when it comes to energy efficiency,” says Killip. “Bringing British homes up to standard is possible using existing technology but the skills and industry base to deliver the necessary change is underdeveloped.”
The recommendations include new policies from the Government that commit to and support the refurbishment of existing homes to improve energy efficiency, cutting VAT on refurbishing work from 17.5% to 5%, introducing Council Tax rebates on energy efficient homes and feed-in tariffs to stimulate use of microgeneration.
full article
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