When the wind doesn't blow

By 2020, more than a third of Britain's electricity will be generated by wind power, according to government plans. One problem - six out of 10 days aren't windy enough to make sufficient power. So what happens then?

On a clear summer's day the Horns Rev wind farm off the coast of Denmark could almost double as a tourist attraction. Watching the rows of 200 foot white steel turbines turning gently in the wind, occasionally catching the afternoon sun is beautiful, almost hypnotic.

To see it properly you need a helicopter, as it's in the middle of the North Sea. I had hitched a ride with Bent Johansen, who manages the operations of Danish turbines for the energy company, Vattenfall. For him the future of wind is off-shore.

"Horns Rev can produce as much power as all our 300 onshore turbines put together," says Mr Johansen.

Horns Rev is currently the biggest off-shore wind farm in the world, covering an area of over 20km. In the next decade Britain will be seeing its own versions of Horns Rev cropping up off the coastline.

The government estimates about 35% of electricity will need to be generated from wind power by 2020, to meet an EU target. This will mean a massive increase in the amount of wind power generated, from 2% at present to 35%.

It's a big leap, admits Maria McCaffery of the British Wind Energy Association, "but we believe it is possible".

Denmark is the poster boy for wind power - 20% of the electricity it generates comes from wind, it claims. Horns Rev can provide enough power for 150,000 homes. On the day I visited it would be lucky to power a village. So what does Denmark do when the wind doesn't blow?

The answer is on the giant screens which dominate the control room of Energinet, the Danish national grid. Peter Jorgensen, the vice president of Energinet, directs me to the map of Scandinavia which fills one vast screen. On it are the unique energy connections Denmark has to its neighbours in Norway, Sweden and Germany.

This allows them to import power when it's not windy or export it when they have too much.

full article

Energy Saving Advice: How to Save £27K

Making a few small, simple changes could save you a massive £27K, and help the environment.

The average UK household can save over £27,000 throughout the course of a lifetime and decrease their carbon footprint by making small, everyday changes to the way energy is used in the home, according to a new report by ASDA.

And these changes could have a significant impact on the environment, saving 209 tonnes of Co2 during a lifetime, the equivalent to travelling 115,000 miles by car.

Energy Saving Tips: Small Changes to Save Energy and Cash

The report found that substantial savings can be made throughout a lifetime by taking simple actions.

Turning the heating down by just 1 degree can save a household almost £6,000 and not heating the house when it’s empty can save a further £4,500.

Also, just by not leaving appliances on standby, each home can save over £2,000 during a lifetime – if all households in the UK did this then it would save enough electricity to power 1.2 million homes every single year.

Pennies can also be saved every time a cup of tea is made, simply by using just the right amount of water in the kettle.

Changing 10 light bulbs to energy saving options could save a household £50 a year.

How Much Energy Will Simple Changes Save?

• Turning off lights when not needed saves £806 and 2,923 C02 Kg over a lifetime.

• Not leaving appliances on standby saves £2,296 and 8,323 C02 Kg

• Using the right amount of water in the kettle saves £560 and 2,030 Kg

• Not heating rooms when not using them saves £3,675 and 60,900 Kg

• Not heating the house when not in it saves £4,533 and 75,110 Kg

• Turning the heating down by 1 degree saves £5,779 and 25,814 Kg

• Using energy saving light bulbs saves £381 and 1,380 Kg

• Using efficient appliances saves £6,944 and 25,172 Kg

• Turning off mobile phone chargers save £426 and 1,543 Kg

• Having showers instead of baths saves £1,680 and 6,090 Kg

• TOTAL SAVINGS: £27,080 and 209,285 C02 Kg over the course of a lifetime

full article

Post price hikes best value energy providers revealed 3 September 2008

Following the second round of devastating price hikes from all big six energy giants this year, moneysupermarket.com reveals Brits could save as much as 63 per cent on their energy bills by moving to the cheapest available product. Meaning a staggering saving of £5.84 billion for UK consumers.

Research from the price comparison site shows the online dual fuel deal from British Gas - Click Energy 5 - is the best value tariff across all 14 UK regions. Those in the East of England would pay the least at £824 a year. However, they would be paying £1,377 - £553 or 67 per cent more - if they stayed on their incumbent providers standard tariff paying by quarterly cash or cheque. Customers worst affected, following the recent price hikes, are those in the North East who are facing annual bills in excess of £1396. By moving to the cheapest online deal available they could save around £531 per year.

On average across the UK, households could save £531 a year if they moved away from their region's incumbent provider's standard tariff and opted for the best value tariff available. If all customers who are yet to change energy tariff moved to the best possible deal, the country would save £5.84 billion on its energy bills.

Brits have suffered massive increases this summer, with the cost of gas going up 29 per cent on average and electricity seeing an average increase of 14 per cent. Since the beginning of the year consumers have faced an overall increases of 52 and 28 per cent respectively.

Scott Byrom, utilities manager at moneysupermarket.com, said: "Households have been dealt with an almighty blow this summer with all six energy giants hiking their prices for the second time this year. It's more important than ever for Brits not to be lulled into thinking they will automatically get the best deal with their current provider. I urge customers to proactively check the market to ensure they find the tariff that most suits their circumstances. Online products continue to lead the way in terms of value with monthly direct debit payments offering the highest level of customer discounts.

"However, it's important to note that online products are likely to increase in price over the coming weeks as providers jostle for top position. As a result, consumers should keep a watchful eye on the market to ensure they get the right deal.

full article

Slash you bills by learning to think green

full article