LOW-CARBON COSTS DEPEND ON LIFESTYLE CHANGE

Wide-ranging changes in the way we live our lives could dramatically reduce the costs of switching to a low-carbon world, researchers said today.

Measures such as phasing out petrol cars in city centres, lowering the temperatures to which we heat our houses and an increase in internet shopping and tele-conferencing could all help the UK meet its goal to cut emissions by 80% by 2050.

If people are prepared to make lifestyle changes which save energy, it could cut the costs to consumers and businesses by up to £50 billion a year - halving how much is currently spent across the country on heat and electricity.

Tougher energy efficiency measures could also give the UK greater energy security and more time to develop low-carbon energy technology, including trapping carbon emissions from power stations and renewables.

But blocking certain green technologies such as onshore wind farms because of ``nimbyism'' could add to the costs of a move to a low-carbon economy, a report from the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) said.

Jim Skea, research director of UKERC, also warned that while renewable power would play a big role in hitting the 2050 goal, meeting EU targets to generate 15% of the UK's total energy from renewables by 2020 would be a ``very, very big struggle''.

He said the current barriers to the development of renewables, such as problems in planning and grid access for offshore wind, and the short timescale, meant the EU aims were more than challenging.
``Putting energy saving and the development of green sources of power at the heart of policy-making would make the UK a world leader in tackling climate change, increase energy security, end fuel poverty and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs.

``A green energy revolution is desperately needed to meet the challenges we all face.

``Time is running out - Gordon Brown must show that he has the political courage to develop a safer, cleaner future,'' he said.

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Millions of homes to gain cheap energy through efficiency

A total of seven million UK homes could have access to reduced prices from energy suppliers as the result of government retrofitting over the next ten years.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change has sought feedback from the public regarding attitudes towards large-scale retrofitting and the subsequent survey from Ipsos Mori found that homeowners are willing to embrace efficiency.

Homeowners were asked for their views on a range of microgeneration measures, including solid-wall insulation, smart meters and heat pumps.

Ed Miliband, the energy and climate change secretary, said: "We spoke to citizens around the nation and found that there is a strong desire for government action. People are enthusiastic and positive about the need for better energy efficiency in our homes and communities."

While the target is to retrofit seven million homes by 2020, every UK home is scheduled to be upgraded by 2030 as the government strives to produce a carbon-neutral society within 40 years.

The chancellor, Alistair Darling, is expected to unveil a large investment package for the green sector in this week's Budget.
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Biomass energy 'could be harmful'

Biomass power - such as burning wood for energy - could do more harm than good in the battle to reduce greenhouse gases, the Environment Agency warns.
Ploughing up pasture to plant energy crops could produce more CO2 by 2030 than burning fossil fuels, if not done in a sustainable way, it said.
Its study found waste wood and MDF produced the lowest emissions, unlike willow, poplar and oil seed rape.
The EA wants biomass companies to report all greenhouse gas emissions.
The agency is calling on the government to introduce mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from publicly-subsidised biomass facilities, to help work out if minimum standards need to be introduced.
Wood-burning stoves, boilers and even power stations are seen by many as critical to Britain's renewable energy targets.
Biomass is considered low carbon as long as what is burnt is replaced by new growth, and harvesting and transport do not use too much fuel."Biomass is a limited resource, and we must make sure it is not wasted on inefficient generators that do not take advantage of the emissions savings to be made from combined heat and power," he said.
"By 2030, biomass fuels will need to be produced using good practice simply to keep up with the average carbon intensity of the electricity grid."
He added: "The government should ensure that good practice is rewarded and that biomass production and use that does more harm than good to the environment does not benefit from public support."
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Royal Mail Trial Electric Car

The local postman delivering letters on his bike has been a been a staple of British life for years - but it could be all change thanks to the French.

An egg-shaped vehicle - with a top speed of just 25mph - is being trialled in two areas and could lead to a mass order by Royal Mail.

And in a move which could upset traditionalists but please saddle-sore postmen, the odd-looking buggies could put an end to the use of bicycles within the postal service.Students in Oxford have received their letters from postman Vytenis Baltrusaitis, 32, one of the first to drive the plug-in van.

'There is no power steering and the vehicle is quite slow but I don't usually go on busy roads on my route, so the round doesn't take any longer than it did before,' he said.

'Children wave at me in the street and some people even take pictures.

'The main thing is to remember to charge the vehicle when you get back to the delivery centre - you just plug it straight back in.'

The Matra has a range of 30 to 35 miles once it has been fully charged.

The vehicle is officially classed as a quadracycle, and like a motorbike is not legally required to display a front numberplate.

Mr Lightfoot estimated that the Matra would be about 35 per cent cheaper than a traditional diesel-engined van over the course of its lifetime and its load space of about 80 cubic feet matched the Vauxhall's.

He added that the electric vehicle cost the equivalent of a new hatchback car, compared with the £10,000 pounds cost of the Vauxhall Combo - but this did not take into account modifications including cab doors to cope with winter weather.
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