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The climate's changing! Noticed the weather lately?
We've grouped energy, carbon and climate together. In reverse order - the climate is being affected by the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is driven in part by gases in the atmosphere, of which carbon dioxide is the largest man-made contributor and the main reason we are producing carbon dioxide (CO2) is in making and using energy....
What to do. First - reduce, don't waste the stuff. Secondly - when you've stopped throwing away the money then we can think about generating energy that is "lower carbon" that could be renewable.
Save energy. Start by turning things off or turning things down: the computer, the lights, the thermostat. All cost you nothing but can save a lot.
Then buy some (or several) low energy light bulbs. One supplier of a wide selection is efficient light When you order bulbs from them, enter the code GVEG and you will get a discount.
Energy Efficiency Surveys - FREE!
SevernWye Energy Agency can advise you. Just click here.
Patrick was involved in installing the solar panels shown here in this photo on the left.
In England, we'd need something less likely to freeze! GVEG has set up a team to work on putting up Solar Hot Water Panels. To see the details of the first GVEG solar installation, click on solar panel page
Electricity supply - not making it but buying it. If you switch to a "green tariff" you can do a lot to reduce carbon emissions. Of course all green tariffs were not created equal. Some are greener than others. We've started with Good Energy because they purchase 100% renewable electricity (According to Energy Watch, they are the only supplier that do!).
We have negotiated a deal with Good Energy Please consider switching to them. If you do switch, use this website or call 0845 456 164 and quote the code GE131 - which will help our GVEG group.
More information on green electricity tarffis and what it really is are available in energy watch report on green electricity and electricityinfo.org/ where you can find fuel mixes of the various suppliers.
Renewable energy
Lots of options here - if you are interested or are planning an installation or have already put something in, please get in touch.
We have people locally who have installed solar panels for hot water and electricity, wind turbines and biomass burning systems. We plan to share knowledge and experience of the systems, how they perform, what these systems can and cannot do and what the realities are of putting in a system.
Much more to follow....
Energy Review and Energy White Paper
The Government published their energy white paper towards the end of May 2007. A lot of coverage about this focused on the renewed drive to invest in nuclear power plants. Underlying the white paper are the twin tracks of reducing the carbon emissions from power generation and energy use (~2/3 of all carbon emissions for the country) and also security of supply. Security of supply will become a more and more important driver of policy. Our cosy reliance on North Sea oil and gas is being shaken. For both oil and gas we could become a net importer by this year or next. It will depend on production ups and downs but pretty soon we will rely on imports.
Much of the oil and gas that we want to import comes from less stable parts of the world - oil from the middle east, gas from Russia, for example. No one around Herefordshire can have failed to notice the pipeline which will be used to transport imported supplies of liquified natural gas into the national gas grid. The pipeline is going in very quickly precisely because we are about to run short of domestic gas.
The energy white paper sets out a series of measures designed to increase energy efficiency as well as to set the ground for major renewal of our energy infrastructure. It appears to anticipate reductions in carbon emissions - ultimately a 60% cut (based on 1990) by 2050 even as the economy grows substantially.
The full paper can be read at the DTi website There is talk of carbon capture and storage, new generation coal fired power plants, more renewables and district heat. Whether it's realistic and going to be implemented is open to debate.
There is a public consultation underway. Why not get involved!
Films
The group has loan copies of An Inconvenient Truth available to watch - contact one of the committee to borrow - why not show it to friends.
Swindled - The Great Global Warming Swindle!
Controversy in spades, enlightened debate and a contribution to understanding? Click on the following link to read more. Links and comment
We've also got a copy (on tape) of the Great Global Warming Swindle - It's an interesting watch but be aware. It's had a roasting from those working in the field and does play pretty fast and loose with the science!
Information
Local Energy Efficiency Advice Centre - ours is at Telford (0800 512 012).
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