What's the other driving factor behind renewables?
Sure, we all get the need to reduce CO2 emissions as a necessary part of trying to head off runaway climate change. Of course, some do not believe it and of those that do many are not prepared to make meaningful changes in their lives.
So, what's the other reason.. possibly much more immediate and less spoken about?Read more
Forward Thinking Aberdeenshire
In January this year the Buchan Area Planning Committee in Aberdeenshire agreed on a 6 point approval policy for wind turbine applications stating:
"there was general support that there should be no limit to the size of turbine that could be considered for permission, in the light of the fact that technology has now moved on and we should be encouraging development by the most efficient means"Read more
Lloyds of London - Prepare for Peak Oil Now
Interesting article in the Guardian over the weekend stressing the insurance giants view that we need to start preparing for the imminent arrival of peak oil... now. Among others, Lloyds quotes the famous US Dept of Energy report highlighting the economic chaos that would result from declining oil production as global demand continued to rise, recommending a crash programme to overhaul the transport system.Read more
Labour, Conservative & Lib Dem Energy Policy
With a General Election now just weeks away here are the policy documents from each of the major parties - if you can stay awake long enough!
Labour, Ed Miliband, Climate Change and Clean Energy (weblink)
Conservatives, Greg Clark, Rebuilding Security, Conservative energy policy for an uncertain world (PDF)
Lib Dem, Simon Hughes, Climate Change and Energy Policy Briefing (PDF)
What's going on at Dungeness nuclear power station?
BBC News in the south-east reported last night that neither of the two nuclear reactors at Dungeness in Kent had been operational for months - one since summer 2009, forcing EDF to buy in electricity to meet their contract with National Grid. It is estimated this could be costing them somewhere around £2M a week to provide power for the 1.5 million homes in the area.
Rather cryptically they quoted EDF as saying they could not reveal any details as it might adversely effect the UK electricity market. EDF did say they expected both reactors to be working again "soon".
Unfortunately this story has not appeared on the BBC News website so no link.
This yet again highlights the precarious situation the UK electricity market is in, with many nuclear reactors nearing (or already at) the end of their working lives.
Yet more warnings over UK energy supply
Today OFGEM is warning of "reasonable doubt" about whether the UK's energy market would be able to deliver sustainable supplies in the coming decade. In addition it suggested that average household annual gas and electricity bills would rise by up to 25% to £2,000 or so by 2020.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: "The government is confident that Britain will meet its security of supply needs in the years ahead."
Only time will tell who is right.
UK Feed In Tariffs - Its Official!
The Government finally published the official response to the FIT consultation process yesterday.. and its good news for anyone looking to install renewable systems. In relation to mid-sized (100KW to 500KW) wind turbines the key points are:
- Generation tariff of 18.8p per kWh
- Export tariff of 3p per kWh - Opt out available to allow sale on the open market
- Indexation - the tariff will stay in line with inflation (RPI)
- 0% digression - the tariff will not reduce for installations in years 2, 3, 4 etc
- The scheme will run for 20 years
The single most important change is the addition of indexation which will protect renewable investments from runaway inflation, should it occur.