(Biopact) - Belgium based Thenergo, a renewable energy company involved in the biogas, biomass and cogeneration sector announced it has reached an agreement to acquire the minority interests in Polargen, a leading Benelux combined heat and power (CHP) developer for the greenhouse industry. |
The utilisation of organic waste in industrial horticulture is a growing sector. Over the past few years, businesses who grow food and flowers in greenhouses have seen their costs for heating and power skyrocket, because the sector is highly energy intensive (energy is the single biggest operational cost). When biomass from the operations is used in CHP, heat and electricity costs can be reduced while at the same time delivering a cheap stream of carbon dioxide, used to stimulate plant growth. In some operations, greenhouses even become net exporters of green electricity, feeding it into the grid and receiving credits for their climate friendly bioenergy. |
Wednesday, 5 December 2007
Thenergo-Acquires-Polargen
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
Nanosolar-Solar-PV-Cost-Breakthrough
Their mission: to deliver cost-efficient solar electricity. The Nanosolar company was founded in 2002 and is working to build the world's largest solar cell factory in California and the world's largest panel-assembly factory in Germany. They have successfully created a solar coating that is the most cost-efficient solar energy source ever. Their PowerSheet cells contrast the current solar technology systems by reducing the cost of production from $3 a watt to a mere 30 cents per watt. This makes, for the first time in history, solar power cheaper than burning coal.
These coatings are as thin as a layer of paint and can transfer sunlight to power at amazing efficiency. Although the underlying technology has been around for years, Nanosolar has created the actual technology to manufacture and mass produce the solar sheets. The Nanosolar plant in San Jose, once in full production in 2008, will be capable of producing 430 megawatts per year. This is more than the combined total of every other solar manufacturer in the U.S.
Kind regards
Andy Mahoney
Home Brew Power
(Off-Grid Power Installer - UK)
Sunday, 2 December 2007
Renewable-Energy-Is-The-Future-The-Only-Option!
Renewable Energy Is The Future
There are many ways to use the sun to generate renewable energy. These can include the generation of electricity through photovoltaic solar cells, the generation of electricity through a concentration of solar power, or the generation of electricity by turbines and a solar updraft tower which traps heated air and thus rotates the turbines.
Solar renewable energy can heat dwellings and other commercial buildings through a passive solar design. It can heat food with the use of solar oven, and heat air or water for hot water or heating space with the thermal panels we mentioned earlier. Solar chimneys are another means of heating and cooling air.
Another renewable energy resource is bio matter, which produces bio fuel. Plants are one example of bio fuel sources. Sugar can give off bio diesel, bagasse and ethanol. These can be burned in boilers or internal combustion engines. The typical method is to burn the bio fuel, thus releasing its chemical energy. Researchers are strenuously working on other ways of converting these bio fuels into electricity, perhaps through such as fuel cells.
Liquid bio fuel is composed of either bio alcohol ethanol is one example or bio-oil. Vegetable oil and bio diesel are two examples of the latter. Bio diesel is used in diesel engines and doesn’t require much if any modification to the engine for that to happen. It can be devised from animal and virgin vegetable oil, from waste and from fats also referred to as lipids. Not only can you use virgin vegetable oil in a diesel engine but these engines were actually first designed to run not on fossil fuel but on vegetable oil.
The primary benefit of using renewable bio diesel energy is that its emissions are considerably lower. Carbon monoxide and other harmful hydrocarbon emissions are reduced by 20-40 percent with bio diesel energy. There are areas where farmers grow corn, sugar beets, switch grass, sugar cane and corn stalk for the express purpose of providing energy for fuel cells and combustion engines. These products produce ethanol, otherwise known as grain alcohol, which is becoming more and more common an automotive fuel resource. E85, an automotive fuel, is made up of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. It is now being sold to the general public.
Future plans, or at least future hopes, for renewable energy include biosynthetic liquid fuel to run our vehicles. The process that would manufacture this would more than likely be a biomass-to-liquid production method, which is also known as Fischer-Tropsch processing, after its founders.
Sugar cane is actually a direct renewable bio fuel energy resource, too. Either the crop is grown specifically for combustion or it is used for other things and the waste that comes from the plant, after processing, is then used for combustion.
10-Best-Eco-Holidays-To-Spend-Time-A- In-Wales
The ten best eco holidays in Wales
IT’S not just our day-to-day lives that can be green. More and more holiday destinations are becoming increasingly aware of the large carbon footprint involved in travelling. ANDREW DAGNELL looks at 10 of Wales’ most eco-friendly holidays...
1. TYF ECO HOTEL, St. Davids, Pembrokeshire
TYF Eco Hotel is the first hotel in Wales that has achieved certification through the Welsh Organic Scheme for sourcing food and drink that is organic and locally produced.
All carbon dioxide emissions produced directly by the hotel are offset through the support of renewable energy projects in other parts of the world. The hotel has an ethical purchasing policy which means everything bought for the hotel has to go through an ethical shopping filter. Which all means that you can stay in the smallest city in the UK with a clear conscience.
2. DYFI GUEST HOUSE, Machynlleth, Powys
THIS family-run guest house is just 300 yards from the nearest train station and a stone’s throw from the eco-friendly town of Machynlleth. Popular among tourists from the UK and abroad, this is an ideal place for couples or groups of adults to enjoy or to spend time exploring the gorgeous Dyfi Valley. The guest house boasts solar panels, timber frame and underfloor heating – and every week there is a farmers’ market in the town where the owner buys produce for the guest house breakfasts.
3. ORGANIG PARC, Llyn Peninsula, Gwynedd
ORGANIG Parc’s holiday cottages sit on Carnguwch Farm, near Pwllheli in north Wales.
Already converted to a Soil Association certified organic holding, it was only natural that when the cottages were restored that they were done in the most eco-friendly way possible. Lime mortar and natural stone were used in the building work and floors of locally-sourced Welsh slate and oak were laid. The water for the cottages is all sourced from the natural spring on the farm, there is an organic trout lake for keen fishers and on arrival all guests are given a welcome pack with organic local produce, and all the cottages have organic bed linen.
4. TROEDRHIWFALLEN, Lampeter, Dyfed
THIS thatched cottage is one of only six remaining in the area and has been restored to its former glory by devoted architectural heritage consultant Greg Stevenson. Local, environmentally-friendly and time-sensitive materials have been used to bring this cottage back to life.
The cottage, pictured above, sleeps up to seven people and is in an excellent spot for walking and cycling with country walks starting at the door. It is approximately a 15 minute drive from the coast and 10 minutes away is the university town of Lampeter.
5. CABAN CARIAD, Cenarth Waterfalls, Ceredigion
KNOWN in English as ‘The Loveshack’, Caban Cariad is a groovy woodland cabin, interior pictured above and exterior below, in the heart of the beautiful West Wales countryside at Cenarth.
Designed in 1973 along Scandinavian lines, it has been recently refurbished to reinstate the ’70s feel. The Loveshack uses energy efficient appliances and energy saving light bulbs and the timber interior helps the cabin retain its heat. It can sleep up to four people and children are allowed. The cabin makes a perfect bolthole for relaxation, lounging about and reading the weekend papers.
6. BRYN-Y-DDAFAD, St Donats, Cowbridge
BRYN-Y-DDAFAD is one of the Vale of Glamorgan’s most eco-friendly holiday locations. The family-run guest house is committed to sustainable living. Owners Glyn and June Jenkins have recently installed a water treatment unit, which purifies all water and waste that the guest house produces to drinking water standard, which is then pumped into three ponds surrounding the property and used to water the large gardens.
They also use produce from local suppliers where possible and know exactly where the pork comes from for the sausages in their renowned traditional Welsh breakfast. For more information visit www.bydd.co.uk
7. DYFFRYN ISAF, Llandissilio, Pembrokeshire
FOR a more intimate family holiday, Dyffryn Isaf is holiday cottage for a family of four. The cottage is situated on a working organic farm, where visitors are encouraged to learn to spin sheep wool as well as discovering more about the way an organic farm is run. Dyffryn Isaf is keen to continue diversifying and is always looking to offer more for customers.
They sell their own locally, organically grown foods and produce organically cured sheepskin rugs and organic wool for spinning. The holiday cottages’ hot water is run through solar panels and they use a green energy supplier. Call 01437 563657.
8. TIPI CAMP, Machynlleth, Powys
WHAT could be more unusual than living in a tipi for a week? With five tipi’s located on an 18-acre site, each has been made on-site with local spruce used for the poles and firewood. There is also cooking equipment and fireplaces, making them suitable for use all year round. The site sources local organic, fair-trade and recycled products whenever possible and there is natural spring water, freshwater showers and compost toilets available. Prices from £280 for two nights, call 01654 761720.
9. ABERPORTH EXPRESS, Aberporth, Ceredigion
PERHAPS one of the most eccentric eco-holidays is this converted Edwardian railway carriage located on the coastal footpath between Aberporth and Tresaith. It was built in 1905 as a sleeper coach that travelled on the Great Western Railway, but now the Aberporth Express has direct access onto the coastal footpath. Sleeping five in two train compartment bedrooms, all rooms are lined in oak and overlook regular opportunities to see dolphins and seals. Price from £139 for a midweek breaks, visit www.underthethatch.co.uk
10. WILLOW COTTAGE, Langstone, Newport
WILLOW cottage is set in half an acre of mature gardens just outside of Newport. The luxury cottage is self contained, with two bedrooms and a fully equipped kitchen and laundry. The family run feel for the cottage is obvious with a welcome hamper of locally-sourced food on arrival and the sight of the owners spending time caring for their gardens.
The cottage is so eco-friendly that they ensure water for the garden comes from water butts and any food or garden waste is composted. The owners are committed to recycling and encourage guests to live in the same way that they do by providing separate bins to make recycling easy. £295 for a week, call 01633 412734.
Church-Powered-By-The-Heavens-Well-The-Sun
Church powered by the heavens
A Methodist church just outside Shrewsbury has become the first in the West Midlands to install a solar panel.
In their efforts to do their bit for the environment, the congregation at Bayston Hill, assisted by the Marches Energy Agency, have already been replacing old-fashioned light bulbs with low energy ones, recycling and promoting fair trade.
Now, they have moved one step further - capturing the sun's rays through the new thermal panel on the roof to provide hot water in the church.
Marches Energy Agency identified the church as suitable for a solar thermal system during an energy audit this year.
Although the technology has huge potential to reduce the fossil fuel demand and carbon footprint of a building, installations in the UK are still small.
"Many people think that because we get less sun than some other countries, a panel won't supply much hot water, especially in the colder months," said the agency's Katherine Shepherd.
"But, even in winter, a panel can contribute 20% to a household's hot water demand and 100% in summer - around 50% across the year. It is also a great example of action on climate change. Bayston Hill's Methodists are to be congratulated on their initiative."
The minister, Reverend Frances Bisker, said: "A solar thermal system has got everyone thinking and talking about climate change, not only in the church but also in the local community. We are thrilled to be one of the first churches - and hopefully the first of many - in the country."
The panel was installed with the help of Marches Energy Agency (www.mea.org.uk) and its Project Carbon team (www.projectcarbon.org). Funding was from Defra's Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund - managed locally by Shropshire County Council.
Information on solar thermal technology and the grants available to households and community buildings is available from the Low Carbon Buildings Programme www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk
60-Ways-To-Go-Green
60 ways to go green
Want to know how you can reduce your carbon footprint and be more ecologically friendly as a family?
AT HOME
The global warming carbon emissions we produce from our homes account for a massive 25% of total emissions in the UK. So everything we can do to reduce this will help
1. Just boil the amount of water you need for one cup of tea, rather than half a kettle full and save cash with each cuppa.
2. Use a lid on saucepans. In this way you’re saving energy and money with every meal.
3. Switch to energy-saving light bulbs. They cost a little more, but save up to 10 times the price over their lifetime and use at least two-thirds less energy than standard bulbs.
4. Turn off appliances. Switch off PCs and TVs when not in use. And never leave them on standby – appliances on standby wastes at least 6% of domestic electricity use in the UK.
5. Make sure your hot-water tank is dressed correctly. A British Standard lagging jacket costs £10 and the insulation for the pipe leading to the hot-water tank from the boiler costs £3 a metre. The yearly saving on your bill? Up to £20.
6. Produce your own energy by installing small-scale renewable energy systems, such as solar panels or wind turbines. Grants are available from the Low Carbon Building Programme. See www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk if you’d like to find out more.
7. Save water. Did you know that having a shower instead of a bath can save about 40 litres of water? But avoid power showers as they can use more water than baths. Install spray taps for new sinks, as they use less water than normal taps.
8. Do all you can when it comes to household recycling. If you have a collection service – use it! Go to www.recyclenow.com for lots of information on recycling in your area.
9. Avoid disposable batteries and use rechargeable ones. You can even use a solar-powered recharger – try www.naturalcollection.com for eco-gadgets.
10. Recycle mobile phones and printer cartridges. If you really need that new phone, find a home for the old one. Recycle through your local Oxfam shop or call ActionAidRecycling on 0845 3100 200.
11. Most high-street opticians will take your old glasses to give to people in need around the world.
12. Only print when absolutely necessary. If you do print, use both sides of the paper.
13. Candlelit dinners are not just for the romantics. Inside and out, try leaving the lights off to save electricity. Citronella or beeswax candles will also keep insects away.
14. Try a local grocer or a vegetable box delivery scheme instead of highly-packaged supermarket goods.
15. Buy refills. Using refills saves you money on the products you use in large quantities like laundry and dish-washing detergents.
16. Glass bottles can be re-used as many as 20 times. So use your milkman!
17. Buy green kitchen appliances. Choose fridges and washing machines which have the highest energy rating and the longest guarantees.
18. Close the fridge door. Each minute the fridge door is open takes three minutes of energy to cool down again. And don’t put hot or warm food straight into the fridge – allow it to cool down first.
19. Defrost your fridge regularly. It keeps it running efficiently and cheaply. If your fridge seems to frost up quickly, check the door seal.
20. Keep your freezer in a cool room or garage. It won’t need to work as hard, and so uses less energy.
21. Wash at low temperatures. Wash laundry loads on the low-temperature programme.
22. Dry your clothes outside. Use a washing line whenever it’s not raining, and you can enjoy the fresh smell that only comes from line-dried clothes.
23. Don't dry clothes on a radiator. It stops heat reaching the room, creates damp and encourages mould.
IN THE GARDEN
If you’re lucky enough to have a garden, there’s so much more you can do. Growing your own veg, making compost, helping wildlife and avoiding nasty chemicals can all help create a green haven just outside your door
24. Avoid energy-hungry patio-heaters. There are 2.3 million domestic patio heaters in the UK. Every one of them uses twice as much energy as a kitchen hob. For those evenings in the garden when it gets a little chilly, put a jumper on.
25. Collect rain water in water butts for using in the garden. A garden sprinkler uses as much water in an hour as a family of four uses in a day.
26. Make your own compost. Almost one third of our domestic waste could be composted, but ends up in landfill. Shop-bought compost for the garden costs about £2.50 for 20 litres. A heap in your back garden is absolutely free.
27. Get your children into gardening. Give them their own little veg patch and enjoy the cheap food. A bunch of radishes costs about 45p. A packet of 1,000 radish seeds costs about £1.
28. Grow hedges. For £25, you can buy 50 hedge plants that will give you 10m of thick hedge. Takes time to grow, but a lot nicer than a typical fencing panel which costs £25 for just under 2m, excluding the cost of posts and concrete, and wildlife and birds will love you for it.
29. Go peat-free. Avoiding peat-based composts means stopping the destruction of our peat bogs, which are invaluable habitats for a wealth of wildlife.
OUT AND ABOUT
Going green doesn’t need to stop once you leave your front door
30. Use the car less. Cycle or walk instead and get some exercise. The average cost of a gym session is around £3.80, but the cost of pedalling fast to work is nothing.
31. Stick to 70mph where it says so – or keep under it. Not only is it illegal when you go over, but fuel costs can go up by as much as 4p a mile for small cars cruising at 80-85 mph on the motorway. According to the Slower Speeds Initiative, driving at 50mph instead of 70mph can reduce fuel consumption by a further 30%.
32. Use retreaded car tyres. You don’t need to always buy new. For more info, contact the Retread Manufacturers Association.
33. Start a walking bus group. Get the kids to class without having to do the school run twice a day.
34. Become a skipoholic. Rather than spend, spend, spend at the DIY store, look out for usable materials in local skips. Ask the owner of the contents before taking from any skips.
35. Libraries don’t just loan books. Lots of them hire out music cassettes and CDs, movie videos and DVDs, and even PlayStation games. Use your library to save yourself the cost of building up your own collection.
36. Shopping locally will cut out food miles and support your local economy. Large out-of-town supermarkets are driving the smaller local shops out of business so support your local shops and help the environment too.
37. Re-discover your local area. Holiday nearer home to avoid excessive travelling. You’ll be supporting the local economy, and discover a new appreciation for your area.
38. Avoid flying. It’s easy to get to anywhere in Europe by train. One call to Rail Europe on 0870 8371 371 will tell you all you need.
SAVE CASH AND SAVE THE PLANET
If you think going green is just for those who can afford it, think again. Lots of what you can do that’s good for the planet is good for your wallet too
39. Carry out a financial health check. Could your money be doing better financially and ethically? You could be banking with an ethical institution and getting as good a deal or better.
40. Do you really need it? Buy less and avoid waste. You can then spend more on things which you really need, and buy quality that will last.
41. Babies don’t need special baby food, especially not at up to a pound a jar. Buy a hand-held blender for £5 and purée ordinary, UK-grown organic food, such as potato, carrot, cauliflower and pear.
42. Give your time. Rather than searching for a present that may never be used, you could help with decorating, gardening or a big clear-out.
43. Cut the cost of cleaning. Add lemon juice (59p for 250 ml), soda crystals (51p a kilo) and bicarbonate of soda (44p for 200g) to your shopping basket to get your taps sparkling, dissolve grease, and shift stains on your work surfaces. All for £1.54.
44. Banish aerosols. Air fresheners fill your home with a toxic soup. Avoid wasting money and open a window instead.
45. Ditch disposable nappies. Switch to reusables. This could save you up to £600 in total. A set of 10 reusable nappies with simple Velcro fasteners costs about £70 new.
46. Save energy, save money. Use less energy in your home by improving insulation, draught-proofing, heating controls etc. Call the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012 for free advice.
47. Pack your own lunch. Making your own sandwiches instead of buying over-packaged snacks could save you more than £4 a day.
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD
There’s only so much that each of use can do in our daily lives. But there’s a lot more that our politicians can do that affects us all. Make sure the Government knows that you want a greener Wales
48. Campaign. Take part in letter writing campaigns, postcard campaigns, petitions, online actions – it does make a difference, honest!
49. Demand strong leadership on climate change. We need strong leaders to take tough decisions and come up with creative solutions. If Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ken Livingstone can do it, you can too, Rhodri Morgan.
50. Educate and inform. Ask the Welsh Assembly Government to launch a high-profile awareness raising campaign to improve understanding of climate change and the many solutions we can implement to reduce its impact.
51. Demand they spend our money wisely. The Assembly Government should move some of the expenditure from roads (50% of Welsh transport budget at present) to support better public transport, cycling and walking schemes.
52. Email you MP now. Ask your MP to take strong action on climate change by emailing them at www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/press_for_change/email_mp.
GET TOGETHER
If there’s so much that each of us can do alone, there’s so much more we can achieve if we work as one
53. Join a Friends of the Earth local group. If you want to do more for the environment both locally and globally, join one of Friends of the Earth’s many local groups around Wales. For information on your nearest group phone 029 2022 9577 or visit www.foe.co.uk/cymru/english/local_groups.
54. Have a clothes swapping party. Get together with you friends and swap clothes. This way you can get a whole new wardrobe for nothing and save the planet too!
55. Use your affiliations to magnify your input. As an employee, a union member, or a member of a club or society you’ll have more influence, so encourage your organisation to make itself heard.
56. Make your town a Transition Town. The transition network is all about people taking control of their own communities, and making a difference by working together. Find out more at www.transitiontowns.org.
57. Join ‘Cymruaction’ at www.foe.co.uk/cymru/english/press_for_change/mailing_list and become part of a powerful email campaign to protect the environment of Wales.
58. Share transport. Get together with work friends to car share.
59. Share tools and DIY equipment. Does every house in your street need a £70 lawnmower, a folding workbench for £30, and a steam cleaner at £100? Share with your neighbours, and it’ll do wonders for your community spirit too.
60. Join Friends of the Earth’s Big Ask Online March. Film yourself on a digital camera or a mobile phone and upload it at www.thebigask.com, and you’ll be joining Welsh luminaries Cerys Matthews, Goldie Lookin Chain and Huw Stephens and many others in asking the Government for a really strong climate change law. Or go along to The Point tonight at the Cardiff Swn Festival, where you can visit Friends of the Earth Cymru’s video stall and they’ll do the filming for you.
The-UKs-Worst-Energy-Wasters-Leauge-Of-Shame
League of shame shows the worst energy wasters
ENEMIES of energy-saving have been pinpointed in a league of shame.
Householders in Castle Morpeth top a league of the worst energy wasters in the North East, according to figures from the Energy Saving Trust (EST).
People living in other rural council areas, such as Tynedale and Alnwick, also come out badly in the survey, while Newcastle and South Tyneside homeowners are rated the best at saving energy and limiting car use.
Rural areas in our region tend to top the green league when it comes to recycling the most waste. But a lack of public transport links and local shops and a high number of commuters are blamed for pushing up carbon emissions in these places and seeing them branded the worst wasters of energy.
Pensioner Jim Rudd, who lives in Morpeth with wife Ann, said: “There’s definitely a need to improve public transport in rural areas if you want to encourage people to stop using their cars.
“We use the bus services because we’re pensioners and it saves a lot of money. It’s all right from Morpeth, but if you live at Mitford for example, which is just outside Morpeth, you would have to get into Morpeth to use that service.
“As for energy saving in the home, we have solar panels on our roof and from April to September we hardly used the gas heating to heat our water.
“We have cavity wall and loft insulation, so I don’t think a lot escapes from our house. There are things that people can do but it’s up to the individual to make the effort.”
The EST carried out the first comprehensive survey of the UK’s biggest energy wasters and savers, street by street.
The model, part of the latest quarterly Green Barometer report, ranks people by their household and domestic car emissions, with the aim of tailoring advice to help people cut their carbon footprint and the region’s.
Research suggests 27% of the UK’s carbon emissions come from energy used to provide heating, lighting and hot water in our homes, but lack of insulation can see up to 50% of heat leaking out through walls and roofs.
The Energy Saving Trust gives advice on issues such as home energy efficiency, wind turbines, solar panels and transport, helping people reduce the amount of carbon emissions they’re responsible for.
Steve Hunter, director of the North East Energy Saving Trust advice centre, said local knowledge was a key factor in combating climate change. He said: “This latest Green Barometer report isn’t about singling out local authorities, as each area is unique and has its own challenges and opportunities.
“We provide help and advice to local authorities and we can now work with them to offer much more tailored energy advice.This wealth of information at our fingertips means householders are more likely to receive the information they need to act to curb carbon emissions. A targeted, localised approach is critical.” Advice freephone: 0800 512 012.
Barratt-Developments-Eco Village-Lancashire
Ecosmart new homes
30 November 2007
Barratt Developments today publishes preliminary findings from its pioneering ‘eco village’ project in Chorley, Lancashire – a 15 month experiment into how effectively ‘green’ technologies can be incorporated into new homes.
Academics from The University of Manchester have been monitoring the renewable technologies which Barratt installed in the seven-unit development and are now compiling the report on their performance.
Key preliminary findings include:
The Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) – ‘worked very well’.
On average a GSHP could generate 2.6 times the amount of energy it consumed. At these performance levels, an £7,800 GSHP would reduce CO2 emissions by 62 per cent and would take around 15 years or less to pay for itself at today’s electricity prices using a simple payback method of analysis.
Photovoltaic (PV) roof panels – ‘worked very well’.
On average, an unobstructed PV system generated 850kWh of electricity a year. At these performance levels, with a net-metering arrangement and a Renewable Obligation Certificates income, a £4,500 PV system would take around 37.5 years or more to pay for itself at today’s electricity prices.
Solar Hot Water Thermal Collectors (SHW) - ‘reasonably satisfactory’.
On average, a 2.5 sq m or higher SHW unit could heat a 180 litres tank of hot water on a cloudless day. The simple payback period will depend on the hot water demand of the household and this work is still progressing.
Micro-Wind Turbines (mWT) – ‘disappointing’.
Both the 1.7m and 1m mWT performed below the theoretical available output based on the recorded wind speed throughout the trial period. Simple payback period analysis has not been carried out.
Micro-combined Heat & Power (CHP) units – ‘trouble free’.
On average, the electricity to heat generation ratio of the mCHP units was around five per cent. It is still under trial and further results will be published at a later date.
The eco village project is the first of its kind by a major UK housebuilder. Barratt has used it to test-run the ‘green’ technologies at the forefront of the Government’s drive to make all new homes in Britain zero carbon by 2016.
Monitoring of the Barratt EcoSmart Show Village is being led by Dr Tony Sung, Chairman of CIBSE Electrical Services Group and Lecturer at the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering at The University of Manchester.
Dr Sung is examining how much each ‘low carbon’ technology costs to install, what exactly it can and cannot do, what combinations work best, what they will save in terms of carbon emissions and whether householders could expect to make any cost savings as a result of living with them.
Dr Tony Sung said: "The Barratt EcoSmart Show Village has been invaluable to provide us with a wealth of performance data on various low carbon technologies installed in the seven test houses. It has shown that there are low carbon technologies for us to use for reducing or offsetting carbon emissions from our homes.”
“There is no shortage of renewable energy. Although they are intermittent in nature and often generated at a time that is out-of-step with the bulk demand, it has a vast and useable quantity. As long as we develop good ways of capturing, storing and retrieving it, e.g., outside the box of houses, we can greatly reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and help to meet the Government’s 2020 renewables target. This will allow us to retain significant reserves of hydrocarbons and coal for our future generations. Thus, the energy future is all about choice, not fate.”
Mark Clare, CEO of Barratt Developments, said: “The eco village has been an invaluable test bed which has helped separate renewable myth from renewable reality. The challenge now is to drive down costs to ensure that they have the widest possible take-up.”
“Barratt is now using renewable technologies at 40 of our developments. The Photovoltaic roof panels and Solar Hot Water Thermal Collectors are key features which we will use going forward. So too is the Air Source Heat Pump, which operates on similar principles to other Heat Pumps.”
The experimental prototype technologies have now been removed from the Chorley showhouses, which will be sold to members of the general public. More research on the low carbon technologies used at the eco village will continue at The University of Manchester by the Built Environment Research Group for a further two years.
The findings will then be published for the benefit of homebuyers and the rest of the housebuilding industry.
The-2012-Olympic-Flame-To-Be-Super-Green-Carbon-Neutral-2012-Olympics
Solar-Panels-Over-Wind-Turbines
Baydon-Meadow-Wind-Turbine-News-West-Berkshire-Council-To-Reject-The-Project!
Green-Home-Service-Government-Questions-Answers
Q &A: Green Home Service
What are the government plans?
To provide a nationwide network of shops providing a Green Homes Service by 2011. It will invest more than £100m in the service.
What will the service include?
The service will:
· offer a green home health check – essentially an MOT for your home – providing advice on energy saving, water saving. Waste reduction and recycling and green travel options.
· connect people with offers from energy companies for discounted or free energy saving products such as cavity wall and loft insulation and offer a range of other financial packages through programmes such as Warm Front.
· offer a range of financial support packages to householders.
· contact people buying and selling homes with poor energy ratings to connect them with grants. Loans and financial packages to get the work done to improve the rating on their homes.
· pilot a premium service for a green home makeover.
Is this service already available in some areas?
The Energy Saving Trust has 49 advice centres across the UK that currently provide a reactive service. When people contact them the centre staff can identify suitable home energy saving measures, recommend suitably qualified trades people, and advise on grants available to help towards the costs of insulation and other measures. There is also a free-phone number 0800 512 012 to provide home energy efficiency advice.
How many people has the service helped?
There are 500 members of staff who have advised 5.8 million customers since 1996. This advice has saved customer £124m on energy bills and more than 23m tonnes of C02.
How will the service change?
From April 1 2008, it will be a proactive service going to people's doors and offering advise on more than energy efficiency – travel, water efficiency and waste reduction.
How much could I save if I had my home insulated?
Cavity wall insulation, which cuts the amount of energy needed to heat a home, could reduce heating costs by 15% or up to £120 year. The work costs around £500, but you may be eligible for grants to help cover the costs. Loft insulation, which acts as a blanket, trapping rising heat from the floors below, could save a further £110 per year and cost around £370 to have fitted. If everyone in the UK had loft insulation to a depth of 270mm, almost £400m could be saved in heating bills every year.
Double glazing prevents heat loss through windows, so will lead to savings on fuel bills.
How much C02 emissions comes from things we do in the home?
Some 7.9% of C02 gases come from residential and commercial buildings. Things like leaving lights on unnecessarily or overfilling the kettle all waste energy and result in needless carbon dioxide emissions. Simple things such as fitting energy-saving bulbs, can use 75% less power.
Will the Green Homes Service help householders install renewable energy?
Renewable energy technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, and biomass heaters are becoming increasingly popular. The new carbon emissions reduction target (CERT) has incentives for energy companies to innovate, encouraging them to install more renewable energy. Up to 150,000 homes could be generating their own renewable energy by 2011.
How much does a micro wind turbine cost and how much electricity does it generate?
According to the Energy Saving Trust, the costs for a wind turbine begin at £1,500 plus VAT for a 1kW turbine. If the turbine is grid connected, money can be earned for exporting excess electricity, although the rate at which energy companies buy exported electricity is lower than the rate at which they sell electricity.
The amount of energy and carbon that roof-mounted micro wind turbines (1 to 1.5kW) can save depends a lot on several things including the size of turbine, location, wind speed, nearby buildings and the local landscape. At the moment there is not enough data from existing micro wind turbine installations to provide a figure of how much energy and carbon could typically be saved.
How much does a 2kWp solar photovoltaic system cost and what savings will it achieve?
According to the Energy Saving Trust, they cost from between £10,000 to £18,000 and could save one third off electricity bills
Farming-The-Wind-Efficiently
Children-Get-a-Green-Education-Cool-Wind-Turbine-Kits-KidWind-Project
The KidWind Project is run out of Michael Arquin's basement in St. Paul, MN, and is all about educating kids about wind power. One part of this is offering really cool wind turbine kits from their website for home assembly and use in science fair presentations.
This low-cost wind turbine was developed for educational use at British Council events in the UK.
The turbine comes as an easy-to-assemble unit and is capable of powering a buzzer, LED or solar motor. The turbine unit comprises eight 3mm corriflute blades each of which can be separately angled by twisting on their aluminum spokes.
A-Shetland-Company-Making-Renewable-Energy-Possible
A SHETLAND company making renewable energy possible for home owners has expanded its enterprise on the mainland.
Shetland Wind Power, which installs small wind turbines for domestic use, has opened a new distribution and training centre in Stirling.
The company was established in the 1990s when its founder and company director, Michael Anderson, became dissatisfied with the amount of money he was paying for his own domestic energy supply.
Since then the organisation has gained experience distributing and installing turbines manufactured by Kilmarnock-based Proven Energy Products in Shetland and beyond.
Now, with environmental concerns on the increase and "green" issues finding themselves more and more in the national headlines, Mr Anderson says it makes both economic and environmental sense to have his own facility down south.
"We just can't justify purchasing wind turbines, transporting them up to Shetland, and then transporting them back down to the UK," he said.
"The environmental impact would be horrendous, especially when we are selling wind turbine equipment purely on an environmental basis."
Stirling was chosen as a base because of its central location for distribution across Scotland, as well as the rest of the UK and Ireland.
Mr Anderson said it was easier to access areas like the Western Isles from the town, and all major hauliers pass through the area.
He said the move wouldn't have any affect on the company's Shetland-base in Sandwick.
"We are maintaining our interest in Shetland. We have installers based in Sandwick, and we want to improve our business in Shetland because we feel we want to serve the community here."
He added a "global change" over the last six or seven years has seen an increasing number of people becoming aware of the economic benefits of small-scale renewables, as well as the obvious environmental gains.
Mr Anderson said the move would help the company employ more staff in the future.
"We have two people based in Stirling at the moment, but we are looking to expand on that," he added.
The company has always shied away from large-scale industrial development, preferring to concentrate on a niche that helps individuals and families do their bit for the environment.
"It started 13 or 14 years ago when I decided to make my house more energy efficient. I purchased a wind turbine and decided I shouldn't just purchase one turbine, but that I should be marketing and selling these products also," said Mr Anderson.
The company also distributes and sells other small scale renewables, including solar energy products.
Kind regards
Andy Mahoney
Home Brew Power
(Off-Grid Power Installer - UK)
Will-Saving-Energy-At-Home-Save-You-Money?
Will saving energy at home also save you money?
HOMEOWNERS WHO install energy-saving measures such as loft insulation and solar panels might save the planet, but they will probably not save any money - at least, not in the short term.
A study by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) shows that solar panels to heat water could cost £5000 to install in the typical three-bedroom terraced house. But they would knock only £24 a year off the average energy bill, which means it could take about 208 years to get a return on the investment.
Jill Craig of RICS says: "The government needs to do a lot more than just introduce a fridge-style' energy rating system to encourage people to take up energy-saving measures into their homes. RICS has been calling on the government to reduce the level of VAT applied to all energy-saving measures and to provide an attractive grant programme to aid real change. If this government is really serious about combating climate change, it has to turn its big talk into even bigger actions."
RICS looked at eight measures that are recommended for a "greener" home. The cost of all eight, including insulation, condensing boilers and double glazing, would be £23,547. But they would cut the typical fuel bill by only £486 and so would take 48 years to recoup.
It would, for example, take 124 years to earn a return on an investment of more than £9000 in double glazing. If you installed underfloor insulation, you would have to wait 54 years to cover the cost with lower energy bills. Even loft insulation would take 13 years to generate savings in utility bills, according to the study.
"People on average spend 16 years living in one property, making most of the energy-saving measures financially unattractive propositions," says RICS.
But the Energy Saving Trust (EST) disputes the findings. Keith Marsh of the EST says: "We disagree with many of the installation costs stated by RICS, partly because they make no allowance for grants and offers that are available. There are also many straightforward things that people can do straight away - such as turning down the thermostat and switching to low-energy lightbulbs."
The government has been criticised for recently capping the grants that are available under the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's Low Carbon Buildings programme. The programme was set up in April 2006 and offers grants to people who want to generate their own power from renewable sources. But the DTI recently cut the grants available for wind turbines and solar photovoltaics (PVs) - another system that generates electricity. The maximum grant you can now get for a wind turbine is £2500, down from £15,000. The grants for PV panels have halved to £2500.
A wind turbine can cost about £12,500 to install; in some cases the price can be as high as £25,000. If you can apply for a maximum grant of only £2500, you are going to be left with a hefty bill.
A typical domestic photovoltaic system costs between £10,000 and £18,000. The panels can also generate up to half the average family's supply of electricity, saving up to £125 on the annual bill. But it would still take years to recoup the costs, even with a possible grant of £2500.
Households in Scotland might be eligible for more help with funding. The Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative can award a grant of 30% of the cost of installing renewable measures up to a limit of £4000. But you cannot apply for a grant under the Scottish initiative if you have already applied for a grant from the Low Carbon Buildings Programme.
If you decide it's too pricey to generate your own power, you can still do your bit for the environment by cutting the emissions from your home.
The energy we use to heat, light and power our homes is responsible for producing 27% of the UK's CO2 emissions. So we can make a difference if we make sure we use our energy efficiently.
Insulation does not make the headlines in the same way as solar or wind power, but it's just about the best way to cut the emissions from your home. Every household in the UK creates around six tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. If you insulate your loft and walls you could save around two tonnes of CO2 a year, which is a reduction of one third.
Start at the top of your house, with the roof. You should then check your walls. If your house was built between 1930 and 1980, it will probably have cavity walls, and they will probably need to be insulated. This is not as messy as it sounds - an insulating material is simply pumped into the gap between the walls. RICS estimates the cost at £728 but calculates that you would save £145 a year on your bills. So you could recoup your capital in five years.
Double glazing keeps more of the heat in your home, so you could knock about £75 a year off the average bill. But it's expensive. You could fork out £9327 for a three-bedroom house, according to RICS, so don't expect to recoup your money any time soon.
Secondary glazing is cheaper - an extra layer of glass if fitted inside your existing frame.
You could save another tonne of CO2 a year if you fit a condensing boiler. It's not cheap - they cost about £2000 to fit, but they can cut your energy bill by about £52 a year. If a new boiler is a bit pricey, make sure you've lagged your old boiler. A standard jacket costs a mere £10.
If you need to update any other appliances, look out for goods that carry the Energy Saving logo. They don't always cost much more, but they might save you money on your bills.
And don't forget energy saving lightbulbs. They cost about £3.50 each and use up to four times less electricity than a standard 60W bulb. They also last about 12 times longer.
You can get a free energy audit for your home by contacting the Energy Saving Trust at www.est.org.uk. The website also has lots of useful energy-saving tips and information about grants.
Tuesday, 27 November 2007
Reduce-Reuse-Recycle
3 Golden Rules (3r's)
1. Reduce
2. Reuse
3. Recycle
Follow these and you are on your way to a sustainable, green & Low impact lifestyle.
The-Green-Guide-National-Geographic-Society
It covers many Green Topics including, Carbon Neutral Products, Green Issues (Of Course) Green Travel, Green Living and much more.
Their website is http://www.thegreenguide.com/
Don't forget to visit the homebrewpower Forum, it's free, it covers tons of subjects about Carbon Neutral Power Generation (Wind Turbines, Solar, CHP, MCHP, WVO & WMO Burners & many other interesting topic's)
It is brand new, free to join and specifically for like minded people.
Andy Mahoney
http://www.homebrewpower.co.uk
Friday, 23 November 2007
HomeBrewPower-New-Van-Signage-2007
Look out for us around the UK, if you spot the van then let us know, drop Andy a line on
Andy Mahoney
Home Brew Power
07504 50 50 89
www.homebrewpower.co.uk
Sunday, 18 November 2007
Brand-New-FREE-Forum-Opened-On-HomeBrewPower
Please join up and make the most of the FORUM here. I would like it to soon become a central meeting point for all of you out there with a passion of alternative Energy.
Kind regards
Andy Mahoney
http://apps.homebrewpower.co.uk/Forum/