$45M-Wave-Energy-Deal-Signed-At-Block-Island

Block Island finds itself at the center of initiatives in both wave and wind energy that are meeting with mixed reactions from the state.

Governor Donald Carcieri is to announce the signing of an agreement between the state Office of Energy Resources, the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation and wave energy company Oceanlinx Limited to create two wave energy plants in Rhode Island coastal waters, including a pilot plant off Block Island that could reduce island electric rates.

The agreement hinges on state legislators approving a key bill next session to establish a state power authority. A similar bill died in the General Assembly last session.

Confident that the bill will pass early next year, Gov. Carcieri is expected to give the deal his public blessing at a press conference at the University of Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay Campus on Tuesday, December 4, that will focus on state energy policy and the development of both wind and wave technology.

Meanwhile a proposal from a New York wind energy company that filed for permits and made a public announcement before talking to the state has met with a more chilly reception. But company representatives this week said they are committed to the project and are pushing for approval to start gathering the data needed to build offshore wind farms in state waters. As part of the plan, the company wants to install a meteorological mast south of Block Island to measure wind speed and direction. For more see the story that begins on page 4.

Wave energy deal signed last month

Oceanlinx announced October 26 that it had signed an agreement with Rhode Island to build two plants in Rhode Island. The announcement, available on its website at www.oceanlinx.com, was made as the company began preparations to make an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange.

The deal has a number of ambitious components. Under it, the company will base its U.S. headquarters and East Coast manufacturing center in Rhode Island.

It will also be a partner in a newly established Renewable Energy Center of Excellence in cooperation with the state and URI. The state Office of Energy Resources has already given the university $125,000 to start the center, said Andrew Dzykewicz, commissioner of the state Office of Energy Resources.

At next Tuesday’s event, the university is also expected to announce the creation of an Energy Advisory Board and a public lecture series to educate state residents about renewable energy and energy conservation.

Dzykewicz said he thinks the General Assembly will pass the legislation needed to create a power authority early next session. He said he and the governor have spent a lot of time talking to legislators about the importance of the bill to facilitate renewable energy projects.

The newly created power authority would raise $45 million in bond money for Oceanlinx. That’s in addition to $750,000 in financing the company received from New England states, including Rhode Island, for preliminary studies in November 2003.

The company says it is ready to start work in Rhode Island. “We are ready and raring to go,” said Andrew Hold, a communications specialist from London firm Finsbury Group, which represents Oceanlinx. “We just need the relevant approvals.”

R.I. at the forefront

Oceanlinx’s first project would be a pilot plant in waters just off Block Island, expected to cost between $3 million and $4 million. The project is expected to get streamlined federal permitting as long as the 1.5 megawatts of electricity generated is given away. The energy would go to Block Island, says Dzykewicz, and the state could look to get a contribution to its renewable energy fund in return.

The second project would be a much larger commercial plant off the southern coast of Rhode Island that would generate 15 to 20 megawatts. The state consumes about 1,000 megawatts on average, Dzykewicz says.

The wave farms, and the public/private partnership, would be the first of their kind in the United States, says Dzykewicz.

Wave turbines can also be used to prevent beach erosion, he says, or as breakwaters. The plants sit low on the water, creating minimal visual impact. The technology can also be used to create desalinization plants, which could be the answer to water shortages in South County.

State scientists have advised that wave generation will “dovetail perfectly” with wind farms, says Dzykewicz, since wave action tends to lag behind high winds by a couple of days.

Steve Kass, communications director for the office of the governor, said that wave and wind technology have the potential to greatly reduce the state’s dependence on fossil fuels. If that happens, the Ocean State would be the first in the country to draw significant power from ocean-based projects. “Power is the big focus” for the governor’s office right now, said Kass. “We want to lead the country.”

There are currently no offshore wind or wave generation plants in the United States, according to Kass and Dzykewicz. Wind projects have been stalled by permitting and opposition from residents in Cape Cod and Long Island. But offshore wind plants, tidal generation plants and wave plants can be found in Europe and Australia.

Rhode Island in generating so much attention from renewable energy companies because of its natural resources, said Dzykewicz, and because “We happen to have a renewable energy-friendly policy. It’s always easier to get a project done when the state actually wants it.”

Local reactions

Dzykewicz says he expects the pilot wave plant off Block Island to be in place within a year. “It’s not going to make your electric bills zero,” he said. “But there will absolutely be a reduction.”

Block Island Power Company’s (BIPCo) Cliff McGinnes Sr. said this week that nobody has approached the utility about the plan, but “we’re all for it. We’d be more than happy to cooperate with them.”

The island’s peak summer electric consumption is about 4 megawatts, he said, but off-season use is much lower. In the past week, for instance, BIPCo generated about 1.3 megawatts, less than the 1.5 megawatts the pilot wave plant could produce at maximum output.

The energy that might come from a wave plant would essentially replace the diesel the power company now ships over, said McGinnes. Consumers would still get a bill to cover the company’s infrastructure and staff, but the fuel cost adjustment that now makes up a large percentage of each bill would be slashed. The reduction would depend on overall consumption and the plant’s output, but McGinnes guessed that at times, bills could be cut in half. “It’s promising,” McGinnes said. “But a lot of things need to be worked out, and the devil is in the details.”

First Warden Kim Gaffett said she had not yet heard of the plan. “I wonder how [the power] will make landfall,” she said. “But if it’s going to benefit us, I’m all for it.”

The local Energy Task Group is scheduled to meet this Monday at 2 p.m. at the Fire Barn, she added. The group is expected to give a recommendation soon about the future of BIPCo. Among the options the group has considered has been a municipal buyout of the tiny utility, which has rates three times higher than the rest of the state and recently announced that it is applying to raise rates by another 9 percent.

Oceanlinx

Founded in 1997, Oceanlinx designs, manufactures and installs industry-leading wave turbines. It has one test plant in place at Port Kembla in New South Wales, Australia, which company spokesman Holt said has been functioning since 2005 and “will shortly be connected to the grid.” When that happens, “it will be the world’s first commercial onshore power plant.”

An offshore wave plant using a competing technology, the snake-like Pelamis Wave Energy Converter, is in operation in Portugal, he said. Pelamis’s web site says it is has also secured funding for a second plant off the U.K. But another Oceanlinx project in Victoria, Australia, will probably be the next commercial plant to come on line, Holt said, and when it does it will be the largest offshore wave plant in the world.

The technology planned for the Rhode Island project is different from that at the Australian test plant, Holt said, because instead of being anchored to the ocean floor in inshore waters, it will be tethered to the bottom by cables and sit further offshore. The wave farm will also sit slightly lower in the water, protruding about 28 feet above the ocean surface.

Using what it calls oscillating water technology, the wave chambers use wave action to compress air and drive a turbine. A hallmark of the technology is that computers measure the air pressure and alter the angle of blades in the turbine so that although the wave action ebbs and flows at different speeds, the turbine spins at a constant speed in a single direction. The turbine is the only major moving part, and sits in a sealed box slightly above the water line.

The Rhode Island project is one of six the company is developing around the world, including two in Australia, one in southern England, one in Namibia and one in Hawaii, according to an October 26 press release that announced the company was preparing for its initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange.

Holt said this week that the stock has yet to float on the LSE, but “We hope to list before the end of the year.”

Oceanlinx representatives came to Block Island May 30 to meet with a local energy task group. The local group later discussed the project and forwarded some concerns to the state.

Dzykewicz said this week that he is looking forward to further talks between the state, the company and local officials as the project moves forward.

How the deal will work

Rhode Island will secure the permits and float the bonds. “Any time you want the state to own something, everybody starts to shake,” says Kass of the governor’s office. But in this case, the state will sell off the pieces of the deal. That way, he said, the state remains in control and will get the best deal from private frims. It’s the same model the state wants to use for wind farms.

For instance, Kass says state taxpayers shouldn’t worry about the $45 million bond proposed to pay for the wave plants. “It won’t be on taxpayers’ backs at all,” he said. That’s because part of the deal would be a power purchasing agreement with Rhode Island’s main utility company that would guarantee a solid return, making the bond an attractive deal to sell off to private investors. “If National Grid signs a contract for 20 years, any number of investors will buy the bonds,” he said. “They would be crazy not to.”

The purchasing agreement would mean that Rhode Island would sell the electricity from the plant to the grid, then be first in line to buy however much it needs back at a set rate. Any excess is profit. The energy would also earn the state renewable energy credits.

If the General Assembly passes the necessary legislation, Block Island will be the first community in the state to benefit from power at a stable rate that’s no longer linked to oil prices. “We want want to reduce your power costs,” said Kass. “You [Block Island residents] are going to be the big winners in this.”

Kind regards

Andy Mahoney

Home Brew Power

(Off-Grid Power Installer - UK)

www.homebrewpower.co.uk

Thenergo-Acquires-Polargen

(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. The recycling of CO2 derived from the very plants grown in the greenhouses, whose waste biomass is simultaneously utilized for energy, is an optimal use of the gas. CO2 is fed to the crops in a closed environment, thus considerably stimulating growth, while no emissions from the production of bioenergy enter the atmosphere. Both Belgium and the Netherlands are European leaders in the greenhouse industry. Thenergo's expertise in producing heat, power and separated CO2 from biogas and biomass is now coupled to Polargen's established presence in the sector, a combination that is set to capture a considerable market share. At end December 2007, total gross installed capacity for greenhouse CHP activities will have more than doubled to 49.6MW, up from 23.8MW in June, prior to Thenergo's IPO. Most projects are co-owned with industry partners. Thenergo has, in recent months, been renegotiating its stakes in these projects. By year end, Thenergo's net capacity in greenhouse CHP operations, in addition to its existing biogas site, will have risen to 32MW, up from 8.2MW three months earlier.Under the acquisition, Polargen's managing partners will receive Thenergo shares for their combined 49 percent stake in Polargen, which will result in Thenergo having sole ownership of the business. The transaction was completed on November 30, 2007. Thenergo CEO Kurt Alen said: "Since Thenergo's acquisition of a 51% stake in Polargen one year ago, Polargen has proved to be a highly strategic and fast growth asset. We will now be bringing inhouse Polargen's strong technical skills and energy trading and sales expertise. At the same time we will be strengthening our management team with two new director appointments." Established in 2003 and based in Lint, Belgium, Polargen designs, constructs and operates CHP plants primarily for the greenhouse industry in the Benelux region. The integration of the Polargen and Leysen activities into Thenergo's business model will provide all companies and their industry partners with the necessary synergies to fully integrate the different stages of the waste- to-energy business - from fuel acquisition through power generation to the trading of green power and CHP certificates. Founded in 2002 and based in Antwerp, Belgium, Thenergo is a fast growing, fully integrated and independent developer and operator of sustainable energy projects using biomass, biogas and natural gas. Thenergo brings solutions and added value to clients' CHP energy needs, from financing and concept design to energy sales and trading on Europe's power markets. In addition, Thenergo's recent acquisition of Leysen Group adds long term procurement security to its business model and brings new opportunities to Thenergo's project pipeline. Since 14 June 2007, Thenergo has been listed on Alternext, Paris. Thenergo recently announced two new projects: the development of a 3MW CHP biogas project in Flanders generating annually 24,000MWh of clean power, enough to supply around-the-clock electricity for up to 6,000 households (earlier post). In an interesting development, it also announced that it is building a 5MW electricity and biocoal plant in northern Holland Eclair-E, a Dutch CHP sustainable energy supplier. The facility will generate annually up to 42,800MWh of power and 75,000 tons of biocoal pellets. Biocoal pellets are made from thermally processed biomass either from dedicated energy crops or from wood debris, forest residue and chippings. In pellet form it is a multipurpose clean burning fuel, easy to store and handle. This green 'designer coal' can be obtained by carbonizing biomass, with new techniques under development. Compared to wood, coal and biomass pellets, biocoal contains a far lower amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), no water, and is fully carbon neutral.

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)

www.homebrewpower.co.uk

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

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

Low carbon Olympic flame for 2012

A low-carbon Olympic flame will light up the 2012 Games provided a way can be found for it to be bright enough.

A carbon-neutral flame is difficult to see so Olympic organisers are looking for a suitable bio-fuel.

It is part of many measures announced by London 2012 organisers aimed at making the event the greenest ever.

It includes a carbon footprint study, a sustainable food strategy and a pledge to ensure no waste is sent to landfill during the Games.

The flame is such an iconic image that we have to get it right

EDF Energy's Gareth Wynn

An independent sustainability assurance body - the Commission For A Sustainable London 2012 - is being set up to provide independent monitoring of the plans.

The London Organising Committee (LOC) and EDF Energy have begun to search for a suitable bio-fuel for the flame, due to stand outside the stadium in Stratford.

Gareth Wynn, of EDF Energy, said that the low carbon flame "will definitely happen".

One possible answer is a bio gas, perhaps methane, using an organic material such as tree cuttings, he suggested.

Mr Wynn said: "The flame is such an iconic image that we have to get it right."

London 2012 chairman Lord Coe said: "We hope to use the power of the Games to drive change - behaviourally and in the way big events are staged in the future."

Solar-Panels-Over-Wind-Turbines

Why Solar Panels over Wind Turbines

It has become the home improvement of choice for the environmentally aware, but erecting a wind turbine on the side of your house could create more carbon dioxide than it actually saves, a study into their performance will reveal today.

David Cameron led the trend for “micro-wind” this year when he installed a turbine on the side of his west London home. But he may have been wasting his time and money. The Building Research Establishment Trust, which advises the government and private sector, has found that in built-up towns and cities weak winds and turbulence mean turbines are likely to add to, not subtract from, a home’s carbon footprint.

The BRE took data from sites across Manchester, Lerwick and Portsmouth and analysed the likely performance of three models of turbine. In Manchester two-thirds of the 96 different options studied for siting turbines produced a carbon dioxide impact that could never be paid back. Building, installing and maintaining the units would, on balance, exacerbate global warming. The same was true in a third of cases in the coastal city of Portsmouth.

“Small windmills may work in the outskirts of Wick, but the current generation do not work well enough in built-up areas,” said Martin Wyatt, the chief executive of the BRE Trust. “People need more information to ensure they are not doing the wrong thing.”

After the energy used in manufacture from aluminium, steel, copper and fibreglass, the carbon footprint of the turbine is exacerbated by transportation to the site and the need for regular maintenance to moving parts which bear the strain of rapidly changing loads during heavy winds, the report found.

The likely output of a micro-wind turbine on a pitched roof house in a large city such as Manchester would be less than 150kWh a year; 2% of the energy consumption of an average house.

But in a windy location such as Wick in northern Scotland, the output is likely to be around 3,000kWh a year - about 40% of energy use. The carbon payback in this coastal town would come in less than a year in most cases, and after no more than seven years in the most difficult conditions.

Carbon dioxide embodied in the manufacture of the turbines ranged widely. In the best case it was 180kg - equivalent to the amount emitted in a 45-mile car journey. In the worst it was 1,444 kg, close to the impact of one person taking a return flight to New York. Delivery, installation and maintenance over a 20-year lifespan could add from 18kg to 147kg of CO2.

Baydon-Meadow-Wind-Turbine-News-West-Berkshire-Council-To-Reject-The-Project!

Officers recommend that Baydon Meadow wind turbine be rejected ahead of key planning meeting

Officers will recommend that the application for a controversial wind turbine in Baydon Meadow should be refused at tonight's Western Area Planning Committee (November 21), despite a demand to find renewable energy sources.

Green campaigners are set to picket the offices of West Berkshire Council tonight to protest against the officers' decision.

The wind turbine which would be 81 meters in height and effectively provide the Lambourn Valley area with enough electricity to supply 640 typical UK homes, roughly one third of Baydon’s properties.

Applicant Matt Partridge who took his the application to appeal after it was rejected in 2004 is hoping for a better outcome and will be attending the meeting to fight the case for renewable energy.

He said the proposal has a lot of support locally despite uproar from the racing community who feel the rotary blades from the turbine will spook horses.

He said : “There have been 146 letters of support (all individual, unique letters) and only 65 letters of objection (including a petition). In my 14 years of developing onshore wind farms in the UK, I can safely claim that the Baydon Meadow proposal - for a project at the planning stage - enjoys both unusually strong support and unusually low levels of objection, although independent public attitude surveys have shown for well over a decade that wind energy enjoys 80% support from the general public.”

Planning officers will suggest that the application is refused because its impact on the AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), the impact of the ‘shadow flicker’ on the surrounding residents and horses to the East of the proposed site and the physiological and physical impact on pilots flying into the adjacent airfield.

The recommendation to refuse the application also states that it has not been amended enough since

They have sat on their hands and pretended that by putting a couple of solar panels on the roof of the town hall they are doing their bit

Adrian Foster-Fletcher, Friends of the Earth

similar plans had failed at a recent appeal.

Despite letters of support received by the applicant from local residents including the Lambourn Sustainability Forum because of it would provide so much electricity through renewable energy, the proposal has caused outrage among the racing community.

The horse racing fraternity are outraged by an application it deems as being potentially dangerous to horses as the noise and flicker from its blades might spook the animals.

Champion Jockey Tony McCoy said: “It is an accident waiting to happen.”

Mr McCoy’s proposed training yard would be under the wind turbine, if it was approved, and he claims such a vital local amenity for the racing industry would be badly affected as trainers wouldn’t want to keep horses near rotating blades.

District councillor for Lambourn Gordon Lundie said he welcomes the debate but thinks the district council should lay down a policy for the construction of wind turbines.

But a polar bear is to be among environmental activists outside council officers tonight, urging councillors to vote through the proposal.

They believe the need for renewable energy outweighs the effect on the local landscape.

Local Friends of the Earth spokesman Adrian Foster-Fletcher said: “Four years ago they turned down this application saying that they were in favour of renewable energy but this planning application was in the wrong place.

“They said they would identify suitable sites, but since they have sat on their hands and pretended that by putting a couple of solar panels on the roof of the town hall they are doing their bit.”

“Despite 1,500 houses suffereing severe flooding, they still consider protecting the view of the countryside from the Membury Services cafeteria is a higher priority than doing their bit to fight climate change,” he added.

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

Farming the wind efficiently

Story Highlights

Wind power is currently the world's fastest growing energy technology

New wind turbine designs are more efficient and attractive

'Stormblade Turbine' may make the traditional style of wind turbine redundant

Wind power is currently the world's fastest growing energy technology. According to the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) onshore wind farms are on course to provide 5 percent (3000 megawatts) of the UK's energy requirements by 2010. The UK Government -- who are investing around £1 billion in wind farms -- has stated that it wants 10 percent of energy to come from renewable resources by the same date. And by 2020 Europe as a whole hopes to produce 20 percent of its energy through renewable sources.

But opposition to wind power comes from some unlikely sources. The Germans, who are the world's biggest producers of wind energy, remain skeptical about environmental targets.

A 2005 study by the German government's energy agency concluded that wind farms were an expensive and inefficient way of reducing greenhouse gases. And a report in last month's Guardian newspaper suggests that the UK Government are concerned about the practicality of the European Union's renewable energy targets too.

If charges of inefficiency weren't enough, there's the aesthetic to consider as well. Wind farms are ugly say detractors, as well as being noisy and disruptive to the bird population. And smaller wind turbines attached to the rooftops of suburbia don't fair much better, attracting sour-faced glances from disapproving neighbors in the same way satellite dishes did a few years ago.

But new designs which are coming onto the market may make these arguments redundant as engineers create ever more efficient and attractive models.

Viktor Jovanovic's Stormblade Turbine is a revolutionary new design of wind turbine. It looks more like a jet engine than a propeller and promises unparalleled levels of performance and efficiency. Its design allows it to operate in high winds -- unlike its propeller counterpart which is switched off at speeds above 60 mph -- allowing it to harvest the most profitable winds.

Don't Miss

· Flying wind farm

· All about wind turbines

· American Wind Energy Association

London-based Jovanovic was inspired by conversations he used to have with his father -- also an engineer and inventor -- when he was a boy. "It was only when my Dad died that I revisited the ideas we talked about," he told CNN. "And then I got thinking about wind turbines."

The Stormblade Turbine has been in development since 2001. Jovanovic explained to CNN how it works. "The internal aerodynamics creates a pressure stream, which is directed radially towards the center," he said. "This induces centrifugal reaction force in the airflow that causes the stream field to expand strongly downstream of the rotor. The higher mass flow and higher velocity reduction behind the rotor result in a higher energy output from the wind turbine."

Jovanovic is currently in negotiations with a large multi-national company and has plans to make smaller models, which he says could be used for individual households.

Vertically challenged

A Wyoming based company, Terra Moya Aqua (TMA) is taking a different approach to wind turbine design. It has designed a vertical axis wind energy turbine which they hope will become the most efficient model on the market. Easier to operate, quieter and free from ground resonance, the company believes their design has many advantages over propeller-style turbines.

"The turbine is far more robust than traditional models of turbine", TMA President Duane Rasmussen told CNN.

Unlike large propeller turbines, which require running repairs to their blades after only a few years, Rasmussen believes that the TMA turbine has the ability to run for decades without major maintenance work.

"Because the turbine looks like a building it also means the avian population is not in danger," Rasmussen said.

The turbines aren't a blot on the landscape either. As Rasmussen points out: "Some propeller turbines reach up to 500 feet [150 meters]. You can see that from a long way away!"

The project began 11 years ago when Rasmussen teamed up with the turbine's inventor and TMA Chairman, Ron Taylor. Over the past three years, Rasmussen has traveled the world promoting the design across the U.S., Europe and in Africa. With orders in the pipeline, Rasmussen hopes it won't be long before the turbine is providing more efficient energy for thousands of people.

Like Jovanovic, TMA are designing smaller devices capable of meeting the demands of individual customers.

Critics of wind farms often point out that wind power is unreliable. And it is currently true that power cannot be stored.

But Jovanovic believes the technology is improving. "Storing power in batteries and hybrid wind farm power supply plants are two possibilities," he told CNN. The hybrid solution transfers the power generated by a turbine to a hydro-electric power station where the energy can be stored for use at a later date.

Urban energy

Problems of storing energy are negated once turbines move into towns and cities, as power can flow directly to supply the surrounding area. A UK based company Quiet Revolution Ltd is currently inundated with orders for its new wind turbine.

Initially developed by XCO2 -- a London-based engineering design company -- the QR5 is a five meter high vertical axis wind turbine which utilizes a triple-helix formation. And unlike horizontal axis turbines the QR5 doesn't have to track round to catch the wind. Made from carbon fiber and epoxy resin it is also light, quiet and can, say the company, generate 10,000 kilowatt hours a year.

Already popping up on commercial buildings in towns and cities all over the UK -- the first was installed in South London in 2006 -- the company is now developing a smaller 2.5kw domestic version.

Earlier this year, Marks Barfield Architects unveiled a new wind turbine concept that they hope might resolve some of London's spiraling energy costs. Standing 40 meters high, the Y-shaped frame would house five vertical axis wind turbines. Each tower would would have the capacity to create 50,000 kWh each year.

The creation of a new generation of wind turbines is forcing critics to reassess their objections to wind power. It may end up playing more than just a bit part in the 21st century, as the calls to reduce Co 2

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)

www.homebrewpower.co.uk