Coalition Minister Chris Huhne has told The Sunday Telegraph that he’s in favour of wind power as a way of solving the country’s looming energy crisis.

He said that more should be done to harness both offshore and onshore wind power. And these comments are being made against a backdrop of the UK having to currently import around 27% of its energy.

In a situation likely to put pressure on the new coalition, the Energy Secretary made clear his feelings that there was no money for state subsidies in order to build a new generation of nuclear plants. This was the idea which was the preferred way out of the energy crisis for both the Conservative and Labour parties.

And it’s not just a question of the Liberal Democrats being ‘coerced’ into voting for the nuclear power option. As part of the coalition agreement, they are allowed to abstain whenever a vote is taken in Parliament on funding for nuclear power.

Mr Huhne also said that he was a big supporter of electric cars. His comments were part of his general strategy to see that the UK becomes far more independent in terms of producing its own energy. This, he said, would allow the country to withstand external influences, including conflict, that usually send prices rocketing. He argues that the UK cannot survive on oil and gas which is running out.

He said that given the nightmare with planning issues, the best way forward was likely to be offshore wind farms. He told the newspaper:
“Offshore wind, I think partly as a result of fewer planning issues, is likely to be an important part of our energy independence going forward.

“We have a tremendous natural resource in the Dogger Bank, which is an enormous shallow area of the North Sea, the same size as Wales.

“It’s relatively cheap to put wind turbines in that shallow area. It’s beautifully windy so it does actually produce a lot of electricity – that is a really important natural resource for us.”

Yet of the 235 wind farms currently in operation, only 12 are operating offshore. Potentially, these farms have the capacity to generate over 4,000 mega watts of electricity, yet rarely reach that level as the wind is not consistent. As for the future, some five offshore farms are currently in construction, 27 onshore are being built and a further 468 farms are being planned.

As for nuclear power, Mr Huhne said:
“We basically said exactly the same as Labour on the point about no public subsidy. I suspect the difference is that we mean it. I suspect that new nuclear will go ahead. Investors are telling me very strongly that they expect to be able to go ahead given the framework we can put in place.”

Guest Article by Neil Camp

The UK’s religious buildings could generate some £34 million a year if they installed solar panels says the UK’s largest supplier of gas.

By installing solar panels on churches and other religious buildings including temples and mosques, the British Gas Green Streets Programme reckons that millions could be made by utilising the Feed-In Tariffs. This is a programme which pays companies, organisations and households for providing “green” electricity.

It reckons that power worth £29 million could be generated, plus savings of £5 million for not having to buy electricity from the grid, totalling £34 million.

British Gas reckons that this will be good news for the various religions that operate in the UK, especially the number of Church of England dioceses that are currently running deficits.

What’s more, British Gas reckons that the collective use of solar panels by religions could save some 42,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year which, they point out, equates to over 600 transatlantic flights.

Managing director of British Gas Phil Bentley said:
“These potential savings are great news for the UK’s religious buildings and their congregations, and give them the opportunity to lead their communities in tackling climate change and helping Britain move towards a low carbon society. Religious buildings are particularly well suited to solar power as they tend to have large south-facing rooves which receive direct sunlight for the main part of the day.

“The Government’s Feed-In Tariff scheme is the key to unlocking the potential of solar power in Britain. As Britain’s energy company, we at British Gas are committed to helping households, business and community and faith groups make the most of this opportunity to cut their carbon footprint and earn money for the electricity they generate.”

And the Church of England appear keen on the idea. A spokesman said:
“The Church of England is committed to saving energy and becoming greener throughout the UK and the potential for solar panels on our churches is an exciting prospect. Even though not all UK churches could adopt this model due to planning and architectural conservation laws, there may be thousands of Church of England buildings out there that could help create a greener future by generating clean energy as well as some much needed income.”

And it’s already happening. St Silas Church in London has already had its south facing roof equipped with solar panels. These are in the form of PV tiles which have been manufactured specially to blend in with the Welsh slate.

And the Masjid-e-Hamza Mosque in Birmingham plans to follow suit and hopes to be better off by the tune of nearly £6,500 a year.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

The Labour Government has been reported to be considering a scheme by which a homeowner could fund eco-improvements through a long term loan, possibly provided through the energy companies.

And although an inevitable row has broken out between the political parties as to whose idea it is – both the Tories and Liberal Democrats claim they had the idea first – it is a genuine attempt to help people afford home improvements with the environment in mind. We have already seen the boiler scrappage scheme has been welcomed with open arms as lots of people have jumped on the chance to buy a new gas boiler at a discount. So if it goes through it will hopefully have a positive affect.

It has always been a dilemma for anyone contemplating making changes to their house and more energy efficient, is that the pay-back can be decades.

Take double-glazing which undoubtedly makes a property warmer. Although it will save hundreds of pounds off an average energy bill every year, that won’t cover for a long time the actual cost if installation which will cost thousands of pounds.

Even the simpler job of installing loft insulation is not that cheap, especially if a householder cannot do it as a DIY project.

So the Government plan is simple: provide people with access to long term funding so they can make their home more energy efficient.

The crux is of course, can the Government afford such schemes, especially as over the coming years the public purse is going to have to be considerably tightened and home grants will be hit hard? If you look at the welcomed boiler scrappage scheme, this has proved very popular, but the scheme itself has a limited shelf life, grants for new gas boilers cannot last forever. What’s more, various consumer groups are already complaining that a number of home improvement grant schemes are being withdrawn, or wound-down. Will this result in many of the government boiler grants being forgotten by the power companies as well?

So, it’s perhaps inevitable the Government will want to involve the energy companies in the scheme. Maybe not to wholly bank roll-it, but to act as a clearing house, although you could see the temptation of ministers asking the big energy companies to put their hands in their pockets for people’s house improvements; almost a corporate tax by proxy.

But the cynics might also point out this is the period before the general election, when the Government and opposition parties alike will promise many things which are then conveniently forgotten when they become leaders.

So, it’s a great idea, but don’t hold your breath!

Guest Article by Neil Camp

Today is the start of National Energy Week and it runs to the 25 October, 2009.

It’s an annual event organised by the Energy Saving Trust and this is the 13th one of its kind. Organisations, companies and individuals are encouraged to get behind the sentiments and ambitions of the week.

And the main focus this time is on Waste. And the objective is to help people across the UK stop wasting their Time, Money and Energy.

The Energy Saving Trust has given each day a mini-theme:

• Monday (wasteful behaviour and launch day);
• Tuesday (warmer homes, insulation);
• Wednesday (smarter driving day, transport);
• Thursday (switch off/turn down/turn off day);
• Friday (buy better day).

Karen Lawrence, head of advice, at the Energy Saving Trust, goes at length to explain:
“Climate change is arguably one of the most important global issues now affecting millions of UK households. It is no longer just a Government problem to be tackled on a policy level, but something everyone is thinking about on a daily basis. We’ve all been asked to change certain daily habits: dustbin-days have gone topsy-turvy as councils re-think their recycling programmes, major supermarkets now charge shoppers for carrier bags forcing us to think twice before using plastic bags.

“We’re constantly being shown targets and timelines – telling us what the nation has to achieve and by when – to help fight climate change. But how on earth are we expected to fit an eco-rich lifestyle into our time-poor lives? Energy Saving Week is the perfect opportunity to discover your green/life balance. We’re urging people to take time to make time to change their household habits to help fight climate change.”

And Lewisham Council is one such organisation having a go. Throughout National Energy Week it is reminding residents they can help save money, as well as the environment, with the help of free ‘smart meters’.

These are superb gadgets which basically tell an energy consumer how much electricity is being used in their house, as well as what it costs them per hour. Also known as energy monitors, the smart meters can cut an average household bill by at least £100 over a year, without the need to lose warmth, or comfort.

And Lewisham Council has, over the past year, lent out 250 meters to residents in the Borough.

What’s more, as part of their awareness campaign, Lewisham Council has teamed up with Sydenham School to help raise awareness amongst young people about energy conservation. Participating pupils are asked to take home smart meters over the half term holiday period to measure how much electricity they use.

Barbara Williams, head teacher at Sydenham School, said:
“If we’re really serious about tackling climate change, we should start by trying to change the behaviour of our children and their families. We need to help them understand the level of their electricity use and how to reduce it. We’re aiming for a 10% cut in their electricity bills!”

And Councillor Chris Best, Cabinet Member for Community Services at Lewisham Council, said:
“Smart meters are available free, to library users, from all Lewisham libraries. The meters can be loaned for three weeks, just like taking out a library book.”

Guest Article by Neil Camp

Top boiler manufacturer Baxi has announced that it has become a brand partner of the Government’s ACT ON CO2 campaign.

Baxi joins the likes of Ford, John Lewis and Michelin who are already in the campaign, and all are helping people save money, save energy and reduce their CO2 emissions.

The campaign is a cross-government initiative involving the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Department for Transport and the Department for Communities and Local Government, and is designed to highlight how individuals can act to make a difference over CO2 emissions.

Geraldine Clegg, Baxi’s marketing communications manager, said:
“The company is committed to producing and promoting products that meet increasingly demanding environmental standards. We’re delighted to become a partner in this campaign. At the heart of our product development strategy is our commitment to help the UK population cut its CO2 emissions.

“Replacing a boiler older than ten years by installing a new high efficiency condensing boiler can cut CO2 emissions as well as save householders hundreds of pounds each year. We believe that through offering the best products and the best customer care and advice, we can play a large part in reducing CO2 emissions across the UK.”

As a brand partner, part of Baxi’s role will be to share energy and money saving tips with their customers.

These include:

1. Ensure that you are using your heating controls correctly. Review your boiler and cylinder thermostat, time programmer and thermostatic radiator valve settings and re-set them to match your needs more closely in terms of timing and comfort. And as the weather warms up, make sure you turn down your boiler settings to match the temperature.
2. Ensure you are not blocking precious heat from radiators by furniture or curtains.
3. Always fit reflective insulation panel boards on walls behind the radiators, especially if it’s an outside wall. Rigid reflective radiator panels are an ideal solution, if you don’t want to, or can’t, take your radiators off the walls.
4. Ensure your boiler is serviced once a year and this will mean it will work as efficiently, safely and reliably as possible. Typically, this will cost around £140.

The announcement over the ACT ON CO2 Campaign follows on from news that Baxi is celebrating success after one of its combination boilers was voted ‘Best Buy’ by leading consumer magazine Which?

The magazine tested 52 boilers from a selection of leading manufacturers for fuel consumption, durability, energy efficiency and emissions. Each was then evaluated by a CORGI registered gas installer on how easy it was to install, service and use.

The Baxi boiler in question was the Duo-tec Combi 28 HE which had the best score at 79%. It won five-star ratings for performance, efficiency, NOx emissions (Nitrogen Oxide), installation and features.

The Baxi Duo-tec Combi 28 HE is no stranger to fame, having previously won Boiler of the Year 2008 in the CORGI Boiler of The Year awards.

Guest Article by Neil Camp