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.

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. It will not continue forever. What’s more, various consumer groups are already complaining that a number of home improvement grant schemes are being withdrawn, or wound-down.

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

Although may experts are focusing on energy alternatives and greener technologies such as carbon capture, one study has shown that heat capture techniques alone could meet 5% of the U.K.’s future requirements.

The report, from the University of Southampton and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), claims that over 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide could be saved every year if the waste heat from the country’s power stations could be captured and diverted to offices and homes.

This forms part of a new way of thinking called combined heat and power (CHP) schemes, which is a theory based on homes and offices being provided with heat and power from a localised power plant. The key is to have homes and businesses near enough power sources to make use of the central heat and power facility.

Many of the U.K. biggest power stations, such as Kingsnorth and Drax, are near populated areas and if the waste heat were to be captured from their energy making process, it could be used to heat local communities.

And producing heat accounts for nearly half of the U.K’s energy requirements.

The problem with many power stations is that they are woefully inefficient. They currently return an efficiency rating of only 35%, which in practice means that for every 1,000 mega watts of electricity the average power station produces, some 2,000 mega watts of heat goes up into the atmosphere via the cooling towers.

If this waste heat were to be captured, then it would make the power stations nearer 80% efficient and allow the heat captured to be used elsewhere. The report did acknowledge that all power stations could not be used in such a way (many, including nuclear facilities, are sited away from heavily populated areas), but there were enough near conurbations to make a significant difference.

The report also acknowledged that a great deal of investment would be needed in terms of the heat capture technology and the piping needed to distribute the heat.

But with a ten million carbon dioxide saving in the offing, the government might well decide to take the plan forward.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

A team from eco company BiogenGreenfinch believe that domestic and agricultural waste can provide half the U.K.’s gas needs by 2020.

They are pioneers in a technique which converts everyday waste into biomethane gas via the process of anaerobic digestion.

The technique of using anaerobic digestion to convert waste has of course been around for many years, indeed, one of the first recorded uses was in 1895 when gas lamps in Exeter were powered by a sewage sludge digestor which produced biogas.

Rotting waste, especially from food, creates a gas which can be captured in an enclosed system. Naturally, this gas would usually escape into the atmosphere, but within the enclosed system, it gets siphoned off and stored for later use. The waste which remains from the process is then spread back on to agricultural land for fertilising crops. This completes a cycle which will have enormous benefits for mankind believes BiogenGreenfinch.

What is so exciting about the process is that biomethane is suitable to be pumped straight into the main gas grid. And once the system is fully functional, it will be used to power homes and factories, and used in gas fired electric power stations.

And as well as food waste and human sewage waste, farm by-products such as pig slurry and crop waste can all be used in anaerobic digestors.

BiogenGreenfinch is already actively operating in London, taking 5,000 tonnes of food waste from the Borough of Ealing. Other contracts are in the pipeline with Richmond and Hounslow boroughs.

And there is plenty of waste to convert. The recently created London Waste Recycling Board estimated that London alone produces nearly three million tonnes of waste a year and 40% still goes to landfill sites.

So, with so much waste around in the U.K., it has been calculated that if it were all recycled in advanced anaerobic digestors, then the amount of biomethane produced could replace half of the gas needed for the second quarter of the 21st century.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

According to many eco-experts, the current government is in danger of setting too many targets that it firstly cannot hope to reach and secondly, seeking a way out with loose definitions.

And a large number of organisations and activists are becoming a little worried as to the increasing levels of confusion.

Take carbon zero homes for example. The government has a target that all new homes after 2016 should be carbon neutral. Very laudable, yet since the government announced this target in 2006, the construction industry has spent years trying to define a carbon neutral home.

The backdrop to this target is more government ambitions, such as reducing U.K. CO2 emissions by 2050. And housing is one of the areas where many hopes are invested. This housing sector is responsible for around 25% of all U.K. emissions. And given that 35% of the housing that will be around in 2050 is likely to be built from now, it is clear why such an emphasis is being placed on low and zero carbon new homes.

When the target was first envisaged, carbon zero status was achieved when a property, over the course of a year, would emit no carbon emissions from its appliances, heating and lighting. This usually meant that a housing development would be carbon neutral by making use of off-site technologies.

Great, but there followed some months of studies which examined the feasibility of such off-site measures. In short, many of the original recommendations and methods of achieving a zero carbon status home were deemed to be unworkable.

So, a new set of standards were prepared which introduced a range of allowable solutions. This included such old on-site stalwarts as low energy lighting, better insulation and alternative fuel use.

In short, the construction industry is still somewhat confused as to how new homes can become carbon free by 2016, given that the debate between on-site and off-site solutions continues.

And this, say the experts, is one of many areas in which confusion reigns. If the government worthy targets are going to have any hope of being met say many in the sector, then some joined up thinking will be needed, and quickly.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

In terms of gas reduction, Stansted Airport is leading the way with a new biomass boiler which has cut their bill by some 40%.

And its all down to its new, state of the art biomass boiler which was installed as part of the Essex airport’s new £50 million terminal extension.

A BAA spokesman said that the boiler, which is powered by wood-chips, had performed beyond expectations in what was one of the coldest winters for 13 years.

Austrian firm Giles Energie manufactured the 2 Mega Watt boiler and it was supplied by Broag U.K. The biomass boiler helps the terminal achieve its ambition of being carbon neutral. It represents one of the largest boilers currently in use to heat a commercial premises. It replaced gas-fired boilers which were in use since 1990

The biomass boiler uses around 2,500 tonnes of wood chip each year; all of which comes from Forestry Commission Certified Sources.

Guest Article by Neil Camp