My understanding is that the UK Electricity Grid flows only one way. So if you feed in power into the grid much of that energy is not fed in but just lost in heat. Therefore a feed in tariff is merely a payment of goodwill from the energy companies until the grid can accommodate two way flows of power.

Is this true?

Haydn @ GAIA

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Last week I was in a newly built car park in the Midlands and noticed some new bays for Electric cars offering ‘free’ power charging. Free energy, just imagine being offered free Petrol. This sound like a very good deal for shoppers.

The question is:  Is this a good intention to encourage the use of electric cars (the bays may well have been imposed to get planning permission) or a greenwash intention in the hope that it will never be used?

GAIA (Haydn)

Part 2: Green Wash is now a Car Wash

Well it seems the free energy has not caught on. Maybe they were hoping for a sudden flurry of customers eager to buy an electric car just to charger it at their car park. Anyway now it is a nice and shiny new ‘green’ Car Wash..

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Read Original ‘The Independent’ Article:

GAIA April (Haydn)

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Three years in to the Display Energy Certificate (DEC) requirements for public buildings the question is ‘have they now demonstrated an effectiveness in reducing energy usage?’

The core need for DEC has to be education of the building owners and managers towards the opportunities to save energy and improve efficiency. More and more of these certificates can now be seen with data showing energy usage over the years so in terms of broad eduction they must be working, but in terms of reductions can we be sure?

Are the implications strong enough to empower building managers to act when they get the new certificate each year or do they see this as a paper exercise to complete?

GAIA April 2010

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The other week I was out for the day with my family and was struck by the petrol prices on the forecourt.  Only 2 years ago we have blockades and demonstrations about petrol breaking £1.10 but now we are at £1.20 and higher.  The question for me here is do these prices influence our behaviour towards using fuel in general?

Clearly with petrol, as opposed to other energy uses  like electricity and gas, consumers buy frequently in smaller amounts (what the tank can take) and each time see the price so have many reasons to be reminded about the cost. So you would think that petrol consumption must be directly influenced by price?  But is this the case?

Is there a disconnect between the amount in the tank and and the way we use it? When driving do we recognise that how/how much we drive is costing us more. Do we drive slower, reduce revs or cut out the short journeys? The motorways seem as busy as ever. Is there is a lack of  ‘connection’ of behaviour towards driving and energy usage?

Luckily, in the workplace we can create this awareness through the GAIA Model of Environmental Impact Reduction, our behavioural change and energy awareness programme, but for cars the problem may be better information on the impact of consumption on driving.

GAIA April 2010 (Haydn)

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As the UK pushes on for more renewable energy production the battle over Wind Turbines can only increase. It seems wherever they are proposed they face local opposition so why is this not the case for Windmills?

The difference between a Wind Turbine and a Windmill in terms of local feelings is huge. Windmills are loved and savoured by locals often turned into homes, museums or made in tourist attractions. They are part of our heritage a throw back to the days before electricity when energy had to be created locally. But Wind Turbines, a modern version fulfilling the same energy giving need are not welcome.

It is purely that we have become accustomed to others creating the power elsewhere or that Wind Turbines could be come more acceptable if they were made to look more ‘cute’ with doors and windows inside?

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We may  find out how ‘Green’ the Conservative Party really is  when the amendment of the Governments Energy Bill is voted on in the Commons today.

The amendment asks for Energy Companies to meet an emissions standard, effectively restricting them from ever increasing their greenhouse gas emissions. Greenpeace fear that, without restrictions like these the Energy Companies can keep on emitting from old power station for years to come.

The Guardian today has reported that the Conservative Party has not imposed the three line whip so MPs can abstain from the amendment, effectively joining the Labour rebels against the Governments plan. So effectively the Tories vote may reflect the individual views of the party members not the well rehearsed green image they have created.

GAIA Comment:

One of the key obstacles towards the UK moving towards a low carbon economy is lack of clarity from Central Government on what their objectives really are.  Should the Tories form the next Government a concise energy strategy will need to articulated quickly to help businesses and the energy industry adapt. This vote will see how ‘aligned’ the voices are within the party  and whether the potential next Government will provide this clear message.

More Reading The Guardian Article:

GAIA 2010

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Yet again the fear over UK Energy Security has raised to the top of the public agenda, but why is it that we continue to dither over solving this problem?

This is not a new problem it has been round for decades, the only issue is that the impact of our dithering may now be felt within months.

Rumours of bills rising by 20% and possible energy shortages will have a greater significance on our digital/internet economy than in previous years due to so much of our every day lives needing continuous power. Many companies will be completely unable to function.

Communicating the need to Conserve & Protect Energy Resources:

We in the UK are going to have to accept a new way of generating energy locally. The primary way to enable better energy efficiency is having it produced within the areas of consumption, thus reducing the vast wastage in the transmission process. This would mean areas such as the East Midlands becoming more self sustaining on its own power.

Decentralised energy forms part of the national plan but is rarely discussed openly in the media.  Therefore it is the duty of local Politicians to argue the right means to resource our local energy offering a simple choices e.g: a Wind Farms in the Countryside or some Nuclear Plants closer by within your local area.

Article: Fears Over Power Shortages BBC News Feb 2010

GAIA February 2010 (Article by Haydn)

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Lets summarize. A collective of 45,000 people containing 110 World Leaders travelled (many of those by private aircraft) to a  conference with the intention of listening to speeches, praising their joint commitment to being ‘present’, take loads of photos and making vague promises for a better future.

The end of the meeting saw leaders of the US and the BASIC group of countries (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) hammering out a last-minute deal in a back room as though the many months of talks leading up to this summit never existed and the other countries of the World were not important.

The result is what exactly?

Is it a binding agreement – N0,  does it have a simple measurable to monitor success – No, are those involved really committed and have a common goal- well er No.  So is it any more solid than a vague New Years Resolution you can make down the Pub?  Well err… .

GAIA Comment

Despite the light humour over the failure of the summit, the implications are serious. This was a golden opportunity squandered by alternative agendas, domestic economic fears and renewed debate over the science of Climate Change.

Since the summit the Carbon Price dropped now making it cheaper to emmit carbon, the UK has promised money with no real return and the public are lost on where this will all lead.

It seems the process of mitigating Climate Change has got lost up the wrong garden path. We need to review on how we must act and focus on what we can do to cut energy usage now. Many of these actions may not cost money but save money. The saving from these measures can then be redirected to investments elsewhere.

Whether a Climate Change supporter or not – we all have to recognise that energy is finite, is running out, will be supplied to the UK from Foreign countries with alternative agenda to ours in a few years time and is more expensive each year.  Time is running out.

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