Green Energy Blog

5 Green living tweeps you should be following

Now this is by no means an exhaustive list however it is a great starting for and allows for you to access the latest green news from a variety of viewpoints and opinions. This will help give you a better understanding of the big issues and allow you to provide more accurate commentary when discussing it on your blog or even just in general.

1. @Treehugger.com

Tree hugger is a pretty big deal in renewable energy circles; they were voted top sustainability blog in 2007 and they also featured in Time Magazine’s top 25 blog index back in 2009. 

2. @huffpostgreen

Huff Post Green is a sub-section of the excellent Huff Post online news paper, it is a great way of keeping up to date on the latest goings on now just with renewable energy but the welfare of the planet as a whole.

3. @350

350.org is a Global community working together to combat climate change. They operate in 188 countries throughout the world and carry out some really inspiring stuff. It’s worth following them just to keep up to date on their latest projects etc.

4. @Planetgreen

Planetgreen.com is friendly and accessible site owned by the Discovery channel. They offer a wealth of information on green living but give it a popular slant so it is easy to get involved with the content. They offer a great range of everyday tips and advice for living a green life.

5. @Guardianeco

A great way of keeping in touch with the latest green news, with some excellent commentary. The twitter feed is operated by the same team that run the www.environmentguardian.co.uk

 

 

Polls show UK supports renewable energy initiatives.

A recent opinion poll has suggested that the majority of people in the UK have shown that they regard the Government subsidies for wind power development as a good deal.

The poll was commissioned by trade body RenewableUK, and it concluded that 43% of people see the UK subsidy as good value for money against 18% of people who do not.

Another survey carried out recently has also shown a large majority of people are in favour of renewable energy.

These results have been well timed and have arrived just ahead of the Clean Energy Ministerial a summit that will bring ministers from more than 20 different countries to London to talk about low-carbon energy.

The survey is the most recent signal of strong public backing for renewable energy, the signal is further strengthened by the YouGov poll for Scottish Renewables that found 71% of Scots were in support of wind power, and a separate survey last week that showed as many as 67% of respondents were in favour of increasing the use of wind power.

At the moment as little as 9.5% of electricity in the UK is from renewable sources. Because of this relatively low number Friends of the Earth is worried that the government is doing more to encourage a "dash for gas" by making gas-fired power plants exempt from the emissions restrictions that other plants face.

These polls are the most recent moves by those in the renewable energy sector to retaliate against what is seen as the Treasury’s “anti-green” movement.

The Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has came out strong in his defence of a push for a "renewables revolution" this is flying in the face of criticism from US businessman and celebrity opposer of wind farms Donald Trump, who has regularly been quoted bemoaning  plans to build a number of offshore turbines near his new Aberdeenshire golf course.

Is switching gas and electricity supplier worth it?

Many of us read about or listen to people detailing their positive experiences with switching electricity and gas suppliers but never do anything about it. As understandable as this is, we all have busy lives - this reluctance can quite often be attributed to the fact that switching is 'too much hassle' - why take the risk of double billing or  a new supplier actually turing out to be more expensive! 

Well now, thanks to the internet this entire process is alot easier to negotiate. Individual supplier websites are finally gettting easier to compare prices and tariffs, and comparison sites such as uSwitch continue to offer valuable information on which tariffs would work best for your needs. Also, there is no need to worry about double billing as  legislation dictates that when you switch suppliers, the companies must adhere to your choice. 

A worthwhile habit to start is to regularly examine your gas and electricity bills to ensure you have the best deal possible -   most of us tend to think that we won’t save a great deal, but savings can potentially be in the £100s. Not only that but many suppliers (such as M&S Energy) offer incentives for switching such as shopping vouchers,a decent bonus to any energy saving.

We have a 3 step process that well tell our friends that are thinking of switching suppliers:

1.  Have a scour of the internet and  select a supplier that appeals to you, financially and ethically
2. Contact them, find out their process - this will probably entail you having to send an accurate meter reading to ensure any final bills are correct
3. Wait for your first bill from your new energy supplier

So, in summary, don't be too scared of switching supplier, it can be a hassle free way of saving some much needed cash!

If anyone has any questions or have switched recently then please let us know in the comments.

Renewable energy scheme to help Welsh businesses

The Renewable Energy for Business Growth (REBG) scheme is aiming to help over 220 small companies in Ceredigion understand and utilise renewable energy solutions and generate further revenue for their business.

The REBG scheme has contacted 3,500 businesses offering them an independent energy survey to assess where renewable energy could be most appropriately applied.

The scheme has been underway for over a month now and has been a great way to show the benefits that can be gained from renewable energy in Wales.

You can read the full story @ Green Wise Business

Orkney Islands are the envy of Europe

The Orkney Islands have long been defined by their weather and harsh conditions, and these days things are no different there’s still few trees or crops and the weather is still pretty dismal. However as shown time and again the harshest conditions can bring the greatest innovations.

The Orkneys have found themselves home to a generation of eco-pioneers intent on using the uniquely harsh weather found around the Orkneys to produce renewable energy. So even though the islands are on the outskirts of Britain they are at the heart of what is making the UK a global leader in the race for renewable energy technology.

The renewable industry is bringing life back to these islands with new jobs, growing communities and a strong supply chain. Companies like the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) are huge in the wave and tidal sector. In fact they are one of the few companies to offer developers the opportunity to test full scale prototypes in the sea. Not to mention the fact that these companies are now employing graduates from the islands and allowing existing businesses to grow.

A large part of the success can be attributed to the support of the local people, who are definitely on board with the exciting new direction their islands are taking. It would appear that things are definitely looking bright for the Orkneys, with the promise of jobs, international investment and to cap it all a £3m investment in the old naval base should help to continue the growth of the Orkneys.

 

 

Is renewable energy right for your home?

Green energy technologies like solar panels, biomass heaters and wind turbines can offer an excellent alternative to the more common fossil fuels and can help reduce your homes CO₂ output.

Investing in a renewable energy system these days, is essentially buying energy at current prices in order to protect from future increases. So if fuel prices rise, your outlay would be recouped even sooner.

Now before you rush out and invest in one of these systems, it’s a good idea to find out your current energy usage and do as much as you can to reduce it. As a lower energy requirement means a smaller and therefore cheaper renewable/low carbon energy system would be sufficient.

Green energy technology can supply our homes with power for lighting, electronic devices and even the pumps in our heating systems.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology:

Solar modules work by converting sunlight into electricity for use in the home or to export to the national grid. Basic domestic solar units are around 2.2 kW in size, and can provide approximately 1,850 kWh a year. This is over 40% of the electricity used by an average household. This technology is one of the easiest to install, has no actual moving parts and the government Feed-in Tariff payments actually help to make it a reasonable investment.

Wind turbines

Small-scale wind turbines can be either integrated into the local electricity grid or operate as an off-grid device, charging batteries when excess electricity is generated. Location is paramount, on a good site domestic wind turbines are an excellent option in terms of actual energy output. Ideally the site should have a minimum average yearly wind speed of at least 5 metres per second with a clear flow of wind.

Wood fuelled heating

A wood fuelled system is a strong option to consider if you have no available access to natural gas as a fuel but you do have plenty of space for both the boiler and fuel storage. Recently more people have been choosing to replace oil or coal based heating systems with a wood fuelled system.

Choosing the right option

In order to choose the most suitable renewable energy technology for your requirements, you need to check your energy bills to find out how much you are actually using.  It’s also worth finding out how much you are paying per unit (kWh) of electricity and heating fuel you use. This information will make it easier for you to calculate the savings you can expect by installing a renewable energy system.

Scottish Hydro to name new Clydeside Arena...

Plans were confirmed today, for the latest state-of-the-art addition to Scotland’s entertainment venue line-up. A 12,000 seat, arena style venue shall sit on the Clydeside along with the existing SECC and Clyde Auditorium.

The energy company Scottish Hydro have purchased the naming rights for the venue, which will open in early 2013 as the Scottish Hydro Arena. The deal is believed to be £1.5 million per annum for the next 10 years.

The new arena has been designed by award winning architect Sir Norman Foster of Foster & Partners Architects. And if initial reports are to be believed, the venue is going be living up to some ambitious plans, as management intend for it to hold around 140 major events a year ranging from sport to music.

Chief Executive of Scottish and Southern Energy Ian Marchant certainly seems proud of the deal stating “The Scottish Hydro Arena is a significant investment for us and shows the strength of our commitment to Scotland….. This exciting partnership will enable us to provide an array of attractive benefits to our customers and staff right across the country, bringing an entertainment experience to Glasgow we are all very proud of.”

If the figures shown at the moment are to be believed then the venue could be fantastic for Scotland. Forecasts are claiming the venue should bring approximately 1 million visitors generating £131 million a year for the Scottish economy.

Keep up-to-date with the plans online at http://www.hydro.co.uk/

Electricity in the UK

 

Electricity in the UK - did you know that up to about 1/20th of our power is actually imported from France? Did you also know that the UK grid actually has legal limits for the low and high scales of production - too low, obviously would mean blackouts, but too high and there would be blackouts caused by that too.

And you can now observe the balance of the UK grid by looking at the website - http://www.dynamicdemand.co.uk/grid.htm#  - interesting times to have a look would possibly be after a peak time TV programme or during the middle of the night.

The amazing thing about gas and electricity is that in terms of monitoring domestic usage, it's only now that we've begun to see smart monitoring devices. Who knows, in the future maybe you'll be able to look at your usage from a smart phone and get automatic advice about how to optimise your useage for maximum return with minimum expenditure.

Energy monitors - electricity users gain

 

If you're an electricity consumer - and I'm guessing you are - then you're likely to be able to get hold of an electricity monitor - I don't know if all suppliers do them, so if you're desperate to get one you would maybe need to change supplier... anyway, the smart monitor is here and it chnages the game from the consumer point of view because you get to see how much the juice is costing when you (for instance) switch on the washing machine or your new LCD television.

What this is likely to mean for consumers is twofold - first, we can now see what we're spending and take steps to cut down and save cash; second- when we're replacing an item such as a tumble dryer, we're going to be far more likely to choose one that advertises itself as energy efficient.

Another strong possibility for the near future is that gas electricity suppliers could see more use of off-peak electricity as people seek to save some money.

The future has just begun.

electricity and gas bills

So, after that epic winter there were two things I was dreading. First of these was standing on the scales. I mean it was so cold there wasn't much healthy eating going on. It's almost like I was trying to get a layer of blubber to keep the cold out. All I got though was an inflated belly. I haven't stepped on the scales yet. I'll leave that til the spring.

The other thing I were dreadin' were t'electricity bill (actually it's a combined gas and elec bill). And how. I mean where I live the weather's mild usually so the heating's never on between April and October, so not much gas used. And electricity, well, that's usually in check but December's the month of  heavy electricity use cos of being indoors so much in the cold weather and needing lights on, and using the oven for roasts etc etc.

But the bill, in the end, wasn't too bad at all - it was about £110 for the quarter to end of January. Not bad, eh? 

How did you get on with your last power bill?