Govt Admits It’s Not Sure When Wind Power Will Pay For Itself As E.ON Gets Humber Gateway Go-Ahead
The Energy Minister Charles Hendry has said the Government doesn’t know when wind power will pay for itself while Chris Huhne has announced E.ON will build the Humber Gateway offshore wind farm.
Mr Hendry said that the Government had spent £2.2bn over the last eight years supporting wind power but said it was not possible to say when it would become profitable.
He admitted that eventually the Government would be able to cut back on the support it gave to wind farms but that it was impossible to say when this would be likely to happen.
Wind farms are part of the Government’s plans to reduce carbon emissions. The Government has promised to cut carbon emissions by 34% by 2020 and 80% by 2050.
This news coincides with the announcement by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Chris Huhne, that the Humber Gateway offshore wind farm had been given the go-ahead.
The offshore wind farm will be built by E.ON and once completed should generate 230MW of renewable electricity. Mr Huhne said the Humber Gateway would provide a boost for jobs in the region.
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Grid Connections Are Key Says EWEA Chief
The Chief of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has said that grid connections in Scotland and Ireland must be “fast-tracked” to help with their wind energy development, reports irishtimes.com.
Christian Kjaer said that Ireland has not made the most of its vast wind potential. He said that if Ireland put money into wind energy then not only would it save money through reduced energy costs but it would also create thousands of jobs in development, manufacturing, trading and maintenance. It would also help reduce carbon emissions.
However, he said that it was essential to fast track grid connections to help maintain a competitive advantage.
The European Investment Bank recently announced that it was investing 300 million euros in constructing the Ireland-Wales interconnector. It comes as part of a 500 million euro investment package in the Irish electricity sector.
Source and further details: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2009/1002/1224255669231.html
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Passengers Asked To Visit Loo Before Boarding
It’s reported today that a Japanese airline is asking passengers to visit the toilet before boarding the plane. The report, on telegraph.co.uk says the airline, All Nippon Airways, is trying to reduce carbon emissions.
The airline suggests that if passengers visit the toilet before they board then they will be lighter. This means the aircraft will be lighter and thus less fuel will be used.
They hope that around 5 tonnes of carbon emissions will be saved in a month. The policy is just being tested at the moment but if after a month it finds that the results are positive, the Japanese airline will expand the trial.
Source and further details: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/greenertransport/6253728/Airline-asks-passengers-to-use-toilet-before-boarding.html
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Local Councils Urged To Join 10:10 Campaign
Ed Miliband delivered a speech at the Labour Party conference yesterday in Brighton, in which he encouraged all Labour councils to join the 10:10 climate change campaign, reports Environmental Expert.com. He urged them to pledge to cut their carbon emissions by 10% in 2010 to help in the fight against climate change.
He said he would work closely with the Local Government Association to get all Labour councils on board the scheme which has already received the backing of the whole of the cabinet, shadow cabinet and the Liberal Democrat front bench.
So far over 20,000 individuals have committed to the campaign along with 1,000 businesses.
Further information: http://www.utility-exchange.co.uk/2009/09/wimbledon-school-joins-1010-campaign/
Source: http://www.environmental-expert.com/resultEachArticle.aspx?cid=35902&codi=71426&level=0§ion=5
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Airlines To Join Climate Change Fight
This week sees a forum on climate change at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The forum will try to get some agreements between countries on climate change before the global warming summit in Copenhagen in December.
The British Airways chief executive, Willie Walsh is to announce at the forum that airlines and airports will agree to halve emissions from 2005 levels by 2050, reports telegraph.co.uk.
Willie Walsh will announce the pledges on behalf of the International Air Transport Association. They include reducing net carbon dioxide emissions by 50% by 2050, making all industry growth carbon-neutral by 2020, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 1.5% over the next ten years and submitting plans for joining a global carbon trading scheme to the UN by the end of 2009.
The Guardian reports that Willie Walsh will say: “International aviation emissions were not included in the Kyoto protocol 12 years ago. Now we have a chance to rectify that omission, and we must seize it. Our proposals represent the most environmentally effective and practical means of reducing aviation’s carbon impact. They are the best option for the planet and we urge the UN to adopt them.”
It’s also believed that the forum at the United Nations will see China outline measures that they will take to combat climate change.
Source and further details: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/6216647/Airlines-to-halve-emissions-by-2050-British-Airways-boss-Willie-Walsh-to-announce.html
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UK Faces Electricity Shortages Within 6 Years
David Mackay, the government’s new energy adviser warned today that the country could face electricity blackouts as soon as 2016 because green energy isn’t coming on line quick enough and at the same time nuclear and coal fired power stations are being decommissioned, reports BBC News Online.
Mr MacKay, speaking on Radio 4’s The Today programme, wouldn’t comment on the energy shortage in his role as energy adviser because he doesn’t take on the role until October 1st but he did comment on the findings of his book, Sustainable Energy – Without The Hot Air which examines current plans to keep up with electricity supplies while also cutting carbon emissions.
His book concludes that while government policy is going in the right direction the mathematics don’t add up because not enough generating capacity is being built.
Mr MacKay suggests that the market may solve the energy shortage by building more gas power stations which he suggests is not the way to go. He said we should be prepared for the industrialisation of the countryside (for example with more wind farms) to provide green energy and if that was unpopular then it would mean more nuclear power stations would have to be built.
Source and further details: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8249540.stm
The Today Programme – BBC Radio 4 – 11th Sept 2009
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Increase In Air Travel Means Higher Emissions Targets
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has warned that if the aviation industry wants to continue to grow then the UK will have to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2050, reports BBC News Online. The current target is a cut of 80% on 1990 levels.
The CCC also says that during the Copenhagen climate change talks in December a global cap on emissions targets for aviation should be set.
The CCC says the aviation industry should cut their emissions back to their 2005 levels by 2050 which means the rest of the economy will have to cut their emissions by 90% rather than 80% as previously agreed.
The committee advises that:
- All CO2 emissions from aviation should be capped, either through a global aviation deal or by including international aviation emissions in national emission reduction targets;
- Any international agreement to reduce emissions should be no less than the EU’s target of a 5% reduction in net emissions from 2013-2020;
- Emissions allowances for aviation in the EU emissions trading scheme should be fully auctioned to prevent windfall profits for airlines;
- Funds should be found for radical innovation in engine, airframe and fuel technology;
- Additional non-CO2 gases from aviation are contributing to global warming. The effects of these should be addressed within a global deal on aviation.
The comments from the CCC have led to green campaigners calling for the government to abandon plans for a third runway at Heathrow and abandoning plans for runway extensions elsewhere in the country.
Source and further details: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8243922.stm
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Save Energy – Shower Quicker!
A new UK wide campaign is urging householders to reduce their water and energy use by cutting the amount of time they spend in the shower, reports biggreensmile.com.
The Shower Power campaign from Waterwise is aiming to show consumers how much energy they can save just by thinking about the amount of time they spend on washing.
Research shows that 71% of women take showers in less than 10 minutes while 26% of women only spend 5 minutes in the shower. In contrast 75% of men spend less than 10 minutes in the shower and 30% spend 5 minutes in the shower.
Waterwise says that 33% of water use in the home is wasted on personal washing and the fact that many people use electrical showers means an increase in CO2 emissions. Waterwise says if people spent less time in the shower then they’d use less water and less energy meaning they would save money and both energy and their water bills (if metered).
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The EASIER Way To Go Green
The University of Hertfordshire has launched a project offering advice to Small Medium Enterprises (SME’s) on how to go green, reports eco-echo.com. The Easier (Environmental Advice for SME’s in the Eastern Region) project is funded by both the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the East of England Development Agency (EEDA). The project will help SME’s in the East of England reduce their carbon emissions, become more energy efficient and as a result increase their competitiveness.
SME’s in the region will get 14 days of environmental consultancy which will be paid for by the EASIER project. It’s hoped that businesses will be able to reduce their carbon emissions by 10-20% with the help of the EASIER project.
Source: eco-echo.com
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Join The 10:10 Campaign
A new climate change campaign has just been launched and it has the support of celebrities and big businesses, reports telegraph.co.uk. The 10:10 campaign is asking everyone to cut their carbon emissions by 10% in 2010.
The 10:10 campaign wants everyone to reduce their emissions by just changing the way they live their life slightly. For example, they suggest changes such as walking or cycling to work, or only taking one flight a year.
Well known names already signed up to the campaign include Colin Firth, Delia Smith and Zac Goldsmith. But the campaign is also aiming to get the support of businesses and the public sector and organisations already involved include Tottenham Hotspur, NHS Trusts and the Women’s Institute.
One of the UK’s leading energy companies is helping its customers to join the pledge and cut 10% off their energy use in 2010. E.ON is trying to get customers to sign up to their free Online Energy Tracker. Once they’ve joined, householders and small businesses will be supported with a range of energy saving tools to help them understand their energy use and assess their monthly consumption to help them reach their target of a 10% drop in energy use by 2010.
In addition, E.ON is giving away 30,000 free PowerDowns to the first of its customers who pledge to take part in the 10:10 challenge. Customers who sign up to the campaign and use E.ON’s Online Energy Tracker will receive exclusive energy saving offers and advice on reducing energy consumption throughout 2010.
The 10:10 campaign was inspired by the film The Age of Stupid which warned what would happen if climate change wasn’t tackled. The director of the film is also the founder of the 10:10 campaign, Fanny Armstrong. She said the campaign aims to recruit “every person, every school, every business, every hospital…and then…demand that the Government follows suit”.
If everyone in the UK reduced their emissions by 10% it would save 85 million tonnes of CO2.
Ed Miliband the Energy Minister is backing the 10:10 campaign but the Head of Climate Change at Friends of the Earth said the Government and energy companies could do much more to help people cut their energy use by 10%. He suggested this could be done by subsidising people insulating their homes and ensuring people have easier access to public transport.
Businessgreen.com says it could be difficult for businesses to achieve a 10% cut in their energy use especially if they have already started to introduce energy saving measures. Consequently, businesses signing up to the 10:10 pledge will aim to cut their emissions by 10% during 2010 but they will be regarded as successful if they have reduced emissions by 3% during the year. They will also be able to choose the starting date for the emissions reduction so that it stays in line with their financial year. However, the reduction will be worked out in relation to their total revenue so that if their business grows and emissions increase as a result this is taken into consideration. Likewise, if their business contracts and emissions fall as a result this will also be taken into consideration.
For further information on joining the campaign see the links below.
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2248778/why-means-businesses