Ultimately, as electricity consumers, we all have to pay for the equipment that generates electricity. As we’re facing a future with rising fossil fuel prices, to build gas or coal power stations because they’re cheap is short-sighted. If we build renewable energy generation capacity, then not only do we not have to pay for fuel imports, we also have better security of supply, and will be closer to meeting out targets on CO2 emissions.
The BBC report is accompanied by a photo of a row of wind turbines out at sea. But as Anne Wheldon, our Senior Adviser, points out.
The extra cost is not just for renewable energy. Much of the extra cost will go to nuclear power, which is included in the new generation of power plants. The BBC reports that nuclear will not receive specific subsidies, but it also mentions that there will be feed-in-tariffs for nuclear. Let's make sure that the main focus is renewable electricity, otherwise we’re trading climate change for the other long-term problem of nuclear waste management.
Thursday, 16 December 2010
If Chris Huhne doesn't back renewables, the costs will be even higher
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
When electricity boards went on the offensive
This week is Energy Saving Week, so it's maybe appropriate that BBC4 has launched a three-part series, which shows how it is we came to use the amount of electricity we do.
The Secret Life of the National Grid is a three-part series that charts the development of Britain's national electricity grid and "how it sparked modern Britain into being - transforming our landscape, our politics and our lives".
Last night's programme showed how the Grid was established. Next week's programme shows how, once the Grid was established, great efforts were made to encourage people to use as much electricity as possible.
So electricity boards went on the offensive and actively promoted electrical appliances - particularly high current ones such as cookers and immersion heaters. Electricity showrooms became a fixture on high streets to entice the British to use electricity in their homes.
The series continues on 2nd and 9th November. (Pic: Greenpeace)
Read the Ashden Awards report Power to our neighbourhoods: towards integrated local sustainable energy solutions.
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Ofgem says electricity traffic will double
There are two challenges here: one is preparing for the predicted doubling in electricity traffic; the other is making the energy industry greener. It is estimated that customer bills will rise by an average of £6 per year. Mike Pepler, our UK Awards manager, says,
While extra costs are sure to be unwelcome during difficult economic times, the costs of not improving the country’s gas and electricity networks could be even higher. If action is not taken to allow greater use of renewable energy and better management of energy demand, then the security of supply for the UK will be threatened.
Read more: Energy bills set to rise as Ofgem urges £32bn investment in 'rewiring' of energy networks (Daily Mail)
See Ashden Awards case studies on energy efficiency in the UK Click here to read the rest of this post.
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Nepal struggles with electricity shortages
Nepal has huge hydropower resources, and the Centre for Rural Technology won an Ashden Award in 2007 for their work upgrading water mills. However, in recent weeks there have been daily power cuts of 12-14 hours, due to low water levels in rivers. The bad news is that the government is turning to fossil fuels to fill the gap, according to this BBC news article:
Declaring the national power crisis recently, it [the government] brought out a work plan consisting of emergency, short and long-term measures. Installation of the diesel-powered plants was considered to be part of the emergency work plan.
But energy experts say this approach is wrong, especially for a nation with access to so much potential hydropower.
"The decision by the government to bring in 200MW of diesel generation is indeed a step backwards," says Biksh Pandey, a director of Winrock International, a clean energy specialist organisation.
"While the world is moving from dirty to clean energy, Nepal would be going in the other direction."
Criticism from a number of areas led to speculation that the government might change its mind on the diesel decision. But Water Resources Minister Bishnu Poudel did not give the impression of someone about to change their mind. "After the last announcement of the measures to deal with load shedding, we have not made any new decision," he told the BBC.
This suggests that the government is sticking to its plans; one of which is to switch from renewable energy sources to a growing dependence on fossil fuels.
