UK government advisors have been estimating CO2 emission savings through energy efficiencies but their figures maybe as much as 60 per cent too low – meaning we save more than they have estimated.

The problem has been the vagaries in how power is generated. Power stations that burn fossil fuels produced higher emissions than nuclear or clean energy such as wind power. Generally only fossil duel fed power stations can react instantly to varying demand.
The author of the report, Dr Adam Hawkes, stated the the UK government needs to record the varying carbon emissions rates from the different power stations so they can set targets and make decisions based on firm scientific calculations.

In the study Hawkes suggests that ignoring low carbon emission power generation, such as nuclear and wind, and relying on figures from fossil fuel power stations which respond to changing demands provide inaccurate emission figures.

Presently scientists who advise the UK government use estimated figures to calculate emission rates, but the new study reveals that, at 0.43 kilograms of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour of electricity consumed, this figure is 60 percent lower than the rates actually observed between 2002 and 2009, 0.69 kilograms of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour.

Hawkes said:

“One way governments are trying to mitigate the effects of climate change is to encourage people to reduce their energy consumption and change the types of technologies they use in their homes. However, the UK government currently informs its policy decisions based on an estimate that, according to my research, is lower than it should be.

“This means any reduction we make in our electricity use – for example, if everyone switched off lights that they weren’t using, or turned off electric heating earlier in the year – could have a bigger impact on the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by power stations than previously thought.

“However, this also acts in reverse: a small increase in the amount of electricity we use could mean a larger increase in emissions than we previously thought, so we need to make sure we do everything we can to reduce our electricity use,” added Dr Hawkes.

Director of Imperial’s Grantham Institute for Climate Change, Professor Sir Brian Hoskins, added:

“This is a very important study that could help policy makers make more informed decisions to reduce our carbon emissions. The government needs a good understanding of the figures it uses to support policy analysis, because this has a big impact on which technologies we employ to reduce our energy use. With a more accurate picture of what is going on, we will be much better equipped to tackle our carbon dioxide emissions.”

Gribble - the future of power generation?

Alternative energy sources are always being sought, it was not that long ago that solar, wind and heat pump were slightly off the wall alternative energy sources – now they are regarded as perfectly normal and needed.

Recently I was reading and interesting blog that offered some other sources of energy you may not have thought about (positiveenergy) – maybe alternatives that will be become fully accepted in the not to distant future.

Nations and governments may rely of Gribbles to combat concerns over energy security, let alone climate change – Gribble, yes Gribbles, check out what the future energy sources could be:

Waste tea leaves. Scientists at a Pakistani university used a gasification process to create biodiesel from used tea leaves. Considering that the world today consumes several million tones of tea annually, the leaves could be a reliable fuel source.

Gribbles. A tiny, wood-chewing crustacean called Limnoria quadripunctata, or the gribble, has been shown to have a digestive trait that could convert wood and straw into liquid biofuel. Researchers at the universities of York and Portsmouth have proposed using the enzymes that fill the creatures’ long digestive tracts to break down cellulose and lignin into energy-rich sugars.

Grass clippings. Again at the University of York, scientists are experimenting with using microwaves to heat garden and wood waste in the absence of oxygen in a process called pyrolysis. The resulting biofuel could be blended with fossil fuel or used by itself.

Frog foam. Researchers at the University of Cincinnati are creating an artificial photosynthetic material that uses enzymes from plants, bacteria, fungi, and frogs, all trapped within a foam housing, to create solar energy in an entirely new way. Foam was chosen because it can effectively concentrate the reactants but allow very good light and air penetration. The design was based on the foam nests of a semi-tropical frog called the Tungara frog, which creates very long-lived foams for its developing tadpoles.

Poke berries. The fruit of the pokeweed — the ubiquitous purple-stalked plant that grows rampantly across the south and whose red berries Civil War soldiers used to write letters home – could be the key to spreading solar power across the globe, according to researchers at Wake Forest University’s Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials. Scientists have used the red dye made from pokeberries to coat their efficient and inexpensive fiber-based solar cells. The dye acts as an absorber, helping the cell’s tiny fibers trap more sunlight to convert into power.

Household garbage. A consortium of companies in Australia is investigating the viability of constructing an ethanol plant that would turn household rubbish and building waste into more than 200 million liters of fuel per year. The process, developed by a U.S. biofuel company, Coskata, Inc., uses sources like municipal, commercial, and industrial waste at the end of its life cycle—waste otherwise bound for the landfill, and turns them into renewable energy.

Cow power. Using the methane gas byproduct of cattle is old news, but William Taylor, a farmer in Northern Ireland, has rigged up an entirely new way of deriving renewable energy from cows. Instead of letting his cows free range while they graze, he puts them on a treadmill. The electricity generated from one cow on a treadmill is enough, says the farmer, to power four milking machines. And as a bonus, cows that exercise produce more milk.

Tomatoes. Designer Cygalle Shapiro created a tiny LED lamp powered off circuits running off several tomatoes sitting next to it. The lamp draws power off of the chemical reaction among the tomatoes’ acids, zinc, and copper. And the “batteries” run out when the tomatoes turn stale.

Tobacco. Maybe there’s hope for this cash crop. Researchers in Virginia have suggested that tobacco could be genetically modified to use as a biofuel, with the added benefit that it is not a food source, like corn and soybeans — and therefore the object of a battle over resources. Because it can generate high quantities of oil and sugar, its potential as a fuel crop is high, but commercial use as a biofuel may be more than five years away.

Picture by Auguste Le Roux

Public bodies, such as Universities and Hospitals, are heavy users of energy and a few basic measures can save a substantial amount financially and environmentally.

Wright State have their own newspaper “The Guardian” which in part reported the following details:

Dayton Power and Light has awarded $118,000 in rebates to Wright Sate in just the first year of the University’s energy conservation project.

Wright State could potentially receive an additional $200,000 for using new lighting techniques to save energy. The rebates from DP&L have allowed WSU to upgrade all lighting on campus.

“Upgrading light fixtures everywhere on campus was phase one,” said Wright State Energy Manager, John Howard. “It touched every room within the university, which has never been done before.”

These upgrades have already saved WSU 32 percent on lighting energy alone….

“To save energy, sometimes it takes a considerable investment because you need to have greater equipment,” said Howard. “There’s always something more efficient out there.”

Associate director of the WSU physical plant, Bill Knotts further explained the process.

“Florescent lights at Home Depot used to run about ten bucks and now you can get them for a dollar,” said Knotts. “That was part of the rebate from Dayton Power and Light. This project is the same thing, just on a much larger scale.”

In addition to the money gained from the rebates, Wright State will also benefit from an estimated annual energy savings of $45,000.

This is interesting as these projected savings are just by changing the lighting, they are obviously benefiting from the rebates from the utility company and there will no doubt be grants available from the Federal or State government.

Although WSU are changing lights to more energy efficient products an intelligent lighting management system would also contribute to major savings.

All WSU needs now is a way of monitoring their energy use to discover where the greatest savings could be made, as Bethune-Cookman University did in Florida (Check out the story).

Universities and other public bodies can make serious savings on harmful emissions and in money which will boost hard hit budgets and services – but as in the case of Wright University action has to be taken and consideration of energy monitoring for effective energy management.

By reducing their dependence on energy, businesses can cut costs, improve reputation, and stay one step ahead of environmental compliance.

Managementtoday asked Hugh Jones, director of solutions at the UK’s Carbon Trust, for his top 10 tips:

1. Build a business case

Any size of business can quickly and easily establish the ‘size of the prize’ to be had from energy efficiency, by using our Cut Carbon, Cut Costs tutorial online. A calculator evaluates the energy savings you can make and develops an action plan to help you achieve them. You could shave 20-30% off your annual bill.

2. Appoint an energy team

Simple improvements, such as cutting energy use ‘out-of-hours’, are often overlooked if someone isn’t in charge of implementing them. Firms should ensure there is responsibility within the organisation for driving improvements and cutting costs. An open-door policy will enable staff on the ground to make suggestions, and buy into your energy efficiency goals.

3. Seek advice

For businesses spending over £50k a year on energy, get an in-depth on-site survey, conducted by an accredited expert. The surveyor assesses every aspect of energy consumption – from heating, lighting and IT, to core plant machinery – and identifies ways to cut energy use. The Carbon Trust will then provide ongoing support to help make those savings a reality.

4. Spend to save

Many businesses continue using old equipment, rather than pay the up-front cost of replacing it. This is false economy, as old equipment uses considerably more energy than newer models, and in the case of plant machinery can impact on productivity by 20% to 30%.

The first step is to identify old equipment that’s become a cost burden. If you’re not sure how efficient your equipment is, seek guidance from the Carbon Trust. In many cases the likely payback period on energy bills is short enough to justify making a replacement.

5. Find out if you’re eligible for an interest-free loan

Last year, our interest-free loan scheme helped nearly 1,900 businesses replace £60m of equipment. By installing new, state-of-the art kit, these businesses now save £20m a year. And these savings pay the loans back over one to four years – after which the savings go straight to the bottom line.

6. Look out for the ECA

Even if you’re not eligible for an interest-free loan, all businesses can benefit from 100% tax relief on equipment replacements through the Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECA) scheme.

The scheme provides a qualified list of energy-saving products, and offers a financial incentive: 100% tax relief on qualifying capital expenditure on plant or machinery. This means businesses can write off the whole cost of qualifying equipment against the taxable profits of the year of purchase. This can provide a cash flow boost of up to 28% of the purchase cost.

7. Stay one step ahead of the CRC

The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme is a UK Government carbon trading initiative, designed to change the way large public- and private-sector organisations consume energy.

It requires organisations to prepare a comprehensive record of carbon emissions – and ultimately to reduce consumption over time. Companies will need to invest in carbon allowances, sold at a fixed price of £12 per tonne of CO2 for the first three years of the scheme. The revenue from the sale of allowances will be recycled back to participants after six months, with a bonus/penalty element based on emissions performance and their relative position in the scheme’s performance league table.

8. Take early action on the CRC

The CRC has significant financial and reputational implications for businesses, so it is vital that larger businesses understand fully how it will impact them. And it rewards businesses that take early action to reduce emissions in advance of March 31 2011.

To reduce the cost of participation in the scheme and secure a higher ranking in the CRC league table, companies can voluntarily install advanced metering, and achieve the Carbon Trust Standard certification or equivalents.

To date, more than 250 organisations have already achieved the Carbon Trust Standard. These organisations have collectively realised savings of over £62 million – which is a compelling case for businesses to take action now.

9. Certify your efforts

The Carbon Trust Standard is a respected certification, which helps counter stakeholder scepticism. So as well as helping firms to secure a high ranking in the CRC, reducing energy costs and improving operational efficiency, it’s also a valuable marketing tool. Organisations such as First Direct and Marks & Spencer are already using the Carbon Trust Standard in their external communications.

10. Act now!

A common response from businesses which have implemented our energy efficiency advice is ‘we only wish we’d tried this earlier’.

By dedicating resources to energy efficiency, businesses can shave significant amounts off the bottom line in a low-risk manner – improving reputation, and placing themselves at the forefront of the low-carbon economy.

The 11 nations, the Pacific Small Island Developing States, have written to members of the Security Council, which oversees threats to international peace and security, and have argued that the threat to them from a warmer world along with rising sea levels is similar to armed conflict and invasion.

“Climate change can devastate a country just as thoroughly as an invading army,” stated Nauru’s UN Ambassador Marlene Moses.

Moses wants the Security Council to intervene because the UN-led negotiations on mandatory cuts in greenhouse gases and help to the most vulnerable nations has stalled.

“If the international community fails to take immediate action, then it will be complicit in the extinction of entire nations,” Moses added.

The group claim that climate change is responsible for severe food and water shortages throughout the Pacific and already making refugees of people in Vanuatu, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands.

The group’s letter to the Security Council was critical of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change that sponsored the climate summit in Copenhagen, Denmark at the end of 2009.

There are some simple steps we can take to keep warm or cool and save energy to prevent wasting the money we are spending to heat and cool our homes:

Keeping Warm

1. Draught proof your doors and windows
2. Install keyhole covers and letterbox brushes to keep out the cold
3. Put thermal lining on all curtains
4. Hang a thick curtain over draughty doors
5. Insulate walls and roof spaces (see our grants pages for financial help)
6. Put reflective panels behind radiators
7. Only heat rooms which are occupied
8. Wear more layers to keep warm
9. Only turn heating on when the property is occupied
10. Turn thermostats down 1 or 2 degrees to save energy depending on your health needs

Keeping Cool

1. Installing an air conditioner in a shady spot could increase its efficiency up to 10
2. Don’t lower the air conditioner’s temperature when you turn it on, it won’t cool the room any faster.
3. On humid days, set the fan speed on low to remove more moisture from the air.
4. Your dishwasher, washer, and dryer give off heat when they’re in use, so run them in the early morning or late evening.
5. Awnings, blinds, drapes and shades keep sunlight from entering your home, so install them on windows, skylights, and doors that get a lot of sun.
6. Use fans. When the outside air is cooler than that inside your home
7. Well-placed trees and bushes can reduce the energy a home uses for cooling by up to 25 percent
8. Consider adding a reflective coating to a dark roof, or when it’s time to replace it, choose a lighter color
9. Maintain your air conditioner(s). Dirty, clogged filters increase an air conditioner’s energy use.

Governments are investing lots of money in educating people about their use of energy in the home and many people are taking actions towards becoming more energy efficient.

The additional benefit for many people is a reduction in fuel bills.

With the cost of energy continually rising many home owners are now looking at how they can save money through being more energy efficient.

Some of the most effective actions are listed below:

• Turn lights off when not in a room
• Use energy efficient light bulbs
• Turn all electrical appliances off when not in use
• Remove chargers and PC peripherals from plug sockets
• Reduce hot water thermostat to 60 degrees
• Reduce space heating thermostat to below 21 degrees depending on your needs
• Only switch heating and lighting when at home
• Only boil the water you need in the kettle
• Keep fridge and freezer doors shut as much as possible
• Dry clothes outside

Undertaking just a few of the measures above could save up to £30/$45 annually. Simply turning down your heating thermostat 1 degree could save up to 10% off your fuel bills every year.

More Tips Soon…

Draught Excluders

Buy draught excluders and proofing devices for your doors and windows.

Make sure you cover your locks and have a draught excluder in your letter box. This could save you £20/$30 per year

Lighting

Use energy saving light bulbs and always switch off your lights when not at home or in a room. This could save you £18/$27 per year per bulb.

Heating

Only have your heating on when you are at home.

Install reflective panels behind your radiators to push heat back into the room rather than allow it to be absorbed by the walls.

Turn off radiators in rooms which are not used regularly. Turn down radiators rather than open windows if it’s too warm.

Fridges and Freezers

Keep the doors closed as much as possible. Letting heat into your fridge or freezer means that it has to work harder to remain cool. It takes three minutes to cool your fridge for every minute the door is open.

Defrost them regularly to ensure maximum efficiency.

Let hot food cool down before putting it in the freezer, again, the freezer has to work harder to keep the temperature down.

Washing

Wash at 30Cº/86Fº  not 40Cº/104Fº

Always wash full loads and hang clothes outside or on a drying rail, rather than using the tumble dryer

Shower

Always shower and try to keep your shower between 3-5 minutes long. This could save you up to £50/$75 per year

Water

Only boil as much water as you need in your kettle and pans. This could save you £30/$45 per year.

No more Stand-by

Leave none of your appliances (where possible) and entertainment systems on standby this could save you £20/$30 per year.

Insulate

In order to really make a difference to your bills insulate your loft and walls.

In many countries their grants and rebates available for insulation – with some areas even providing free installation.

More Tips Soon…

More tips soon…

One of the best ways to see where you can cut your energy use is by understanding exactly what you are using and when.

It is possible to find out how much electricity your appliances and entertainment systems are using when switched on, on standby or simply left plugged in.

There are many devices now on the market which will tell you your electricity consumption and what it is costing you. As a result you can then take steps to reduce your energy usage and reduce your energy bills.

Be In Control

• Check all of your timers and thermostats.
• Ensure your heating and hot water is not on when no one is in the house or needs to use hot water.
• Reduce you hot water temperature to 60 degrees, it will still be piping hot.
• Put thermostatic controllers on your radiators.
• Reduce your room thermostat to a comfortable temperature depending on your needs.

Next Tip Soon…

Discover how much carbon you are emitting on a yearly basis. You can do this by visiting the many different websites, if you do a search you will find the resources online that you need – try this link: Energy Saving Trust carbon calculator.

Once you have calculated the annual output then begin to start cutting back.

The average western European household emits over 6 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year.

There are simple steps to take to reduce your carbon footprint, and you will also save money.

With the price of oil, gas and electricity continually on the up, many people struggle to afford to heat their homes adequately.
More energy efficient steps will be posted soon.

Start Saving Money

Your energy supplier

Look at your bills to see how much energy per Kilowatt hour (kW/h) you are paying. With the energy supplier market still relatively competitive, it is worthwhile shopping around for a new tariff which may suit your needs better.

Most companies have a two tier system, with a price for an initial number of units used and a lower price for units over and above. Prices can vary for online applications and loyalty discounts are given to incentivise you to remain with the same supplier.

Investigate green tariffs so you will reduce your carbon footprint by using these suppliers.

Other tips coming soon….