energy

Combined heat and power (CHP)

Last edited 10 July 2007 at 5:07am

Energy isn't just wasted in the places that we finally use it; most of the waste in our electricity system happens before it even reaches our homes and businesses.

Our power stations throw away the same amount of heat as is needed to provide hot water and heating for every building in the UK.

DE in action

How does this happen? Well, generating electricity produces huge amounts of 'waste' heat, which is simply thrown away by our power stations - for example, as steam up the cooling towers.

On average, our large, centralised power stations throw away two thirds of the energy they generate.

Article tagged as: CHP, climate change, decentralised energy, energy, energy efficiency, heat capture, southampton

Energy efficiency

Last edited 10 July 2007 at 5:04am


The way we use energy is shockingly wasteful. Every year, we throw away more than eight times the amount of energy supplied by all of the UK's nuclear power stations combined.

Through our inefficient use of energy (gas guzzling vehicles, badly insulated buildings, poorly designed appliances etc) we needlessly throw away almost a third of the energy we use (source).

Article tagged as: buildings, climate change, electricity, energy, energy efficiency, heat, insulation

MEPs show themselves to be a bit dim

Posted by jamie — 15 June 2007 at 4:23pm - Comments

The numbers are in and sadly they weren't quite what we were hoping for. Despite the huge amount of emails you sent to MEPs, asking them to support a ban on inefficient light bulbs across the EU, not enough signed up to adopt the declaration.

Article tagged as: climate change, energy, energy efficiency, EU, light bulbs, meps

A zero-carbon home of one's own

Posted by jamie — 11 June 2007 at 5:26pm - Comments

Greenpeace volunteers on John Prescott's roof, with the solar panels they kindly installed for himIn the news today are reports of the first zero-carbon home being unveiled in London. Housing minister Yvette Cooper has been touring the site, nodding in a ministerial way at the insulation, solar panels, water recycling and construction methods that went into the first home to meet the top standards of the government's sustainable housing code.

According to the report on this morning's Today programme (you can listen again for the next seven days), the ultra-efficient abode cost 40 per cent more to build than a 'normal' house but as more are built, the economies of scale will bring that down. As the government intends to make all new housing zero-carbon by 2016, that price fall should start in the near future, although Cooper was evasive when quizzed about exactly how many of the 160,000 homes planned in the Thames Gateway region would be zero-carbon. A rolling increase in standards was all she would commit to.

Article tagged as: climate change, energy, energy efficiency, gallions reach, housing, ken livingstone, yvette cooper

Energy white paper 2007

Last edited 18 May 2007 at 12:47pm
Publication date: 
18 May, 2007

In February a High Court judge described Tony Blair's energy review as "seriously flawed", "misleading" and "manifestly inadequate and unfair." Mr Justice Sullivan ruled in favour of Greenpeace - which had brought a judicial review - declaring the energy review process unlawful.

As a result, the Government's 2007 Energy White Paper - intended for publication in March - was delayed. Next week a series of documents, including the White Paper, will be published.

Download the report:
Article tagged as: climate change, energy, energy white paper, nuclear, nuclear power

Nuclear consultation: full and fair?

Last edited 14 May 2007 at 10:23am
Publication date: 
9 May, 2007

As a result of Greenpeace’s successful legal challenge to the 2006 energy review consultation process, the government has been forced back to the drawing board to conduct what should be a comprehensive and necessarily lengthy review on whether to support new nuclear plants.

This short paper sets out some of the key questions which must be addressed as part of this consultation, and some of the information requirements to support a proper consultation on a new build nuclear programme.

 

Download the report:
Article tagged as: energy, energy review, legal, nuclear power, reports

Greenpeace welcomes SNP-Green alliance as an end to Blair’s nuclear plan for Scotland

Last edited 11 May 2007 at 12:00am
11 May, 2007

"This is an historic moment that could deal a fatal blow to Blair's nuclear legacy. It could rule out three of the main sites identified for the next generation of UK nuclear power stations at a stroke. Scotland is uniquely placed to take advantage of wind and wave power and this decision gives it an opportunity to become a world-leader in tackling climate change without the huge costs and dangers inherent in nuclear power. The government south of the border would do well to follow this example."

Article tagged as: energy, nuclear power, press releases, renewable energy, scotland

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