Energy Saving Week

"Before I put my heating on I check that all the windows in the house are closed. Heating a house while its windows are open is like lighting a fire with £5 notes!"

This week is energy saving week, and this year's theme is 'Green/Life Balance' - the fact is we are getting busier, working harder and have less time to do the things we want to do. An EST survey found that half of us say we would be greener if we had more time, and a third of us say our job is the main reason we don't have time to be green.

The aim of Energy Saving Week is simple: to help consumers learn how they can reduce their carbon footprint and show how significant savings can be made in money, energy and time by making a difference.

One of the ways in which you can join in the fun is with the new Energy Saving Trust blog / social network, "Britain Unplugged", where you can throw your ideas into the pot and find new ways to reduce energy, save money and save the planet, in the "What's green and takes 60 seconds? Challenge".

According to the EST, Digital Marketing Manager, Jasper Bell, who is the first editor of BU, the project is a slow burner which hopes to bring people together with a view to sharing ideas and promoting the benefits of reducing energy consumption. You should be seeing and hearing more of the project in the media in the future.

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Brown Calls for Cut in Petrol Prices

Gordon Brown today called on petrol retailers to cut fuel to under £1 a litre, stating that there is too much variation in fuel prices across the country. With prices as low as 99p and as high as £1.20 per litre, with Asda and Morrisons announcing they are dropping the price of unleaded petrol to 99.9p a litre.

Petrol prices have fallen to a twelve month low following sharp falls in the price of oil over the last few months.

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Petrol Consumption Reduction Tips

Changing your car to a new environmentally friendly model may not be easy for us all. But there are some ways you can reduce your fuel consumption, save money and help the environment too. The following simple tips could save the average driver £120 a year and reduce your CO2 emissions by 200kg per year. According to the organisers of the 2008 MPG Marathon, if we all were to implement these methods into our driving we could collectively save £8.2 billion per year in fuel costs, and significantly reduce the 91m tonnes of CO2 currently emitted in the UK annually .

• Gear Changes
  Change up before 2,500rpm (petrol) and 2,000rpm (diesel).
  
  
• Plan Ahead
  Anticipate road conditions and drive smoothly, avoiding sharp acceleration and heavy braking. This saves fuel and reduces accident rates.
  
  
• Air Con
  Use air conditioning sparingly as it significantly increases fuel consumption.
  
  
• Kill Your Speed
  The most efficient speed depends upon the car in question but is typically around 55 - 65mph. Faster speed will greatly increase your fuel consumption.
  
  
• Don't Wait Around
  Drive away immediately when starting from cold - idling to heat the engine wastes fuel and causes rapid engine wear.
  
  
• Aerodynamics
  Roof racks, bike carriers, and roof boxes significantly affect your car's aerodynamics and reduce fuel efficiency, so remember to remove them when not in use.
  
  
• Avoid Short Distances
  A cold engine uses almost twice as much fuel and catalytic converters can take five miles to become effective. Walking or bikes can be a great alternative to short journeys.
  
  
• Plan Your Route
  Plan your journeys to avoid congestion, road works and getting lost. Sat Nav and online map services such as Google Maps can help you find the way.
  
  
• Tyre Pressure
  Under-inflated tyres are dangerous and can increase fuel consumption by up to 3%.
  
  
• Switch Off
  Stuck in a jam, switch the engine off if you expect to be there for more than a minute or two. Cutting the engine will save fuel and reduce emissions.
  

MPG Marathon 2008

The real benefits of ‘smarter’ motoring came into sharp focus this week when competitors in the 2008 MPG Marathon proved beyond doubt that skilful eco-driving can dramatically reduce the cost of motoring and cut the amount of CO2 emissions produced by Britain's 30 million motorists.

The 40 teams taking part achieved an average improvement of 23 per cent over the manufacturer’s official combined figures and, if replicated by all of Britain’s car and commercial vehicle drivers, would save a total of £8.2 billion per year in fuel costs.

Eighty drivers and navigators took part in this national initiative, a round trip between ALD Automotive’s headquarters in Fishponds, Bristol and Shrigley Hall, Macclesfield to establish whether eco-driving can squeeze more miles per gallon (mpg) out of their vehicles than conventional motoring. The objective was to ‘save pounds and the planet’ as the drivers put the manufacturer’s own estimates of fuel consumption to the test – and won.

The achievement was all the more impressive as the drivers had to deal with the glare of publicity and congested roads during the two-day endurance trial. Twenty two manufacturers agreed to publicly have a variety of their hatchbacks, saloons and commercial vehicles put through their paces by automotive journalists, 'green' organisations and motoring safety bodies, including the AA, over this gruelling 400-mile round trip.

While seven vehicles achieved more than 70 miles per gallon, eight amazingly secured more than 80 miles per gallon, a record for the event which is in its sixth year, but the overall winning position went to the Toyota Yaris driven by Andrew Andersz which achieved a staggering 84.66mpg.

Second place went to Sue and Joanne Cooke in the Mazda2 1.4 Diesel with 84.58mpg. James Sutherland and navigator Richard Hill, who have won the last two MPG Marathons, failed to achieve their ‘hat trick’ in the Toyota Aygo Blue although it came in fifth place with 82.39mpg, a 34.18 per cent improvement over the manufacturer’s combined cycle figures, and using just 22.71 litres of petrol. This was the best figure achieved by a petrol-engined car in the event.

The MPG Marathon also sought out the drivers most capable of improving on the fuel consumption figures claimed by the manufacturer.

A Chevrolet Corvette Z06 with a manufacturer’s combined mpg of 19.2, managed to achieve 30.96mpg, an improvement of 61.26 per cent, despite its massive seven-litre engine. Driver and navigator Richard Hammond and Carla McAlpine proved that even so-called ‘gas guzzler’ sports cars can be driven more economically.

Second place in the percentage improvement class went to Christophe Duprat from ALD Automotive International and French motoring journalist Emilie Eyzat in a Honda Accord, with an MPG of 73.98, an improvement of 49.16 per cent.

Another entry of note was the Ford Focus driven and navigated by Devon and Cornwall police officers Martin Davis and Malcolm Curnow who achieved a fuel consumption of 62.43mpg against the manufacturer’s figure of 54.2mpg, an improvement of 15.18 per cent on the standard Focus, although more significant because the vehicle would be heavier with additional equipment. The force is attempting to cut its £2.3 million annual fuel bill because, with a fleet of 1200 vehicles, officers drive an amazing 29 million miles per year as a result of there being more miles of roads in the two counties than in the whole of Belgium. AA president Edmund King, sharing the driving with BBC Transport correspondent Tom Symonds, achieved 73mpg in a new Fiat 500, an improvement of 9.01 per cent.

It’s not what you drive, but how you drive that makes the difference and once again the combined efforts of all the participants and sponsors delivered a first class, educational event which has proved, if proof was needed, that skilled driving techniques work and can make a dramatic impact upon miles per gallon.

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2008 Fleet Hero Awards

Tonight will see the London Transport Museum host the third annual Fleet Hero Awards, organised by the Energy Saving Trust in association with the Department for Transport, and in partnership with Fleet News, Guardian and The Observer.

The awards ceremony looks to recognise the achievements by organisations large and small in reducing their energy consumption and carbon emission in business travel, through a variety of categories;

• Best Large Fleet
  Addison Lee
  Amey
  Ocado
  
  
• Best Medium Fleet
  Centre Parcs
  James McNaughton Group
  London Borough of Islington
  
  
• Best Small Fleet
  Commercial Group
  Green Tomato Cars
  The Royal Parks
  
  
• Grey Fleet Champion
  Arval
  Inchcape Fleet Solutions
  VT Education and Skills
  
  
• Business Mileage Champion
  Addison Lee
  Environment Agency
  Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
  
  
• Leadership Award
  Commercial Group
  Government Car & Despatch Agency
  Green Tomato Cars
  Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust
  
  
• Industry Supplier Award
  Arval
  BMW
  Masternaut Three X
  
  
• Smarter Driving Award
  Arval
  Gateshead Council
  Government Car & Despatch Agency
  
  
• Innovation Award
  Centre Parcs
  GreenRoad Technologies
  Modec

Previous winners include BSkyB, Saninsburys Online and London Borough of Islington.

There is a real message to all the glitz and glamour, whether you manage a fleet of over 500 vehicles, or have a small fleet of 10 or 20 cars or vans, the Energy Saving Trust can help turn your transport operations green.

With funding from the Department for Transport, the Energy Saving Trust provides public and private organisations of all sizes with free, expert and tailored advice to help reduce running costs, cut carbon emissions and enhance corporate social responsibility.

If your organisation has a fleet of 50 or more cars and vans under 3.5 tonnes you are eligible for a Green Fleet Review - an independent, environmental review of fleet operations providing a comprehensive report on the following:

• Fleet carbon footprint
• Vehicle allocation policy
• Fuel economy
• Mileage reimbursement policy
• Driver education
• Mileage reduction strategies
• Best practice grey fleet (business mileage in private vehicles) principles
• Latest health and safety and duty of care issues

Since 2004 over 300 organisations from every industry sector have benefited from this service.

In all cases decreasing environmental impact of your fleet equates directly to cost saving. Your potential savings depend upon your fleet size, the type and size of vehicles you operate and the number of miles travelled.

To find out how much you can potentially save, access the Energy Saving Trust's online Green Fleet calculator.

I'm still awaiting my invite to tonight's proceedings in the post, how could they possibly have failed to send me an invite. Tonight's event however is highlighting how business can and are willing to implement change to reduce their impact on the enviroment and save on costs concurrently. Every penny saved on fuel is a penny more in profit.


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Food Waste Scheme Hailed Success

The Waste & Resource Action Plan (WRAP), has hailed a food waste recycling scheme in which 4,272 tonnes of food waste were diverted from landfill a success. The efforts also averted 1,967 tonnes of CO2.

Nineteen English local authorities experimented with ways of collecting food waste from 94,000 households. In the majority of areas, more than 70% of people agreed to separate their food waste for composting. The average food waste collection was between 0.3 and 2.2 kilos.

"We are delighted by the results of these trials, which show that if consumers are given the right tools and are provided with a good service, they will participate in initiatives to cut waste sent to landfill."
Phillip Ward, Director for Local Government Services, WRAP

The organisers believe that a survey of people in the pilot areas identified a gap between perception and reality.

Of the non-participants interviewed, a common reason for not taking part was that residents felt that they did not produce enough food waste to make it worthwhile.

However, WRAP research in the recent "The Food We Waste" report shows that even households claiming that they generate no food waste at all produce, on average, 2.9kg per week.

Concerns about potential odour, hygiene issues or attracting vermin were the reasons given by 24% of non-participants - but for those who did participate, the majority claimed not to have had a problem with any of these issues.

A highly positive note from this announcement is that these schemes work when implemented, people are willing to carry out the task of waste separation and will do. If similar schemes were implemented across the UK's approximate 21m households, we could see 954 383 tonnes of food diverted from landfill and 439 436 tonnes of CO2 emissions. However even more importantly, by volume, food waste is the largest contributor to methane gas production, and sending this to landfill releases these gases. The EU Landfill Directive and Waste Regulations, like regulations in other countries, encourage diverting organic wastes away from landfill disposal for these reasons.


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Milk Sludge Fertilising Willow

Dale Farm’s environmentally aware staff have come up with a novel solution for reducing the company’s carbon footprint – using sludge from the waste water treatment plant at Dunman to grow willows.

Traditionally the sludge, which is a normal by-product of dairy processing, has been spread on farmland – where it acts as a valuable fertiliser. However, the Nitrates Directive has effectively reduced the amount of land that can be treated this way and other outlets had to be examined. After reviewing a range of possible options, it was decided that applying the sludge to Short Rotation Coppice Willow for producing renewable energy biomass, was an environmentally friendly solution that was also cost effective.

The scheme, which is operated in partnership with Rural Generation Ltd, began on a trial basis in June. It uses bespoke machinery that injects the sludge below the surface of the ground in a willow plantation in the Cookstown area, relatively close to the Dunman factory.

A permit had to be attained from the Environment and Heritage Service to allow the sludge to be used this way. The effluent has to be treated using a belt press, which increases the solid content to approximately 12% – which results in fewer transport movements and thus reduces the fuel and labour required.

Willow production is a renewable and sustainable energy crop that is harvested and used to produce either heat or electricity. Harvesting is usually on a two yearly rotation when the willow is cut and chipped, and some local Councils are currently using willow as an alternative energy source for heating e.g. swimming pools.

Willow production does not contribute to global warming – the only carbon dioxide released upon burning is that which was fixed from the air whilst the willow was growing, making it “carbon neutral” unlike other fuels such as coal and oil.

The use of sludge as a soil conditioner and source of nitrogen on willow plantations is a good example of an environmentally sustainable, low carbon route for recycling an organic waste stream. It is well established in Europe and N America, but is still relatively new in N Ireland and Dale Farm is the first local company to investigate this opportunity.

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Chimney Balloon

I just had my head up my chimney today, and when I told people I was inflating a balloon up my chimney earlier, they thought it was some kind of euphemism. Usually not one to get my hands dirty, I was right in the action with soot everywhere. I had ordered a Chimney Balloon from Flusystems on Sunday and it arrived today. I had tried to order one last year just before Christmas when I wrote Winter Warmer Ideas, you have to practice what you preach, but the company was just featured in a national newspaper (the Guardian, I believe) and they were struggling to cope with the orders they were receiving.

The device was designed in 1990 to stop chimney draughts, and has some bold claims on their website, including;

"A room with a blocked chimney needs only about half the heat compared with rooms with open chimneys, so it makes sense to fit a chimney balloon in every chimney which is not in everyday use."

The chimney balloon is made in a special laminate of three plastics to make it airtight, tear-resistant and long-lasting. It also has a special shape that allows a little ventilation on two corners to keep your chimney dry. Using a chimney balloon is completely safe, if it is accidentally heated, it shrivels and deflates.

I was slightly skeptical about the claim that it requires only 50% the energy to heat a room with one installed, so I did the non-scientific hand infront of the flue, outside there was a small breeze, and this could be felt entering the room slowly and consistently.

I placed my chimney balloon into the flue and started blowing, gently making sure that it was postitioned well as it inflated, it took a few tries as I was dubious that my inflation, angle and postitioning was, well not good.

After completion I repeated the non-scientific hand infront of the flue, no breeze, good job. Just to make sure it is functioning properly you should check it after 24 hrs to make sure that it hasn't reduced in size due to cooling of the air in the balloon, and again every month or so.

The chimney balloon is effective mainly because of one single principle, warm air rises and cold air sinks. With the chimney balloon we can stop both at once, keeping cold air from entering the room, and warm air from escaping up the chimney. Chimneys act as a funnel and pump to take warm air away. This is a good thing when your fire is lit and the warm air is full of smoke.

It did make the room feel warmer, but then again I am a nieve person that when taking placebos thinks they are working. I believe it works, and works effectively, it's a small difference, that will save some energy without even having to try, and with global energy prices still high it could pay for itself in less than one winter.

As well as ordering a chimney balloon, I ordered radiator reflector panels, which hopefully will arrive soon (I'm going to try a more scientific test with them), and will be installing solar thermal water heating this October which we hope will reduce our energy consumption by providing the equivalent of 1500kWh of hot water heating a year, for an energy efficiency dork like me it's mighty exciting.

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Northern Ireland Energy Prices Increase Again

Electricity and gas prices are to increase in Northern Ireland by 33% and 19% respectively. Following on from an increase of 14% in July announced by NIE for electricity in July and a 28% increase in gas prices announced by Phoneix for gas in May. Both are blaming the increases on the wholesale prices of fuel.

"We don't make a penny more from this increase, this price increase is driven purely by the increase in our wholesale prices."
Stephen McCully, NIE Energy


"These price rises are truly shocking for consumers and people will struggle to cope. Having considered all the information provided to us, we accept that Phoenix's level of increase bears scrutiny and is broadly in line with the rest of the UK. However, NIE Energy's scale of increase is not and it needs urgent and further explanation - in just 10 months their rate of increase has almost doubled compared to the rest of the UK, even though we are told that global energy prices are behind these rises. The Consumer Council cannot accept an increase of this scale until this fundamental question is fully answered. In the absence of competition, consumers need to be fully satisfied that the regulatory system works."
Eleanor Gill, Consumer Council

"We don't approve proposals for price rises without extensive scrutiny. We regret having to approve major price rises and are conscious of the impact that this will have on household budgets in Northern Ireland. We have worked hard to try to minimise the burden of the increase on low income consumers in particular. Specifically, we have directed NIE Energy to take specific steps to prevent price increases disproportionately impacting on Economy 7 users, who tend to be on low incomes.
Iain Osborne, The Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation

Whilst it is not surprising that the energy prices have risen again, it was mentioned that there was likely back in July, it is quite a shock that they have risen so sharply. For those in the position that are already struggling it is a devastating blow, and those that aren't so badly off it is still an extra burden.

Those that are struggling should contact their suppliers to see what help exists for those that are fuel poor, there should be a subsidised tariff.

Those that are also stuggling should take advantage of energy grants specifically available to them.

If you search this blog, we have lots of information on how to reduce your energy bills information on grants. Further information is also available at the Energy Saving Trust website, and on their freephone number 0800 512 012.

If you really want to find out a bit more face to face, you can always visit the Lifestyle Green 2008 show this Saturday at Castle Espie. On hand will be numberous organisations that can assist you in reducing your energy consumption, including installing energy saving measures for free.

We also have our Energy Saving Tips page, and our Winter Warmer Ideas which could help you reduce your fuel bills this winter.

If you would like to know more or would like specific free advice, please feel free to email us at support@howtosaveenergy.co.uk.


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Is The Government Right to Scrap the One-Off Winter Fuel Payment?

The government today announced that it would not be providing the much anticipated "Fuel Payment Plan" of £150 to seven million households, which was originally announced in the media last month after it was leaked by a senior civil servant travelling on a train. Is this the right decision?

Our homes consume energy, copious amounts of it. 83% of domestic energy is used for space and water heating, and in the huge majority of homes this is done in an inefficient way. One-off payments purely provide assistance in the short-term, delaying the issue and exacerbating the situation further. In addition by providing a "subsidised" fuel, encourages the user to continue to use energy in an inordinate way, becoming reliant on benefits to subsidise their existence. Reduction of consumption has not be ingrained into the mindset of the individual, increased consumption, increased demand, and whilst on a global scale, relatively minor, increased prices, inevitably leading to further hardship.

By focusing on reducing energy consumption, via energy efficient technologies such as cavity wall insulation and loft insulation, this assists with the core aims of a reducing dependency of fossil fuels and lowering CO2 emissions. It is an investment for the future and progresses the nation towards a low carbon economy. It alleviates the burden on the tax payer, freeing up future revenue to be invested in further projects. By empowering individual awareness of the environmental and economic benefits of reducing their consumption, this kick-starts a revolution of energy savers.

According to Uswitch, this year the average annual household bill will be £1,467, up 61% on last year. As a whole, this equates to an annual spend for domestic households of £31bil annually, of a total UK consumption expected to exceed £200bil (three times the level of 1998). If all households that could install the two measures mentioned above did so, with the help of government grants or assistance, we could reduce UK energy use in monetary terms by 0.88% per annum, and reduce UK CO2 emissions by approximately 8.4m tonnes.

Political benefits from energy efficiency in the long-term oppose to "short-term gimmicks", reduced reliance on imported 'old sun' energy, sustained decreased in energy consumption, reduced CO2 emmissions from point of implementation year-on-year, improved air quality and decrease in associated illnesses.

Whilst I believe the that the government has made the right decision, those that will suffer from this announcement, are those most in need of support, however there is genuine help available to those who are fuel poor, individuals on certain benefits, and even for those that are not.

Specific advice is available, you can contact the Energy Saving Trust or, if you contact us via email, with information about your current energy use, type of housing, installed heating methods, your location, energy supplier details. We will try to find the best solution to reduce your energy bills right now for free, through grants, support and practical advice.

Further information on how you can reduce your energy consumption this winter is available on our Winter Energy Saving Ideas page.


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Smart Zero Emission Driving with The Smart Ed

Businesses and organisations across the UK are using new electric smart models in one of the car industry’s biggest carbon neutral test programmes...

The new smart ed may not be on sale here yet, but Britain is currently the centre of a pioneering test programme involving the new electric-powered model. Over the next four years the electric vehicles will be operated using only ‘green energy’ – electricity generated from renewable sources. From manufacture to delivery and on to final operation, the ultimate objective has been to create a virtually carbon-free car. Where any use of fossil fuels or resulting CO2 emissions have been identified and quantified, equivalent funding is being invested in carbon offset projects in both the UK and Germany.

The smart fortwo passion is transformed into an electrically-powered vehicle by UK-based technology partner Zytek at their facility in Lichfield, Staffordshire. The British company adds the electric motor, battery pack and other modifications, but the end result is indistinguishable from a conventional smart model. Only the power socket hidden underneath the normal fuel filler flap and a dash-mounted display showing the charge level remaining, give any indication that this is a vehicle with an entirely different propulsion system.

The car has a maximum range in excess of 70 miles and can be fully charged from empty in eight hours and partially charged from 30 per cent to 80 per cent in 3.5 hours. With a top speed of 60mph (electronically limited), and acceleration from 0-30mph in 6.5 seconds – faster than its petrol equivalent – the smart ed is no slouch around town.

Powered solely by electricity, and chargeable from any three-pin socket the smart ed can achieve the equivalent of 300 mpg – that amounts to a saving of up to 80% in fuel costs over the already highly economical smart fortwo. The ed can travel up to 72 miles between charges, which typically take around 8 hours for a full charge – ideal for charging at work between your morning and evening commutes. If your journey takes you into the capital, you will find free electricity provided by some London boroughs, as well as free or discounted parking. With a top-up charge during the day, the smart ed’s daily range weighs in at 100 miles.

With that in mind, Smart are running a market trial with selected blue chip companies who are happy to meet their requirements to power the cars using only renewable energy sources. When they say zero emissions, they really mean it! Among the partners already enrolled in the trial are The Urban Splash, Islington and Coventry Councils, Foster & Partners, CarbonNeutral Company, EDF Energy and Amey.

To add to the environmental benefits of CO2-free emissions and zero noise pollution, users can point to the savings resulting from not needing to pay either vehicle excise duty or the Congestion Charge. What’s more there are Benefit in Kind tax savings as the Inland Revenue doesn’t treat electricity as ‘fuel’, while some London Boroughs will also offer smart ed models free parking and free top-up electric charge facilities.

Whilst the Smart Ed is yet to be available to the general public just yet, there are ways we as individuals can speed the process, by letting companies like Smart know that we want this technology, that we will buy this technology, and let the governmnent know that you want this technology and you want them to help people, business and manfactures employ this technology.

In their quest for greener driving, Smart have announced the introduction of a diesel engined smart fortwo – with the lowest C02 emissions on any car in the world – which will be joining the family in March 2009.


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Formula Zero Championship 2008 Starts in Rotterdam

On Friday in the centre of Rotterdam, at the sound of the Vice-Mayor’s starting gun, the Formula Zero Championship commenced. Six internatonal teams spent two days competing for the title of this new zero emission race series.

The Formula Zero Championship consisted of two different challenges for the racing teams. On Friday from 17:30 there was sprint races in which teams competed for the fastest lap time with a ‘flying start’. On Saturday there will was the two-mile main races with ‘standing start’ (approx. 6 laps). The mobile race track, which can be put up anywhere, has a length of 535m and lies at the foot of the Willemsbridge.

Each team's entry was powered by a commercial fuel cell that produces electricity from hydrogen.

Founded by Dutch motorsport enthusiasts Godert van Hardenbroek and Eelco Rietveld, Formula Zero is already recognised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, the world's motorsport governing body.

Teams Competing in the event were;

• Greenchoice Forze: TU Delft, Delft, The Netherlands
• EUPLATECH2: EUPLA, Zaragoza, Spain
• Imperial Racing Green: Imperial College London, London, UK
• Element One: Lawrence Technological University, Detroit, USA
• HercUCLAs: University of California, Los Angeles, USA
• Unicord Solvay Zero Emission: RacingTeam Groep T, Leuven, Belgium

"In 10 years if the motorsport industry as a whole hasn't engaged in zero or low emission principles, it probably won't be around. Teams that embrace this new technology early on will succeed, and those that don't will fall by the wayside. With a combustion engine, you have to reach three or four thousand rev[olutions per minute] to get your peak power, with an electric vehicle, it's all there from standing, and they're more efficient."
Greg Offer, Imperial Racing Green, Imperial College London

It is expected that the class will grow to Formula Three standard and then full-size racing class as interest in green motoring escalates. The next event will be held in the US in March. In 2009 the Formula Zero championship will comprise four races.

Formula Zero’s goal is to generate enthusiasm for fuel cell cars and accelerate the introduction of this technology into commercial production. Formula Zero proves that sustainable mobility is already a reality. The racing world is the ideal environment for developing this technology so that we will eventually all drive zero emission cars. Whilst the event may not be zero emissions the cars are, and the benefit of engaging events like this is that it will encourage commericial production of fuel cell vehicles in the future.

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Burning Holes in Government Fuel Payment Plan

At the weekend it was leaked by a senior civil servant travelling on a train, that the government have it laying in the wings for a "Fuel Payment Plan", the one-off payment of £150 would be targeted at those in receipt of child benefits, the total number of people that are set to benefit from this windfall is estimated to be over seven million households, requiring in excess of £1 billion.

Taking into consideration the "Winter Fuel Payments" paid to 11.7m people over 60 years in age, which costs a further £2 billion pounds. A total of £3 billion is effectively subsidising energy, making it cheaper, less expensive to use. In times when we should be reducing energy, friend of the blog and chief executive of the Energy Saving Trust, Philip Sellwood, believes that this money would be better spent and more effectively in terms of energy reduction and environmental benefit (not to mention the 17.5% return to the government from VAT, instead of the 5% on fuel), if this money was invested into energy saving measures.

For example, £3 billion could easily insulate every cavity wall in the country. Saving those householders £720m a year, every year (without inflation of energy costs), saving 4.8m tonnes of CO2 annually.

Philip Sellwood posted his own back of envelope savings on his blog;

Our own stats show that with £150, a householder could:

Draught proof an entire house, saving around £25 a year with an outlay of around £90.
Buy a hot water tank jacket, saving around £20 per year, with an outlay of just £12.
Fully insulate all pipe work, saving around £9 per year, with an outlay of just £9.
Replacing existing light bulbs with energy saving ones. With a typical cost of around £3 per bulb it would be possible to replace every light bulb in the house. This could save around £45 a year or £600 over the lifetime of the bulbs!

My maths was never much good, but even I can see that by spending this £150 on energy saving measures means saving around £100 this year, next year, the year after....well, you get my drift!

My own quick back of envelope calculation suggest that each household would reduce their CO2 emissions by 710kg. £3billion would be enough to offer all these measures to every household in the UK saving 14.91m tonnes of CO2. If the government instead decided to invest all the money into wind turbines, and start their own government wind co-op they could install a minimum of 300 wind turbines with up to 2GW, almost doubling the current capacity, providing, clean green energy for 1.2m homes, or approximately 5% of UK domestic properties.

The scheme has not yet been given final approval. The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) confirmed that further help with fuel bills was being considered, but insisted no decisions had been taken. So now is the time to get it right, and make positive changes, so that the money makes a return socially, environmentally, and of course politically.

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Winter Fuel Saving Tips

Diageo Invests £65m in Renewable Energy

Plans for a pioneering bioenergy facility at Scotland’s largest distillery, Cameronbridge in Fife, were announced by Diageo this week. Following two years of rigorous research, Diageo - which makes leading global brands including Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray and Smirnoff - has signed a formal partnership agreement with energy management company, Dalkia, to create the new facility.

Costing approximately £65 million, the planned state-of-the-art facility will generate major environmental benefits and is set to place Scotland at the forefront of green technology on the world stage.

The facility will for the first time integrate sustainable technologies – including anaerobic digestion and biomass conversion – on a commercial scale. It will be the largest single investment in renewable technology by a non-utility company in the UK and is set to reduce annual CO2 emissions at the site by approximately 56,000 tonnes (equivalent to taking 44,000 family cars off the road).

The proposed facility, which is subject to planning approval, will recover 98% of thermal steam and 80% of electrical power at the distillery. It is an example of Diageo’s commitment to the environment and the use of energy efficiency programmes to reduce energy and water consumption. Dalkia will construct the facility over the next two years and it will then transfer to Diageo under a finance lease, while continuing to be managed by Dalkia.

“This will be a showcase bioenergy facility which harnesses a variety of green technologies in a project of an unprecedented scale. It is without question the right way forward in terms of environmental benefits and secures the long-term sustainability of our operation, moving the site away from reliance on fossil fuels"
Bryan Donaghey, Managing Director, Diageo Scotland.

The bioenergy facility will generate renewable energy from ‘spent wash’ – a mixture of wheat, malted barley, yeast and water - produced during distillation. The spent wash is separated into liquid and dried solids. The liquid is then converted, via anaerobic digestion, into biogas and the dried solids form a biomass fuel source.

Around 90,000 tonnes of co-products, which would have required transport off-site by road, will be turned into bioenergy in the form of electricity and steam for use at the distillery. The facility will also recover almost a third of the site’s water requirements.

"SEPA welcomes the use by industry of efficient, sustainable energy sources. We are very supportive of new and developing technologies that can help protect Scotland's environment and make a meaningful contribution to tackling climate change. Diageo is to be commended for its investment in bioenergy.”
Campbell Gemmell, CEO of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)

"This pioneering scheme demonstrates the effective use of bioenergy and highlights our shared commitment to efficient sustainable energy for industry. It will deliver real environmental benefits.”
Frédéric Pelège, CEO of Dalkia plc

The bioenergy project is in addition to a £100 million programme of investment currently being undertaken by Diageo in Scotland. This includes a new distillery at Roseisle in Morayshire which will also feature cutting edge sustainable technology, together with a £40 million expansion at Cameronbridge Distillery due for completion in spring 2010.

Diageo, and partner Dalkia, have been working closely with local and national stakeholders, as well as consulting widely with representatives of the local community, to ensure the full potential of the project is realised.

Cameronbridge currently employs around 100 people and the new bioenergy facility is expected to create up to 20 additional jobs.

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Chatham House Predicts $200 a Barrel Oil

A report by leading think-tank, Chatham House predicts that oil prices will increase to in excess of $200 a barrel in the next five to ten years, fuelled (pardon the pun) by a "supply crisis" devrived from companies and governments were failing to invest enough to ensure production. The only way the looming crisis could be averted is if consumption falls.

"In reality, the only possibility of avoiding such a crunch appears to be if a major recession reduces demand - and even then such an outcome may only postpone the problem. While the forecast is controversial and extremely bullish, even allowing for some increase in capacity over the next few years, a supply crunch appears likely around 2013. The implication is that it will quickly translate into a price spike although there is a question over how strategic stocks might be used to alleviate this. Only extreme policy measures could achieve a speedy response in boosting supplies and lowering oil prices - a move that is likely to be politically unpopular"
Professor Paul Stevens, "The Coming Oil Supply Crunch", Chatham House

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Can You Afford to Fill Up? ... No, Try Our Petrol Saving Tips

BBC One's topical weekly investigative current affairs programme, Panorama, this week took a look at the price of petrol, how it is affecting the motorist and what can be done to encourage us to use less fuel and greener alternatives.

You can view the program on BBC iPlayer, until Monday 04th August (UK Only).

Changing your car to a new environmentally friendly model may not be easy for us all. But there are some ways you can reduce your fuel consumption, save money and help the environment too. The following simple tips could save the average driver £180 a year and reduce your CO2 emissions by 200kg per year.

• Do You Need to Drive?
  Short journeys that are generally less than two miles cause the most pollution and are inefficient in terms of fuel consumption. A straining cold engine will produce 60% more pollution than a warm one. A cold engine uses almost twice as much fuel and catalytic converters can take five miles to become effective. Walk or cycle where possible instead.
  
  
• Gear Changes
  Change up before 2,500rpm (petrol) and 2,000rpm (diesel).
  
  
• Plan Ahead
  Anticipate road conditions and drive smoothly, avoiding sharp acceleration and heavy braking. This saves fuel and reduces accident rates.
  
  
• Air Con
  Use air conditioning sparingly as it significantly increases fuel consumption.
  
  
• Kill Your Speed
  The most efficient speed depends upon the car in question but is typically around 55 - 65mph. Faster speed will greatly increase your fuel consumption.
  
  
• Don't Wait Around
  Drive away immediately when starting from cold - idling to heat the engine wastes fuel and causes rapid engine wear.
  
  
• Aerodynamics
  Roof racks, bike carriers, and roof boxes significantly affect your car's aerodynamics and reduce fuel efficiency, so remember to remove them when not in use.
  
  
• Plan Your Route
  Plan your journeys to avoid congestion, road works and getting lost. Sat Nav and online map services such as Google Maps can help you find the way.
  
  
• Tyre Pressure
  Under-inflated tyres are dangerous and can increase fuel consumption by up to 3%.
  
  
• Switch Off
  Stuck in a jam, switch the engine off if you expect to be there for more than a minute or two. Cutting the engine will save fuel and reduce emissions.
  

Picture: Greenpeace Protest Coal Shipping (... and the Coal of Course)

Greenpeace activists used an inflatable boat to reach this coal ship off the east coast of Australia, before painting their environmental slogan on the hull.

How Can Two and Four Wheels Coexist?

With the increase in bike usage around the world, there has come issues of capacity and infrastructure, however there has also come a social ill. Swarms of cyclists have ventured onto the intimidating multi-lane roads of Los Angeles on a regular basis, breaking the law by passing stationery cars and infuriating motorists at the same time. Officials are so worried by the culture clash or cyclists and motorists, that they have drawn up a Cyclists' Bill of Rights, and initiated discussion on how LA's roads can be harmonised so that two and four wheels can co-exist together, as well as implementing a bike task force. Two cyclists have already been hospitalised as a result of a motorist deliberately breaking sharply in-front of them, for which criminal charges are already being processed.

How will Budget Airlines Compete As Oil Price Rises?

With the soaring oil prices over the passed 12 months, and higher fuel bills for the majority, how are budget airlines going to compete, let alone survive in the uncertainty of the future?

Europe's biggest budget airline Ryanair, carrying 49m passengers annually, announced today that it could make an annual loss of 60m euros. Ryanair's fuel bill now represents almost 50% of its operating costs, compared with 36% last year. Shares fell by 22% on the news, and competitors BA and EasyJet were down 5% and 8% respectively. EasyJet, have also announced that their profits for the year could be half of expectations.

Whilst Ryanair are shouting that they wont be increasing fares or adding a fuel surcharge, industry experts have suggested that average fares will rise this and next year by over 10%, the number of flights and seats will be reduced and even some airlines will end up in the aeroplane graveyard that was once a distant memory. We have already seen two airlines meet this demise this year, in the shape of low-cost airline Oasis Air, flying from London to Hong Kong, and low-cost business only airline Silverjet.

Airlines have anounced that they will be reducing the capacity available over the next year, so will this have a positive environmental impact?

According to DEFRA research the average short-haul flight is 500km, with CO2 emissions for that flight of approximately 65kg. If the airlines reduce the number of flights and seats, etc in a uniform and efficient way, the three mentioned above would reduce the total number of seats by approximately 7.5m, and CO2 emissions by 500 000 tonnes.

In the airline industry the price demand ratio is, for every 10% increase in prices, a typical 6.5% fall in passenger numbers is experienced.

How to Fill the Other Half of the Train?

Today it was announced that Northern Ireland Railways operates its train service with a capacity averaging 50%, or the equivalent to 257 000 empty seats per week. The figures were taken from an average week in 2007.

Which Line Performed Best?

• Londonderry Line - 70%
• Portadown Line - 50%
• Bangor Line - 36%
• Cross-Border Rail Service - 35%

Northern Ireland has one of the lowest uses of public transport, at half the UK average, however since 2001, NIR has seen a 50% increase in passenger numbers, with a 23% increase in the last two years. A considerable achievement, with factors including new rolling stock, and a faster, more efficient service. In comparison to other cities, a train every half-an-hour (off-peak), city-to-city may be a factor reducing the use of the service.

If the trains were full, it would be equivalent to reducing 156 707 car journeys a week, or 8.15m a year in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately supply and demand pricing in the public transport sector is not correlated with train fare pricing. Fare reduction often leads to increased pressure at peak periods, with minor traffic increases in off-peak services. This could reduce CO2 emissions by in excess of 15 000 tonnes annually based on small cars emitting 99gCO2/km.

How Much Can I Save?
Following on from my attempt last month to quantify the annual savings by using public transport, Translink have came up with their own figures below. Taking several typical Belfast commuter routes, Translink compared the total cost by car (AA ‘cost per mile’ data, plus parking charges) against the cost of the public transport option. In each case, commuters fare much better with public transport, with big savings to be made in the course of a year:

• Antrim Road to Belfast City Centre by Metro – save £1532.70 per working year (10 months)
• Newtownabbey to Belfast City Centre by Metro – save £2510.30 per working year
• Lisburn to Belfast City Centre by NI Railways – save £2274.30 per working year
• Carrickfergus to Belfast City Centre by NI Railways – save £2666.20 per working year
• Bangor to Belfast City Centre by NI Railways – save £2572.10 per working year
• Larne to Belfast City Centre by Ulsterbus – save £3748.50 per working year
• Magherafelt to Belfast City Centre by Ulsterbus – save £3962.70 per working year

What About the Future Rise in Fuel Tax?
An increase in fuel taxes is often connected with the hypothesis of a triple dividend: Apart from the modal-shift-effect, which relieves the environment as well as the infrastructure, and the fiscal effect, which should increase the public revenue, the movement of passengers to public transport systems should decrease its deficit. However, this calculation fails because higher fuel prices increase peak-hour transit use but not leisure or off-peak transit. But the typical attribute of peak traffic is above-average marginal costs and below average revenues. Therefore, higher fuel taxes will increase public transports deficit rather than decrease it. The fiscal lucrativeness of higher fuel taxes will be significantly lower than is often expected.

How Can NIR Fill the Other Half of the Train?

• With the continued increase in oil prices, over the last year there has been a 2% reduction in vehicle miles travelled according to the AA, as the price continues to rise, it has already been shown to affect driving habits, decreasing miles travelled, travelling at off-peak times, walking shorter journeys, driving in a more fuel efficient way. Whilst habits change it does also price those on the lowest incomes out of cars.
  
  
• Implementation of Park & Ride schemes for cars and bikes, have also contributed to the success in previous years. Avoiding city centre parking charges and congestion entering the city. These need to be developed further to reduce the negative impact of parking problems at restricted space sites.
  
  
• Could the next step in helping people get to work be implementation of Green Journey Planners, simply Translink could offer outreach to companies initially in the city centre of Belfast. Offering to look at how each individual travels to work, how much this costs them (in time and money), and a greener and maybe shorter alternative, detailing the annual savings (again in time and money).
  
  
• Reducing the cost of travel, or removing the cost altogether, through government funded schemes. Trialling this in the outset with a free travel day, to see how this affects passenger numbers. Cost could be fractionally offset with advertising, similar to other international transit systems, such as the London Underground or Hong Kong MTR. Long-term, higher footfalls, could lead to increased property rental values.
  
  
• Introduction of simple stored value card such as the octopus or oyster card to enable a simple straight forward journey, reducing staffing needs, all pricing structures reduced to lowest possible fare, time specific pricing. Multi use, in conjunction with bus system.
  

If you have any ideas on how Translink can increase bums in seats, then let them know.