Energy News UK's blog

Green deal on a shaky nail....

The green deal - the government's big policy initiative for fighting climate change, is supposed to plug one of Britain's biggest sources of carbon emissions – draughty, fuel-poor homes.

When it launches this autumn, the green deal will be the most aggressive home improvement schemes since WW2. It is the centre point of the coalition's strategy. A plan to improve the nation's draughty homes at no upfront cost, not just to green our economy but to also help family's improve their homes, cut their fuel bills and in turn, reduce the UK's dependence on expensive imported fossil fuels.

However leading Tories inside and outside the cabinet believe the £14 billion Green Deal – which is  due to start in six months’ time, must be ditched because it risks leaving key already financially strained voters out of pocket by several thousands of pounds.

A lot ministers have long been sceptical of the scheme, often seen as the legacy of Chris Huhne, the Lib Dem who resigned as Energy Secretary to fight a court charge that he perverted the course of justice over a speeding case in 2003.

As a result of these mixed messages billions of pounds of investment and the potential for hundreds of thousands of green jobs hang in the balance as companies stall investment while they try to figure out what the government's policy direction might be.

The Department for Energy and Climate Change maintains that the Green Deal is vital to help the UK meet its commitment to slash carbon emissions under the Kyoto Treaty.

What are your thoughts on the green deal?

Is it a good idea at the wrong time? Or just a waste of money?

 

One Trillion Euros.... That's quite the electricity bill

I have been reading recently about the Energy summit that took place back in July(yes I am quite a bit behind, but I like to be thorough) and about Europe's energy situation. 

It would seem that according to certain parties in the European government, it's going to take around a trillion euros of energy investment over the next decade just to keep us in the energy based lifestyle we're accustomed to.

Here is a video of Philip Lowe, Head of the European Commission's Energy Department, explaining where your money's going to be going.

 

 

 

 

Scottish green energy revolution

Hi and welcome to Energy News UK's shiny new vessel here at Typepad. The good ship Vox has been scuttled so this is where we'll be for the foreseeable future.

Today brings some interesting news about renewable energy in Scotland.The gist of the report in The Guardian is as follows:

The target for renewables was until last week for 50% of all  of Scotland's electricity, but this has been raised to 80%, with 100% currently envisaged by Salmond for 2025.

It seems that Ian Marchant, head of Scottish green energy provider Scottish and Southern Energy, agrees: saying thst the previous target was a 'slam dunk' is a sign of this confidence in the renewables sector.

Who'd have though that the Scottish weather would one day be a money-spinner? Who knows, one day they may even be able to harness lightning. Until then, wind power looks to be doing just fine.