Energy News UK's blog

Energy News: renewables and the future

 

Some energy news from abroad hits the wires this week, with Angela Merkel continuing her stance on taking Germany forward towards a post-nuclear age.

In some ways this is uncharacteristically direct for an incumbent premier, a job in any democracy so much of whose existence is bound up in expediency.

I mean, I'd bet that if you were to ask the current UK Prime Minister, his assistant or the head of the opposition a question about the immediate power mix for the UK they'd talk about renewables in positive terms but be unable to give an anwer about the future of nuclear.

Meanwhile, closer to home , renewables continue make the news on a daily basis as wind turbines look set to become  a more and more familiar sight in the UK. 

Who knows, maybe one day wind turbines will  domestic items (albeit rare as they're not average garden-sized), with the conventional energy company owning the majority of turbines in wind farms.

After Fukushima

Ever since the Fukushima nuclear accidents of March 2011 the discussion about the future of energy has taken something of a different tone. Many people who were previously supporters of nuclear energy began to have second thoughts, while (perhaps a bit strangely) prominent thinker George Monbiot declared that he now supports the technology, moving from a neutral stance.

At present it's too soon to get a feeling for what the future will hold - but already there have been news reports on the possible future of nuclear being hampered by the reaction of policymakers who may now be reluctant to use nuclear.

In the weeks prior to the Fukushima incident, news stories had begun to emerge about the possible use of thorium reactors. Apparently the possibility of using thorium had been considered as far back as the 60s, but wasn't followed through as it's not suitable for weapons, which was probably a sine qua non of any nuclear programme during the cold war.

Given that China's development moves inexorably on, and that its use of power isn't going to lessen, it's no surprise that Chinese scientists are looking into thorium.

While I don't agree with everything George Monbiot said in his controversial Guardian piece, I do believe that there could be a 'third way' for nuclear - the thorium reactor.

 

 

 

Green powers: electricity/ hydrogen

 

In terms of energy made from renewables, energy companies in future are likely to have a changing mix of power sources. Right now it's impossible to predict what shape the mix wil take in the future - but it's unlikely I reckon that wind power will blow out any time soon. Same with solar - a burnout is not only unlikely, it's practically unimaginable.

But what of other renewables types? Biofuel had the media abuzz a while back, and there's been some promising discussions around algae, although no indications of it becoming the renewables king.

Green electricity - or zero carbon electricity - is obviously going to be important as the world's population grows and China and India become economicially mighty.

What about hydrogen fuel cells, I wonder. Well, what would have been scince fiction just a few short years ago has now become reality, and Mercedes Benz has been making some waves in the media recently with a hydrogen car. 

Biofuels - green life energy? Links.

 

Biofuels isn't really the green renewable option that you hear the most about in the news at the moment. This could change, of course, is any new developments in biofuels begin to change the game, but for now they seem to be lower on the news agenda.

While biofuels may be less talked about, they aren't any less interesting to read about so I've compiled a short list of biofuels links that give some background info on this sadly under-discussed topic.

 

BBC page on biofuels

Guardian Biofuels news pages

Napier University biofuels page

 

Petrol prices and the green fuel imperative

 

Another day, another news story about the price of oil. In the article talk turns - perhaps inevitably - to the government's grant scheme for electric car purchases. What I didn't know about this is that the scheme is up for review next year, meaning that, as the article states -  "only the first year of funding – £43m or enough for about 8,600 cars – is guaranteed."

It will obviously take a bit of time before the clean machine is king of the road, but between now and when sales reach critical mass, they're going to need a bit of help. 

The sooner the automotive industry swaps the  petrol pump for the electricity supplier, the better for all of us.

 

 

Energy saving and the rebound effect

 

There's a must read article over at The Guardian concerning the so-called Rebound Effect whereby people who use green leightbulbs, cars and so on may actually end up using them more and thereby lessening or even cancelling out any carbon savings. Sounds a bit like a (probably apocryphal) story I once heard about people who would buy half-fat crisps or biscuits so they could eat twice as much.

It is probably true though how if you have an energy efficient machine or device you're more likely to use it more than one that's heavy on energy. If your car only did 7mpg it would probably hardly ever leave the driveway, for instance.

The article also links to another piece about how those who see themselves as the greenest often live carbon intense lifestyles: ie there are some who recycle and use low energy bulbs etc but who also go on long haul flights. Thing is though, if tehse people have the right domestic green habits, that's to be encouraged, and the fact that flights cause carbon emission is not really the same issue. The plane would still have flown without them.

What all of us need to avoid is a 'greener than thou' situation. We're going in the right direction, and that's the most iomportant thing of all.

 

Smart monitors just the start for UK energy users

 

This post is largely speculative, and for that I make no apologies - half the fun of the future is all about the speculating what will come to pass.

This year a lot of people started getting smart energy monitors for the home - and this could be the start of some kind of domestic energy revolution. Think how with this kind of tech the clever people who design and construct new build homes will incorporate all kinds of features into their develoments. Imagine being able to operate your electrical appliances to their most energy efficient by using the internet. Once devices become smart, everything is up for grabs. Gas electricity suppliers already have started paperless billing and providign broadband, so it will be no surprise to see more of this kind of thing in years to come.

Electricity this decade

Some say technology is speeding up, some disagree. All I know is that the internet and smartphones have changed life by a great measure. Electricity is going through changes too. Less of it is magicked from coal, and more and more of it comes from cleaner sources. 

And it's not just that - we've also started hearing about how electricity can be transmitted. Imagine your house without cables and plugs and sockets. No more metres of licorice behind the telly.

And cars of course. I don't know what your Top Gear presenters think about electric cars but sooner or later they'll be the norm.

My predictions for this decade would probably be that renewables will meet and exceed targets, that electric cars will take off (not literally), and that sadly we won't have socketless houses. That will be next decade.

Mr Motivator goes green energy

Edinburgh is a town used to seeing famous faces. Any time I've visited during the festival I've always spotted a famous face or six. From Billy Connolly to Lauren Laverne to John Malkovitch, they've all pounded the pavements of Auld Reekie at one point.

If you're in the Edinburgh St James shopping complex next Saturday, keep an eye out for a famous name in the shape of none other then Mr Motivator.

Errr, I hear you cry, -what's this got to do with energy?

Well it goes like this. The Scottish power company Scottish Hydro has arranged for Mr Motivator to come along to their Eco Zone in the St James, and he'll be showing people how much energy is used to boil a kettle, switch on a light, and other tasks that use electricity.

The Eco Zone is a drop-in centre where the public are invited to saunter in and learn all about sustainability - and Mr Motivator is making it his base next week. So if you're in Edinburgh, drop by and see what he has to say. You could end up with some great energy saving tips. 

High Street Energy

This year will see another supermarket chain join forces with an energy company to start a new energy venture.

Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s is joining forces with British Gas in a move that will see Sainsbury’s offer its millions of shoppers,  gas and electricity packages as well as home services such as boiler care, roof insulation and solar panels. Sainsbury’s currently have a tie-in with EDF Energy but the supermarket’s own website says that this will come to an end on February 8^th.

Marks & Spencer’s energy partnership with Scottish & Southern Energy is currently the highest profile of all high street retailers and no doubt will be the main competitors to the Sainsbury’s – British Gas merger.