Microgeneration - Real People Power

From the article by David Budworth in the Times, November 1st 2008 

Households keen to cut their energy bills and save the planet are taking matters into their own hands and finding innovative ways to generate their own electricity. That’s the view of David Budworth writing in the Times who points out that giant leaps in technology and a growing range of grants, from governments and other sources, mean that it has never been easier to produce electricity through wind, solar or water power. The use of ground source pumps, which transfer heat from the ground into homes and buildings, is also spreading fast. But David advises that generating your own energy, however, is not a decision to be made lightly as it is frequently expensive and it could take years for you to recoup the costs. For some people, though, it is definitely worth the effort and David uses the example of a group of residents in Oxford, centred around the picturesque Osney Island, is raising funds to put in place solar, water and wind projects to generate 750,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity for the community. The group estimates that this is enough to provide power for 140 homes. The River Thames runs through west Oxford and the group hopes to set up a micro-hydro project at Osney Lock and a wind turbine in nearby hills. The area is also surrounded by industrial warehouses on which they hope to install photovoltaic solar panels, which they have already put in place on the local community centre. The plan is to send the electricity back to the grid. Energy firms would pay for this and the group reckons that it can produce enough power to make a profit of £100,000 each year. This money will be used to help 6,000 residents to improve the energy efficiency of their homes and set up their own micro-generation schemes. The group has benefited from financial grants available to community groups setting up local power generation schemes and there is financial help for individuals, too. Each household can claim up to £2,500 from the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR). Nearly £10 million has been allocated to households. That means there is about £8 million left of the £18 million that the Government put aside to fund the scheme (www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk.)

This is from David Budworth’s Step-by-step guide to going green

Start with the basics  - Before you even think about generating your own power make sure that your home is properly insulated and install energy-saving lightbulbs. The Eneregy Saving Trust (EST) can provide a free energy audit, visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk  to complete an online home energy check, or call 0800 512012.

Consider all the renewable options  - Ideally, you would install photovoltaic solar panels, wind turbines and hydrogenerators to generate electricity. That way you avoid problems when the sun goes in or the wind and rainfall levels drop. David says that the EST website has a useful guide to renewable energy technologies, as does the Renewable Energy Centre at www.renewablenergycentre.co.uk. But make sure you have any relevant planning consent that you might need.

Get financial help -  from Low Carbon Buildings Programme. www.lowcarbonbuildings. org.uk or call 0800 9150990. and Move fast as renewable technology must be installed by a government-certified firm within certain deadlines and always make sure to Reclaim your money

The Government’s plans to let communitie sell renewable energy to the grid have been criticised for being insufficient, although new Engergy and Climate Change seretary Ed Miliband has published an amendment to the new Energy Bill which states that renewable projects under two megawatss would be eligible for ‘feed in’ tariffs. Friends of the Earth and and the Country Land and Business Association are arguing that the ceiling should be ten megawatts and a firm timetable for implementation should be set.  

Talking About Our Generation http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/consumer_affairs/article5054271.ece

And some handy energy saving tips from Resource Cumbria in the Lake District Herald (1st November 2008)

 -  Drive at the speed limit - driving on a motorway at 70mph rather than 80mph cuts carbon emissions by a third

-  Use your milkman - milk bottles get washed and reused many times over!

-  Listening to digital radio through a TV takes ten times as much power as using a digital radio

-  If it is wet outside, dry clothes in the bathroom before using a tumble drier

-  You don’t need expensive polluting sprays to waterproof shoes and boots - vaseline, beeswax and candle wax all work (as apparently does olive oil!)