Britain doesn't need any more wind farms?

Political row as Tory minister claims UK has 'enough' turbines

The Coalition Government has clashed once again after a Conservative minister claimed that the country doesn’t need any more wind farms.

John Hayes told a newspaper that the country is ‘peppered’ with an ‘extraordinary’ amount of wind turbines which have been ‘imposed on communities’. He intended to include these comments in a speech Tuesday night but was told to remove them by Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat energy secretary, who took control of renewable energy strategy from Hayes earlier this year.

This latest row is yet another in a long line of Lib Dem/Tory confrontations over renewable energy. In February, 101 Tories signed a letter demanding an end to onshore wind farm subsidies, and in the summer Davey had to fight to win a 10% cut in the level of subsidies, as George Osbourne had wanted a 25% cut.

Many people, including leading global wind and nuclear power companies, are worried that the continued in-fighting of the Coalition and political uncertainty could threaten millions of pounds worth of investment in energy projects in the UK.

South West Marine Energy Park announces ambitions

UK's first marine energy park moving forward with business plan

The business plan for a new energy group has been announced. The South West Marine Energy Park, which was unveiled by Climate Change minister Greg Barker in January as the UK’s first marine energy park, has revealed its first plans for the project, which intends to bring the different strands of marine renewables activity in the region together all under one banner.

The main points of the plan include having at least 50 megawatts of wave and tidal projects installed in the near future, creating more commercial-scale wind and wave projects faster by developing a ‘technology pathway’, growing the marine energy supply chain and attracting investment in the South West region to develop infrastructure and ports.

Last week Peter Kydd, director of strategic consulting at Parson Brinckerhoff, was elected by the board as the park’s first chairman and is confident that the park can bring together people and projects that can help the marine energy industry thrive in the region. There have been some concerns that, due to the virtual nature of the park (as it doesn’t have a fixed base of operations), it may struggle to gain the necessary funding to achieve all of its goals. However, following a recent £15,000 allocation from the Plymouth City Council, there is now a revenue pot of funding from private and public sector partners of £100,000, which will allow the business plan to go ahead. 

For the full story please follow this link to This is Cornwall's website.

Now is the time to switch!

With energy prices going up, make sure you find the right energy provider for you

Over the last few articles, we have discussed ways to save on energy bills in the home, with one of the main tips being to look at switching energy providers following the recent price hike by the major companies. By doing this, you the consumer can find the company with the best deal for you and can also fix your tariff, which in the long run will save you money.

According to a report in the Telegraph, nearly two-fifths of households are seriously considering doing this, with 49%  of people surveyed stating they were ‘angered’ by the price rises this month. MoneySupermarket found that a third of households were worried they could be pushed to breaking point financially due to the rises, as many people are also dealing with rising prices in food and mortgages. 

With Scottish Power, British Gas and Swalec being just some of the companies who have raised prices, now is the time to think about switching providers to make sure you get a deal that is both affordable and tailored to you. 

Money Saving Expert has a guide that gives you advice on how to calculate your energy needs and usage, and uSwitch is a site that lets you compare energy prices from various companies to find the right one for you.

So stop wasting your money and get your own back with

www.homereheat.com 

'What about climate change, Mr President?'

First time global warming isn't mentioned in election debate since 1988

Following the third and final debate between US presidential candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney this week, there was a feeling of frustration from climate change campaigners. Despite hours of debates on prime-time US television, not once was the issue of global warming debated or even mentioned; despite being an issue that has actually been described by the Pentagon as a national security threat.

The ‘climate silence’ this election season marks the first time since the issue was first raised in Congress in 1988 that it hasn’t been discussed in presidential debates. This silence has promoted campaigns to start a website urging both candidates to give the threat of climate change the attention it deserves, and has even led to Obama being labelled a ‘climate change denier’ by Jill Stein, the Green Party’s presidential candidate.

The issue sparked even more controversy when debate moderator Candy Crowley admitted there had been questions from the audience regarding climate change, but she had decided that ‘the economy was still the main thing’, despite concerns being raised of the impact extreme storms and the cost of repairing damage after them would have on the economy.

So there may have been an official ‘silence’ on climate change from the candidates, but plenty of people, and voters, are definitely talking about it, meaning their stance on the issue may have a major impact on the presidential aspirations of both Obama and Romney.

For the full story follow this link to The Guardian’s website.

£3 a month for energy bills?

Pensioners find ways to drastically cut energy usage but still live happy lifestyle

An elderly couple have truly embraced ‘green’ energy and have found a way to cut their bills to the staggering sum of just £3 a month.

Dan and Jane Fish, who live in a bungalow in the New Forest, have installed a wood burner and solar panels in their home, and are using solar energy to run their electricity, hot water boiler and even their car. The couple also grow their own fruit and vegetables and make the most of everything they own, as they are still using the same crockery they've had for the past 55 years.

The only gas they use is for their stove, which is why they pay so little in bills. The couple’s money-saving quest to become carbon neutral has led to comparisons to hit 70s sitcom The Good Life.

While this lifestyle may be a bit too much for many people, it does show how there is an alternative out there to paying high prices for energy; prices that are getting even higher with the recent hikes by the major companies.

For the full story follow this link to the Daily Mail’s website.

Ways to save on your energy bills

With gas prices rising, here are a few energy saving ideas that could help you reduce costs

 

Get a fixed tariff

One way of battling the recent price hikes brought in by the major energy companies is to sign up for a fixed tariff, which means the price you pay for energy can’t go up. There are several comparison websites out there to check for the best deals, and if you have been a long-time customer at one of the bigger companies you should be able to ‘haggle’ a cheaper deal. But be quick, because the best deals are being snapped up fast.

Put on a jumper

It may seem like a simple solution, but by having the heating at a slightly lower temperature and wearing a jumper or cardigan around the house can save a typical household around £60, a pretty big saving just for sacrificing sitting around the house in a t-shirt with the heating on higher.

Close the curtains

Nearly everyone has curtains in their home to close off their rooms to the rest of the street at night and to stop the early morning sun getting in and waking you up. But curtains can also help retain the heat in your home, so by making sure you draw them fully, not letting any heat escape the cracks, you can make the most of out of all the heating you’re using. Also, swapping your traditional curtains for energy efficient insulating ones you can save even more.

Replace your boiler

A boiler can use nearly 80% of your total energy fuel usage, so making sure you have an energy efficient model instead of an older one can save the average home around £240 a year. The initial cost of buying and fitting a new one may put people off, but it will pay for itself in savings in around 10 years.

For even more tips on how to save energy please follow this link to the Daily Mail’s website.

Energy prices hike increases inflation yet again

Rate had actually gone down but will rise by the New Year

The recent increases in energy bills from companies like British Gas and Scottish Power have caused the rate of inflation to rise once again.

The Consumer Prices Index stood at a three-year low level of 2.2% in September, down from 2.5% in August. However, with nearly all of the big energy companies in the UK increasing prices over the past few days, the figure is likely to increase soon to around 2.6%, meaning that by the New Year the cost of living in Britain will once again be higher.

For the full story, click here to go to the Evening Standard’s website.