Scottish energy – hydrogen renewables

Pictured below is Hydrogen Office, which was officially opened this week by the First Minister, Alex Salmond. part of Fife’s exciting Energy Park – Scotland’s world class renewables hub.

The most exciting thing about Hydrogen Office is that it’s powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology. The kind of emergent technology that Scotland should hopefully remain at the forefront of.

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Electricity and snow jokes

Just a quick post to let you and the internets know I’m still here, not buried under a mound of snow.

So, how are you keeping green this winter? It isn’t easy in temperatures that are lower than 10 Celsius, I can tell you. But sometimes you have to forsake the greenness just so you don’t turn blue. Actually it’s not been all that bad. Where I live has people in flats above and below, so in the morning the place is always a lot warmer than you’d expect – the people below must have the heating on during the night, and the place above acts as an insulating layer between my abode and the roof.

The cold weather is set to return this week, then it’s Christmas. Then it’s New Year. So, unless there’s any mega-important green news before the Yuletide, that’s me signing off for 2010.

Have a good one. Be green, but stay warm, and all the best for 2011.

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Green energy and winter weather

With the heavy snow hitting the UK so dramatically over the weekend, it’s that time of year when even if you’re trying to save on the fuel bills, the heating needs to be up pretty high. Unfortunately the forecast isn’t much better for the days to come, with temperatures likely to be as low as minus 20 celsius in some parts of Scotland.

With all this coldness happening, it would be easy to forget that climate change is still a reality: so remember that by doing small things like using insulation and getting your energy supply from a green energy company, the cold snap won’t mean being carbon heavy.

Only three months of cold weather to go, anyway. Brrrr…

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What colour is the future? Green, green or green?

All too often these days the news is slightly downbeat – it’s all cuts cuts cuts. And with parliament about to go into recess it means that the summer will be a time of uncertainty for many – only when autumn arrives will the new government really get into gear and show us what it’s capable of achieving, and what its collective personality will be like. Like many, I will be reserving my judgement on the coalition until such times as they have had the chance to do this.

But there are early signs that this government is taking the green issue seriously. With the US president making encouraging noises about green energy that have bnow turned into encouraging actions (money for creation of 5000 jobs in the sector), then it’s perhaps no surprise that the UK looks set to follow suit in one way or another.

Writing in today’s Independent, Chris Huhne, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, has this to say…

“The coalition’s commitment is clear: to implement a full programme of measures to fulfil our joint ambitions for a low-carbon, eco-friendly economy. Over the next few years, we aim to put in place a framework that will provide the private sector with the confidence needed to invest billions of pounds here in Britain in the face of global competition. Investment in low-carbon technologies and infrastructure, from electric vehicles to new renewables to home insulation, will underpin economic growth for long-term prosperity and climate security. As prosperity is locked in for the long term, carbon must be permanently locked out.”

… which will be music to the ears of many. Because let’s face it: no matter your views on the probable causes of climate change, green energy is the future. Fossil fuels aren’t going to last forever, and with changes in the world economy meaning that China and India will continue to need massive amounts of energy, what’s left in terms of fossil resources are going to get used up quicker.

One thing I’d like to point out here is that economically it is vital for the UK to get in on green energy early. It doesn’t take an axiomatic business brain to work out that the big money and the big progress is made the earlier you get involved in a new area of enterprise. Which is why the government’s green commitment is definitely a sign of its healthy attitude to business and to the environment.

Green Sky Thinking

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o)))

Interesting story here in the Surrey Comet – harvesting sunshine can lead to tax breaks – and rightly so!

But given the high cost of photovoltaic cells, I think most of us will continue to use an electricity and gas supplier for our majority energy needs for a good while yet.

Do any of you use PVs? Or are you the same as me, using bought in energy and trying to find the most appropriate provider in terms of the green quotient/

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The Green Party has an MP, Caroline Lucas

Apologies for being a little behind the times with this – it is unforgivable as this is a very important piece of news indeed for everyone on the ‘green’ community.

Yes, the Green Party has its first and only Member of Parliament, Caroline Lucas.

She was elected to serve the Brighton constituency with a 9% swing from Labour.

We wish Caroline all the best, and hope that she is the first of many Green MPs to come in the future.

For those that may have missed it, you can relive the moment in all its glory here….

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OFGEM Green Certification = Good, Right?

The first round of ‘green certified‘ domestic energy tariffs has been announced by OFGEM.

The certificate has not met with universal approval from the green community however. Ecotricity founder Dave Smith said:

“Ofgem’s new ‘rules’ set an artificial standard of what green electricity really is. If suppliers want to plant trees or look after birds, I’m all for that but not under the guise of green electricity. Consumers just want to be sure of two things: where is my green energy coming from, and what good will my bill bring? And both of these are quick and simple to verify.”

There are also some claims that changing to an energy efficient lightbulb would have as much real environmental benefit.

Only 2% of the UK population are currently signed up to green energy tariffs.

What are your thoughts on the green energy certificate?

Would seeing the label sway your decision in any way? Fill in our poll!

Here are the tariffs that have  ‘Green Energy Cerification’:

• SSE better plan – Scottish Hydro’s green electricity scheme, also available with  SWALEC & Southern Electric
• Zero Carbon (to be renamed) and Future Energy from British Gas
• Go Green from E.On
• Green Tariff from EDF Energy
• 100% Green & Gold from Good Energy
• Juice and National Trust Green Energy from npower
• Simply Green from Scottish Power

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Isle of Eigg Scheme Wins 300k Big Green Challenge

Great news from the Isle of Eigg in the Scottish Highlands – a community scheme has been awarded 300k by Lottery funding body NESTA in recognition of the work done to transform their community into a low carbon environment.

The project has seen 38 families combine their efforts  in an attempt to halve their carbon emissions.

Led by the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust, the initiative involves a wide range of projects from installing insulation and solar panels to producing local food and developing low-carbon community transport.

They are attempting to live within a five kilowatt (kW)/household energy cap.  In giving the award, Nesta said that Eigg cut CO2 emissions in the past year by an amazing 32%.

Congratulations to all involved in this project, hopefully this award will enable more breakthroughs in the future.

The Isle of Eigg scheme was the only winner from Scotland, the other two winners were The Green Valleys project in Brecon Beacons, Wales and the Energy Service in Ludlow.

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Copenhagen – Deal Or No Deal? Poll

The Copenhagen Climate Change Conference kicks off in 18 days time, and there are already some fevered diplomatic negotiations taking place.

Have you had your say yet?:

What do you think will ultimately be agreed at COP15? – Vote in our exciting poll!

All the political posturing going on is confusing us alot –  we value your opinions greatly!

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Northern Lights on Show

Green Elecricity Like Never Before

As we are a green electricity site most of our posts and articles, as interesting they maybe are about rising energy prices, how to save money and energy, global warming, climate change and what we are doing to save the planet of an unprecedented apocalypse. Today I thought it would be a nice change to go on about one of the great visual electrical phenomenon’s our great planet has to offer.

The Northern Lights.

From October through to March you can catch a glimpse of the northern lights in Iceland. This particular picture taken over the town of Borgarfjord caught my attention just like it will catch yours. Like something out of Halloween, the small church has an electrical cross above its door complimenting the green skies above. This magnificent glow lit up the skies for more than 3 hours.

What are the Northern Lights?

Northern Lights is a common name for the Aurora Borealis, named after the Roman goddess of dawn. The lights are created when our star “the sun” fires of particles that hit the earth’s natural force field creating these beautiful green and sometimes red electrical light shows.

Only if all electricity suppliers could be as green!

More Images

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