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News
Energy and Climate Questions to the Mayor
January 2012: This month the Mayor has been asked questions in relation to:
Renewable Electricity used by London Underground; Energy and CO2 emissions associated with lighting tube stations; the Budget spend for energy efficiency programme RE:NEW; the level of payments to assessors of energy efficiency programme RE:NEW; carbon savings achieved by the ten easy measures used in the RE:NEW programme; the carbon savings achieved to date by the RE:NEW programme; the Mayors records in raising key London issues with energy companies; the growth of renewable energy over the Mayor’s term; the borough roll-out of RE:NEW; an update on the numbers of homes treated under RE:NEW; a breakdown of the RE:NEW programme budget; the success of RE:NEW energy efficiency programme; CO2 savings achieved through planning; Guidance on low carbon cooling systems; Fuel Poverty in East London; an update on the capacity of combined heat and power (CHP); an update on the Mayor’s Hydrogen Action Plan; and Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) funding in London boroughs.
Previous questions to the Mayor can be found here.
Posted in News
Tagged CERT, CHP, Fuel Poverty, London Underground, Mayor, RE:NEW, Renewable Energy
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Grassroots green projects ‘are way to low-carbon UK’
1 February 2012: Guardian article highlighting how a ‘Coalition of groups representing 12 million people hails localising of energy generation, but bemoans lack of state support…the coalition wants ministers to come up with new ways to ensure that community energy is prioritised, for instance by letting local people share in the profits from renewable energy projects.’ Read the full piece here.
The Community Energy Challenge
1 February 2012: The Community Energy Challenge is part of The Co-operative’s Clean Energy Revolution campaign and will provide 12-18 months of enterprise development, mentoring, technical advice and community facilitation for six to eight communities, enabling them to initiate co-operative renewable energy projects at a significant scale (e.g. valued at £1m to £3m and/or rated in excess of 500kW). The Community Energy Challenge will operate a competitive bid process. All applications will be carefully evaluated and the final selection made by an expert panel. The deadline for expressions of interest is 29 February 2012.
For full details, download the Guidance for Applicants from the Centre for Sustainable Energy’s website.
Hackney Winter Warm Up protest
31 January 2012: Hackney Gazette news story on a protest outside Hackney Town Hall against rising fuel prices and the increase in fuel poverty. The Independent additionally highlighted how “Events organised by the Fuel Poverty Action Group at the weekend took place in Lewisham, Oxford, Leeds, Cambridge, Haringey, Hackney, the City of London and elsewhere as anger at energy firms’ high prices took to the streets. The campaigners say their demands are simple: they ask for a fair energy system which provides warm housing for all and a safe climate for our future.“
Camden Council to cancel 1,000 solar panels
January 2012: “Cllr Sean Birch said: “We had signed a contract to install solar panels in 1,000 street properties, and the fact that the government has changed the goal posts means this is not going to happen now. The council is going to be worse off because we were going to be generating revenues from the electricity at a time when money is scarce.” Read full Ham & High article here.
London faces rising temperatures
January 2012: The Government published the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) on 25 January 2012, the first assessment of its kind for the UK which highlights the top 100 challenges to the UK faces as a result of a changing climate. Amongst the many changes predicted in the assessment, a number are directly in relation to London, specifically:
- On average, hot weather accounts for around 1100 premature deaths a year in the UK. By the 2050s, this figure is projected to increase by between 580 and 5900, with the greatest risk in London and southern England.
- Summer overheating is projected to emerge as a significant risk, potentially contributing to heat-related health problems. In London, for instance, the number of days in an average year when temperatures rise above 26°C is projected to increase from the current figure of 18 to between 27 and 121 by the 2080s.
The Evening Standard summarised the findings thus: London ‘facing killer summers in climate peril’!
Chapter 5 of the London Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (issued in October 2011) focuses specifically on the issue of overheating in London as a result of climate change and commits to taking forward a number of actions including:
- working with boroughs to identify opportunities for combined cooling, heat and power and other forms of low-carbon cooling and
- promoting ‘cool roof technology’ (highly reflective, well-insulated roofs) in London to reduce demand for mechanical cooling.
Largest solar scheme on social housing in London
January 2012: Ascham Homes’ and Waltham Forest are working together to install solar PV on 1,000 homes by March 2012 to create the largest solar scheme on social housing in London. Tenants in homes with the solar PV scheme installed can use the electricity being generated from their system for free. Read the full news release here.
Tottenham Biomass District Heating scheme
25 January 2012: An update has been provided on – as this news release says – is the UK’s first biomass district heating scheme. Hale Village in Tottenham, London, comprises 2220 homes, which will receive heat and hot water via a biomass boiler district heating network using wood pellets. Read more here.
Posted in Decentralised Energy, News
Tagged Biomass, Community Heating, Decentralised Energy, Enfield
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Camden Climate Change Alliance
January 2012: The Camden Climate Change Alliance (CCCA) was formed by Camden Council in 2008 to help organisations in the borough committed to reducing their carbon dioxide emissions. The Alliance membership has grown from 125 to 172 (38% increase) from Nov 2010 to Nov 2011 and theAlliance is on track to meet its 10% reduction target by end 2012. An estimated 7.8% decrease in carbon emissions was achieved from 2008/9 to2010/11. Read the Alliance’s recent annual report at betterclimateforcamden.org. Further information is also provided in a report to Camden’s Environment Committee here.
Plans for a Future London Riverside heat network set out
January 2012: A draft London Riverside Opportunity Area Planning Framework (LROAPF) has just been published by the GLA, working with the London boroughs of Newham, Barking and Dagenham and Havering.
The LROAPF area covers over 3,000 hectares of east London, encompassing parts of each of the three boroughs. The draft states that “Sustainability is an important theme that runs through the document. London Riverside is already part of a wider Green Enterprise District and home to a more concentrated Sustainable Industries District. Energy, waste and water are dealt with in some detail and the way they are inter-connected is brought out.”
The OAPF technical appendices include an energy strategy identifying a number of key opportunities for decentralised energy production in the region. The development of these satellite district-heating networks, which could interconnect over time, and hence supply London Riverside with locally produced low to zero carbon and waste energy sources. The OAPF suggests that “In the longer term, the aspiration is to develop a district heating network across London Riverside to supply the heating requirements of existing and future development. (illustrated below)
The concept of an East London heat network follows from work carried out by the London Development Agency (LDA) in relation to the development of the London Thames Gateway Heat Network (LTGHN).
Plans for the decentralised energy network are set out in the main LROAPF consultation draft and also in the Energy Strategy contained in Technical Appendix 5. The closing dates for comments is 10 February 2012.
Posted in Library, News
Tagged Barking and Dagenham, Community Heating, Decentralised Energy, Havering, Newham, Planning
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‘London faces £500 million shortfall in share of fuel poverty and climate change funds’
20 January 2012: London Councils have responded to the Government’s Green Deal consultation stating that “London needs a fair share of government Green Deal cash to help people afford home improvements such as solid wall insulation. To date less than five per cent of the national pot to help support ‘retro-fitting’ (upgrading the energy-efficiency of existing homes) has been spent in London, despite the capital housing 13 per cent of the population. Funds for carbon saving and affordable warmth schemes available under the government’s new Green Deal should be allocated on a regional basis, says London Councils.”
Councillor Catherine West, chair of London Councils Transport and Environment Committee, said:
“The Green Deal is vital to London, good for the environment and good for people’s pockets. It can help us to tackle the growing problem of fuel poverty in London, but the government’s proposals exclude many of the people that need help most.
“London has a very high proportion of homes that are hard to treat and families living in fuel poverty. To make the Green Deal a success nationally we have to make it work in London, but we can only do that with our fair share of the available money.”
Read the full release here along with London Councils submission to the Green Deal consultation.