Monthly Archives: July 2014

solar hot water payback

Solar hot water payback is possible.  In the summer of 2008 I was helping man a transition stall when a very posh woman told me that my solar PV system would never pay for itself.  She said should know since … Continue reading

Posted in climate change, Economics, energy costs, gas, Peak oil, Practical low carbon living, Renewables, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

One thing we have learnt this week – Gaza

Is the war in Gaza not about terrorism but control of energy?  This idea was raised this week in the Guardian (other links in this article).  A few years ago it was announced that a very large gas field had … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, energy costs, Faith, gas, One thing we have learnt this week, Politics, Renewables, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

CAT is 40

CAT is 40, CAT being the Centre for Alternative Technology.  Last year the BBC interviewed some of the earliest members in the Radio 4 programme “The Reunion”.  Started by aristocrat Gerard Morgan-Grenville in 1973 its now Europe’s premier eco centre … Continue reading

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One thing we have learnt this week – organic food quality

Is organic food quality better than non-organic food quality, other than the lack of pesticides?  This question has been raised recently as part of a debate that has raged for years about the health benefits of organic food.  Past studies … Continue reading

Posted in Food, Peak oil | Leave a comment

The traditional sources

In my last look at the BP Statistical Review of World Energy data I will have a look at the traditional sources of energy (if you can call them that).  These are hydro and coal but we will also have … Continue reading

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One thing we have learnt this week- what electric car owners do while we sleep.

What electric car owners do while we sleep could have profound implications for the grid and our energy use patterns and the practicability of electric cars.  We covered electric vehicles in our book and its fair to say we have … Continue reading

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latest global energy data

In a previous post I had a look at the latest global energy data from the BP statistical review of world energy 2014.  This revealed disappointingly that most energy was still coming from the four traditional energy sources.  The renewable … Continue reading

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One thing we have learnt this week-recycled or not

Whether something is recycled or not is moving up the agenda again this week as the EU sets a 70% recycling rate. As I wrote a few weeks ago this will be a particular challenge in the UK where recycling … Continue reading

Posted in Book, One thing we have learnt this week, recycling | Leave a comment

Relentless rise in energy consumption

The latest BP Statistical Review of World Energy shows the world is continuing to undergo a relentless rise in energy consumption.  If anything the rate of energy consumption is increasing.  The only time in recent years this relentless rise in … Continue reading

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