Monthly Archives: September 2014

Is the current energy generation model going to break?

Is the current energy generation model going to break?  Maybe not immediately but over the next 10 years?  This is the question many free market analysts are starting to ask.  Over the last decade but with increasing speed over the … Continue reading

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One thing we have learnt this week- Community energy comes of age?

This week community energy has been in the news.  My attention was drawn to the opening of a small hydro scheme in the north of England.  In of itself its of interest since it uses an existing dam which has … Continue reading

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LED street lights

I’ve just returned from a short visit to Birmingham and discovered the city council are replacing all their old street lights with LED street lights.  And not only Birmingham, Liverpool and Warrington are doing the same.  The carbon savings are … Continue reading

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One thing we have learnt this week- population increase

Amid all the news about a certain event today the Guardian had one article that stood out on population increase.  The consensus up until now has been that population will peak sometime this century, probably about 2050.  The team behind … Continue reading

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Energy conservation

As Autumn comes around again I start to think about energy conservation.  There is talk about power cuts in the UK being more likely this winter.  Two nuclear power stations have had to be shut down for repairs and a … Continue reading

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One thing we have learnt this week- the big energy debate

The Guardian has started a year long project called “the big energy debate”.  What is worrying and interesting is that despite the fuss over energy prices over the last year how disengaged people are from all the whole energy problem.  … Continue reading

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Self Sufficient August

Self Sufficient August It was going to be “No Buy July”- the challenge was to go without money for a month.  But we delayed the challenge by a month for a variety of reasons: most of our crops were not … Continue reading

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One thing we have learnt this week – battery powered trains

Search the internet for “battery powered trains” and you get a whole pile of people trying to sell you children’s toys.  But this story is not about toys but real battery powered trains.  Bombardier the only manufacturer of trains in … Continue reading

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Renewable energy breaks new records

Renewable energy breaks new records in the UK, Germany and the US.  Last weekend on Sunday, its estimated that 75% of Germany’s electricity came from a a mixture of biomass, wind, solar and hydro.  And it wasn’t even a particularly sunny … Continue reading

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