Energy in the News

 

Mayor pledges to cut energy bills in the capital

Speaking at Prince Charles’ May Day Summit on Climate Change, the Mayor formally invited applications for the Low Carbon Zones by committing at least £200,000 funding for each Zone. The Low Carbon Zones will be funded by the London Development Agency's recently approved budget for climate change activities. Private sponsorship will also be sought to help fund the programme.

 

The Zones will have a target to deliver 20.12 % of carbon emissions savings by 2012 and will bring together local authorities, community organisations, residents, businesses and utilities to work in partnership in a targeted geographic area.

 

The Mayor has pledged to cut emissions in London by 60 per cent by 2025 and these Zones will showcase how this can be achieved using existing and new technologies, helping to establish the capital as a leading low carbon city. The Zones are expected to include a range of carbon-cutting measures in homes, neighbourhoods, businesses and public buildings such as:

-  Home insulation
-  Smart meters to help people regulate their energy use
-  Retrofit packages for public and commercial buildings
-  Decentralised energy plants to produce heat and electricity locally
-  Renewable energy sources such as solar panels
-  State of the art facilities to use waste as a clean fuel source

The Low Carbon Zones could be as small as a couple of streets, or encompass areas of 1000 buildings. 

Boris Johnson said: 'I am fully signed-up to taking the necessary steps to combat climate change and ensure we protect our planet. By doing so, there is great potential to deliver 'green collar’ jobs in the capital and I am determined to pursue this opportunity aggressively. We are investing £3 million to kickstart 10 ‘Low Carbon Zones’ which will champion the latest technologies and firmly place London on the world stage as a low carbon city. These energy-busting zones will create an armada of flagships across London, focused on finding the most effective ways to rapidly cut carbon and slash energy bills.'

Source: Greater London Authority Press Release

 

Every home in the UK is to be fitted with a 'smart energy meter' to monitor power use and help to reduce bills.

The Government recently announced plans to install the meters by 2020. This would mean the UK would be the first country in the world to have an overhaul of this size for both electricity and gas meters.

Smart meters have the technology to allow readings to be taken remotely and display real time information on energy use. This should to help people cut their bills - while making energy firms more efficient by ending estimated billing.

Ed Miliband, the energy and climate change secretary, said: "The meters most of us have in our homes were designed for a different age, before climate change.

"Smart meters will empower all consumers to monitor their own energy use and make reductions in energy consumption and carbon emissions as a result.

"This is a big project affecting 26 million homes, and several million businesses, so it's important we design a system that brings best value to everyone involved."

The preferred installation option is the central communications model - where energy suppliers are responsible for the installation and maintenance of the smart meter but the communication to and from the device is coordinated by a third party across the whole of Great Britain.
The other principal models considered are the competitive model - where energy suppliers manage all aspects of smart metering, including installation and communication, and the fully centralised - where regional franchises are set up to manage the installation and operation of smart meters with the communications to and from the meters managed centrally and on a national level.

Source: www.edie.net (Environmental Data Interactive Exchange)