Alex Salmond

Addressing the conference, Mr Salmond argued energy efficiency and conservation are key factors that are currently shaping the future of mankind.

In reference to offshore wind and marine energy opportunities, Mr Salmond claimed the world had encountered a “pivotal turning point in human history”.

Flexing his ability to sell a vision, Mr Salmond likened such opportunities as being “on a par with the move from hunter-gathering to settled agricultural communities or the discovery of the New World in 1492″.

If climate change scientists are to be believed, Mr Salmond could actually be underselling the importance of a carbon-free society; indeed, a new report published on Wednesday in IOP Publishing’s Environmental Research Letters claims that the measures outlined in the Copenhagen Accord are not likely to avert climate change. According to the report, the global temperature could increase by up to 4.2C and coral reefs could disappear by 2100.

Green energy measures have been adopted internationally but whether they are sufficient to alter the trend of global warming remains to be seen. In the UK, the Government has urged thousands of households to install cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, double glazing and more energy efficient boilers to help cut carbon emissions, yet substantial green savings are still to be made through the uptake of renewable energy sources.

If Scotland were able to achieve a 100 per cent renewable electricity target, the world could change forever.

Mr Salmond is a renowned motivational speaker but, as his opponents point out, he does not always deliver on his promises.

Even Mr Salmond’s own government claims that his existing renewable energy targets are “not easy to achieve”.

Generating around 7GW of electricity per annum from 100 per cent renewable sources within the next 15 years could prove a step too far for Mr Salmond; however, Ian Marchant, the Chief Executive of Scottish and Southern Energy, could not disagree more.

Reflecting on the possibility of a 100 per cent target, Mr Marchant said: “I calculated that Scotland’s potential is roughly 200 per cent for renewables, onshore wind, offshore wind, hydro and biomass”.

As of the 1st October 2010, Part L of the Building Regulations is set to change in a bid to improve the energy efficiency of new homes in the UK. Over recent years, considerable attention has been paid to the efficiency of central heating boilers in order to meet the Government’s carbon emission targets. Schemes such as the boiler scrappage scheme, which was introduced earlier this year, have encouraged homeowners to replace their old energy inefficient boilers with SEDBUK Band A alternatives, however, as a result of the changes to the Building Regulations, use of the SEDBUK rating is set to be discontinued.

In implementation of the Energy using Products Directive (EuP), the Domestic Building Service Compliance Guide that accompanies Part L advises that SEDBUK Bands A and B will be dropped from the 1st October 2010 in favour of percentile efficiency ratings.

The move is significant in that only two types of minimum efficiency ratings can be used once the changes come into force: 90 per cent on the SEDBUK 2005 list or 88 per cent on the SEDBUK 2009 list.

The principal difference between the SEDBUK 2005 and 2009 lists is that the latter incorporates summer and winter seasonal efficiency rather than being calculated at one point in the year.

Consequently, the 2009 list reduces the overall efficiency rating of a boiler by as much as 2 per cent; therefore, a Band A boiler may be 90.1 per cent efficient under SEDBUK 2005 or 88.1 per cent under SEDBUK 2009. SEDBUK 2005 acts as the default list where 2009 is not stated by the boiler manufacturer.

Switching from SEDBUK Band A or Band B to a minimum energy efficiency percentage may appear to be a cosmetic change to Part L of the Building Regulations, but it is expected to simplify the advertising of such ratings by bringing them in line with those used for fridges and washing machines.

In effect, all boilers, as of the 1st October 2010, must be at least 90 per cent (SEDBUK 2005) or 88 per cent (SEDBUK 2009) efficient, however, SEDBUK Band B (2005) boilers can still be installed in properties where building work began before the 1st October or where a contract for work has already been agreed, providing that the installations are completed by 6th April 2011.

In a separate change, domestic hot water storage vessels will be subject to efficiency improvements of at least 10 per cent in order to reduce standing losses and associated carbon emissions.

British Gas has added the Baxi Ecogen Micro-CHP (Combined Heat and Power) to its range of boilers to maintain the UK’s leading gas and electricity supplier’s investment into new green technologies.

The energy supplier has recently added a solar pv and solar water heating panel package to its vast array of offers, and now it has partnered with boiler manufacturer Baxi to offer the highly regarded Ecogen to consumers.

The British Gas Baxi Ecogen micro-CHP is a revolutionary wall-hung combined heat and power appliance that can provide efficient gas central heating and hot water like any other boiler, but also generates electricity for use in your home.

With a micro-CHP system fitted you can provide your home with heating and hot water generated at a low cost as well as two thirds of your home’s electricity requirements according to field trials untaken by Baxi.

By using this electricity to power your household appliances it means you can buy less electricity from your energy supplier, potentially sell back any unused electricity, lower your electricity bills and reduce you carbon footprint.

It looks and works like any conventional boiler. However, the system uses a special Stirling engine that is heated by burning gas. The unit responds to a heat demand of up to 6kW by igniting the engine gas burner. The heat causes helium inside the engine to expand, pushing a piston up and down between a copper coil to generate up to 1kW of electricity – like an alternator in a car.

It looks like a standard boiler, so it can be easily mounted in a kitchen, garage or utility as a direct replacement for a previous unit.

The Baxi Ecogen offers its maximum cost efficiency when you use electricity as its being generated by the system, for example doing your washing in the evening when the heating is on.

The Ecogen comes with a built-in energy meter so you can see how much electricity is being produced and comes with a range of controls to control room and hot water temperature to further reduce the cost of your bills.

According to British Gas, 1.5 million boilers are replaced in the UK each year. And it’s estimated that by 2015, micro-CHP units will represent 30 per cent of these replacements, so it’s a viable technology for the future.

More information: British Gas Baxi Ecogen Boiler

Such is the importance of a healthy and stable global environment, measures to improve energy efficiency are being implemented by governments throughout the world – or, at least, such measures can be implied by national and international energy efficiency targets.

In the UK, wind turbines, solar panels, biomass boilers and geothermal heat pumps have grown in popularity on the domestic stage, whilst loft insulation, double glazing and cavity wall insulation have proved equally effective in helping to reduce carbon emissions. One measure that the UK has not yet implemented is enforced blackouts.

In Anping County, a Chinese region in the Hebei Province, electricity has been cut to domestic, industrial and public buildings for 22 hours every three days since last month.

Earlier this month, Beijing stated it would restore power to homes here, but it is unclear whether this promise has been kept; moreover, schools, hospitals and factories remain subject to the 22 hour blackouts, which were ordered after similar cuts were introduced during the summer in the heavily industrialised provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu.

According to Beijing, the reason for the enforced power cuts is based on purely good intentions; indeed, there are less than four months left until the end of China’s current five-year plan, which aims to make the nation’s economy 20% more energy efficient.

Last year, China eclipsed the US to become the world’s biggest energy consumer and, in order to meet its energy efficiency target, which measures energy consumption against Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and is seen as an important catalyst of the economy, Beijing opted to reduce its energy consumption.

China’s detractors may argue in the first instance that Beijing’s decision to enforce blackouts is based far more on energy conservation than energy efficiency. It could also be argued that Hebei Province and other areas of China are facing blackouts because of possible winter fuel shortages caused by a reduction in the coal supply. Whatever the reason behind China’s enforced blackouts, it is possible the target of reducing carbon emissions makes for a convenient excuse to hide other concerns or objectives.

Energy blackouts could also affect other economies throughout the world over the coming years.

In February this year, Ofgem claimed that “reasonable doubt” surrounded Britain’s ability to deliver sustainable energy supplies over the forthcoming decade.

Speaking ahead of the general election, the Conservative party’s energy spokesperson, Greg Clark, said: “The result is that we are cast back to the 1970s, facing the prospect of power cuts for the first time in 30 years”.

Anyone looking to scoop up discounted deals on British Gas’ HomeCare service will have to move swiftly with the summer sale due to end on October 4.

The UK’s leading gas and electricity supplier has been offering up to 15 per cent off HomeCare packages before the start of the winter months.

The four different grades of package – from HomeCare 100 to HomeCare 400 – are all being offered at reduced rates with varying levels of cover for each.

HomeCare 100, which offers cover for your boiler and controls, is currently available at a reduced month price of £11.65 instead of £13, and HomeCare 200 – covering the cost of the full central heating system – has been discounted to £14.37 from £17. And the two packages inclusive of wider cover including plumbing and drains and home electrics, have both been cut.

However, all these deals will terminate on October 4 before the arrival of the big freeze and a larger volume of boiler issues making central heating cover a

Even the most basic of the four packages includes an annual service, unlimited call-outs per contract year, covers the cost of parts and labour and allows you access to the 24/7 customer breakdown line.

British Gas has over 7,000 highly qualified Gas Safe Registered engineers in its HomeCare workforce and invests £30m a year to train engineers at various academies throughout their career.

You don’t have to hold any current contract with British Gas or have a British Gas boiler to be entitled to join HomeCare scheme, meaning it’s available to everyone.

Click here to find out more.

Located in the Solway Firth, Robin Rigg, the 180MW 60-turbine offshore wind farm, was officially opened on Wednesday after generating power for the first time earlier this year.

The Robin Rigg wind farm – E.ON’s third offshore plant after Blyth and Scroby Sands – is now in full operation. According to E.ON, the Robin Rigg wind turbines will be capable of generating enough renewable energy to supply the electricity requirements of 117,000 homes each year. In the process, up to 235,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions are set to be displaced annually.

Extolling the virtues of the Robin Rigg wind farm, Michael Lewis, the European Renewables Managing Director for E.ON, said: “Marking the completion of one of the UK’s largest offshore wind farms is a proud moment for the entire team and it’s fantastic to be able to see the 60 turbines turning and generating renewable electricity.

“Working offshore always brings huge challenges, but we’ve relished the opportunity and look forward to our next major project.”

Domestic electricity consumers can avail of E.ON’s green energy ambitions by choosing its GoGreen product, which matches 100 per cent of the energy used by customers with electricity generated from renewable sources; the package also promises to offset 1 tonne of carbon dioxide emissions per gas central heating customer or household.

Commenting on the official launch of the Robin Rigg wind farm, the Rt Hon Chris Huhne MP, who is the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate change, said: “The completion of Robin Rigg brings the UK one step closer to meeting its renewable energy targets and the team should be very proud of that.

“Offshore wind is an important part of the UK’s future energy mix but also has the potential to bring a huge amount of investment to the country.

“I hope and believe that the scale of the project at Robin Rigg points to the great things to come for the industry and Great Britain.”

E.ON’s official unveiling of the Robin Rigg wind farm provides a welcome boost to the UK’s green energy aspirations amid recent negative press.

Earlier in the week, it was widely reported that energy department cuts would place a £9 billion clean coal programme at risk of being scaled back or scrapped completely.

On Wednesday, research by Dr Sarah Darby from the University of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute (ECI) suggested that smart meters may not result in significant household energy savings.

As far as award-winning environmentally friendly homes go, a 200-year-old listed building in Llanidloes, Powys, is a seemingly unlikely candidate; nevertheless, Andy Warren’s 19th century property serves as an excellent example of how even the oldest of homes can be refurbished with nature – and fuel savings – in mind.

Cavity wall insulation

Forming part of the ‘Old Home SuperHome’ project, which is run by the Sustainable Energy Academy and the National Energy Foundation, Mr Warren’s property has managed to achieve a 60 per cent reduction in carbon emissions – a notable achievement considering that the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has called on the next Welsh Assembly Government to cut domestic emissions by 40 per cent by 2020.

Mr Warren was able to convert his home from a distinctly environmentally unfriendly property to a so-called ‘superhome’ by installing external insulation, secondary double glazing, low energy lights, solar thermal panels and a wood pellet-burning stove with back boiler.

Noting the value of external insulation in older properties, Mr Warren, who works as an adviser on energy efficiency and renewable energy, said: “It’s important homes are energy efficient for the good of the global environment and without sounding dramatic it’s a matter of survival. New homes have cavity wall insulation as a matter of course, but older properties have solid walls and I’ve managed to externally insulate about 70 per cent of my walls”

Through the Old Homes SuperHomes project, the Sustainable Energy Academy aims to promote education and action to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings and communities by creating a network of old dwellings that have been made eco-friendly.

The Sustainable Energy Academy hopes that each of the 200 homes in the project will be accessible, within 15 minutes, to almost everyone in the country.

Mr Warren’s home is one of only two in Wales that meets the energy efficiency standards set out by the Sustainable Energy Academy.

The Old Homes SuperHomes project has received considerable political attention over the past year, however, environmental experts have urged governments to do more to reduce carbon emissions.

Anne Meikle, the Head of WWF Cymru, said: “The refurbishment of existing homes to tackle climate change is a key area for the next Welsh Assembly Government.

“WWF Cymru is keen to demonstrate to politicians that through supporting energy efficiency measures clear gains can be made in terms of meeting their carbon reduction targets and through engaging with the public on this positive agenda.”

Scotland’s first minister and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Alex Salmond, has informed the Scottish Parliament that he aims to confer new powers on the state-owned utility Scottish Water in a bid to turn Scotland into “the world’s first hydro-economy”.

It is thought the new powers would enable Scottish Water to develop an extensive portfolio of wind farms, ‘green’ power stations and hydro projects, however, if Mr Salmond wishes to realise his green ambitions, he must continue to resist the UK Government’s efforts to dismantle and reorganise Scottish Water.

One of Scotland’s few remaining state-owned firms, Scottish Water possesses all the credentials to succeed as a major player in the green renewable energy sector.

Currently positioned as the UK’s fourth largest water utility, Scottish Water comprises assets worth around £5.5 billion and annual revenues of approximately £1 billion. Crucially, Scottish Water owns some 80,000 acres of land, much of which is said to be ideal for the creation of wind and hydro energy projects.

Turning Scotland into a ‘hydro-economy’ may be a political stretch too far – and one that perhaps ought to be expected ahead of the Scottish elections in May – but any intention to develop green renewable schemes should be encouraged on environmental grounds.

If Scotland were able to harness substantial quantities of energy from onshore wind farms and hydro schemes, the nation would benefit from lower carbon emissions and, potentially, reduced fuel costs. Domestic energy consumers in the UK can already choose to power homes and fuel central heating systems via renewable sources, the availability of which would surely increase if Scottish Water is given more room to grow.

Mr Salmond’s own economic advisors and the UK Government are thought to be keen on raising funds through the mutualisation of Scottish Water, which would save the taxpayer £140 million per year in subsidies and generate £2 billion for the UK Treasury and £1 billion for the Scottish Government. A mutualised Scottish Water would also produce revenue ahead of anticipated spending cuts of £3.7 billion, which may be introduced next month.

The fate of Scotland as a hydro-economy appears to hinge on political, not environmental, factors.

The legislation Mr Salmond has introduced to the Scottish Parliament would allow Scottish Water to defend itself against mutualisation. The UK coalition Government requires the support of the Labour Party to amend the legislation to enable mutualisation, which would help offset spending cuts.

The value of Scottish Water as a producer of renewable energy appears to be of secondary importance.

Marks & Spencer has become the most recent big-name firm to launch a range of Solar PV and Solar Thermal water heating panels.

The high-street giant has become one of the first retailers to offer solar energy packages as the clothing and food seller looks to take advantage of the Feed-in Tariffs.

Marks & Spencer initially entered the market in 2008 when it linked up with Scottish Southern Energy (SSE) to launch M&S Energy.

Richard Gillies, Director of Plan A & Sustainable Business at M&S, said: “This is the latest example of M&S offering our customers efficient solutions to their home energy needs.

“We’re committed to meeting the challenges of climate change both within our own operations and through encouraging customers to reduce their own carbon footprints.

“Installing a solar solution will help customers save money over the long term by reducing their energy bills and will lead to significant cuts in customers’ carbon emissions.”

Two solar packages are on offer from M&S. Both will include a free assessment to find the best solar solution for the property in question and the installation of roof-mounted solar panels carried out by Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accredited technicians.

Stephen Langford, Head of M&S Energy, says: “Utilising solar energy at home saves you money on your heating and electricity bills and helps tackle climate change.

“We’ve brought the M&S quality standard to this service to make it easy for customers to get the most out of solar energy.

“We’re committed to selecting the best installers, and delivering the best lead times on the market. Each solar package will be tailored to a customer’s individual needs, ensuring they receive the high level of service they expect from M&S.”

Packages for Solar PV installations will be available from £7,999 and Solar Thermal packages start from £3,999.

Customers can find out more about M&S’ new solar offer by calling 0800-0106106 or clicking here.

In its recent report entitled ‘Africa: Up for Grabs’, Friends of the Earth has called on European Union countries to drop their biofuels targets amid fears that heavy investment in the sector could plunge many more Africans into hunger and poverty.

Furthermore, the charity warns that increasing use of biofuels, which are widely regarded as environmentally friendly alternatives to oil and coal, will cause increased carbon emissions.

The status of biofuels as a green source of energy has long been questioned.

Biofuels are often advertised as ‘carbon neutral’ in so far as emissions are described as being part of the current carbon cycle; specifically, carbon dioxide is released through the burning of biofuels, the original organic materials of which – such as plants and trees – absorbed a comparable amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Several years ago, a UK Government publication claimed that biofuels reduced carbon emissions by 50-60 per cent compared to fossil fuels; however, the harvesting of materials for use as biofuels has caused concern amongst environmental watchdogs.

In the UK, biofuels are becoming more popular for use in domestic central heating systems, with companies such as Econergy and Euroheat, which recently launched the TDA Thermodual boiler, providing a variety of options for energy consumers – but at what cost to foreign nations?

In June, the European Commission outlined a certification scheme designed to ensure that biofuels cut emissions without threatening biodiversity.

Friends of the Earth, however, is calling for EU member states to abandon their aims of producing 10 per cent of all transport fuels from biofuels by 2020 – the extent to which biofuels used in domestic central heating systems affect foreign lands was not made clear in the report.

A food campaigner for Friends of the Earth, Kirtana Chandrasekaran, commented: “The amount of land being taken in Africa to meet Europe’s increasing demand for biofuels is underestimated and out of control”.

Sun Biofuels, a British company farming land in Africa for the biofuels industry, criticised the Friends of the Earth report as “emotional and anecdotal”. CEO of Sun Biofuels, Richard Morgan, added that his company was replacing or reducing illegal tree felling in Tanzania whilst stimulating local economies.