Tag: fuel poverty

First Update of July 2020 – An overview of last week’s Energy news

21st Jul 2020 • 0 Comments

Below is this week’s summary. It should be a one minute read relevant to UK energy with links to documents for those who wish to read more.

(Click a bullet point to open the relevant article)

Wednesday – 1st July

BBC article describes the recent surge in support for the future role of hydrogen in the UK energy mix on the path to net-zero emissions by 2050.

A proposal to expand surface coal-mining in north east England (Durham) has been rejected by the local council. Council representatives say benefits do not outweigh environmental impact. Mining company says decision hands local jobs to miners overseas as UK still needs coal for industry such as steel making.

Article points to a government report of 2018 data for fuel poverty indicating 2.4 million English households are categorised as being in fuel poverty representing a reduction of 0.7% compared with the previous year.

Thursday – 2nd July

Norwegian energy company Equinor (67% state-owned) has described plans to invest £600 million to generate hydrogen from natural gas and capture carbon dioxide for storage on Humberside in north east England.

UK Government has approved plans to build 1.8 GW of offshore wind power generation. Norfolk Vanguard site will be 30 miles off the east coast of England and comprise between 90 and 180 turbines. Decision is part of the UK Government target of 40 GW of offshore wind power by 2030. A plan for a further 2.4 GW is under consideration.

Friday – 3rd July

According to this article from Metro, UK Prime Minister’s member of staff, Dominic Cummings, has authorised £100 million investment in carbon capture technology using direct air capture.

Article describes plans to ensure materials for future wind turbines are more sustainable by development of new recycling technologies and creating new composite materials from ‘bio-based materials’.

Poland has announced ‘the birth’ of Polish offshore wind power generation (on 1st July).

Second Update of May 2020 – An overview of last week’s Energy news

19th May 2020 • 0 Comments

Below is this week’s summary. It should be a one minute read relevant to UK energy with links to documents for those who wish to read more.

(Click a bullet point to open the relevant article)

Monday – 4th May

Article in The Independent reports that electric vehicle and battery supplier, Tesla, has submitted an application to generate electricity in the UK.

Wednesday – 6th May

Article describes the ‘All Energy Conference’ scheduled to take place in the coming week in Glasgow has been postponed but there will be panel sessions accessible across the internet this week.

EDF and National Grid are in talks to consider a reduction in power generation from Sizewell B nuclear plant in order to balance grid supply and demand in light of a reduction in recent demand.

Article from DroneLife predicts use of hydrogen fuel cells for drones which need a light power supply to last longer, enabling longer flights and goods delivery.

The Head of UK Energy Networks Association says, in an interview, that hydrogen in the heating network is critical to achieving net zero emissions. This is laid out in their ‘Gas Goes Green’ project.

Thursday – 7th May

UK Government poll which has been taken regularly since 2012 shows 82% of those polled support renewable energy with 2% opposing it.

Friday – 8th May

Widely reported at local level, this article covers the announcement from Energy Action Today, based on recent UK Government figures, that just over 10% of English households are living with fuel poverty and claims 10,000 people die each year as a direct result of their home being cold.

In 2019 UK set a record of 18 days generating electricity without using coal. This week that record reached 28 days.

Sunday – 10th May

India’s coal production has reached a record high for the previous year.

Second Update of March 2020 – An overview of last week’s Energy news

16th Mar 2020 • 0 Comments

Below is this week’s summary. It should be a one minute read relevant to UK energy with links to documents for those who wish to read more.

(Click a bullet point to open the relevant article)

Monday – 9th March

Global use of coal for electricity generation in 2019 saw its greatest decline since 1990 when figures began being recorded. China increased coal power generation by 2% in the same year and is responsible for more than half of global coal power generation according to the report covered in the Independent.

National Infrastructure Commission says UK needs 50% of electricity to be generated from renewables by 2030 in order to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Tuesday – 10th March

Research group Energy Systems Catapult claims UK cannot achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions before 2050 but a 2050 target is achievable if treated with urgency. Achieving the 2050 target will require investment in Carbon Capture and Storage, hydrogen for heating and transport and new nuclear power generation (including small scale modular reactors).

UK’s first service station-style electric vehicle charging forecourt will open in summer 2020 in Essex, south east England. With ability to charge 24 vehicles at once and a retail outlet on-site, the aim is to open many more in the coming years.

Wednesday – 11th March

UK Government House of Commons Library has published a report on Carbon Capture, Use and Storage (CCUS) describing history of CCS/CCUS on the back of the 2020 budget announcement for £800 million fund to establish two CCUS sites; one by mid 2020’s and a second by 2030. Report includes criticism of ‘lack of clarity and ambition’ for CCUS from previous governments.

Thursday – 12th March

10 months after the Committee for Climate Change report into net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and 8 months before Conference of Parties in Glasgow (CoP26), this article covers energy in the UK Government budget: Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and tree-planting are highlighted. Concerns are raised over road-building plans. UK Government says a more detailed ‘Spending Review’ will follow focused on climate change targets.

Friday – 13th March

The National Union of Mineworkers Trade Union (NUM) points out that the recent UK government decision to ban burning coal for domestic heating will impact former miners who receive a coal allowance as part of their retirement agreement.

UK Government House of Commons Library has published a report on fuel poverty in UK. They are measured differently in various parts of UK but are all based on a household’s income, fuel costs and energy consumption. 11% of England’s households are classed as fuel poor, 25% in Scotland, 12% in Wales and 18% in Northern Ireland.

Fourth Update of January 2020 – An overview of last week’s Energy news

27th Jan 2020 • 0 Comments

Below is this week’s summary. It should be a one minute read relevant to UK energy with links to documents for those who wish to read more.

(Click a bullet point to open the relevant article)

Tuesday – 21st January

The number of Scottish households in fuel poverty rose in 2018.

This UK Government report was variously reported in the media as a boost for UK investment in overseas renewable energy, the end of UK investment in overseas coal or the continuing UK investment in overseas oil and gas projects.

UK research shows hope for a lighter, more flexible and durable solar power generation material not requiring rare earth materials in construction.

Wednesday – 22nd January

Telegraph article reports that the UK Committee on Climate Change suggests increasing tax on air travel to fund changes to land use as part of delivering 2050 net-zero emissions policy.

Thursday – 23rd January

UK independent Committee on Climate Change report into land use urges government to increase UK forestry, reduce beef and dairy pasture (with a reduction of meat and dairy in UK diets) and increase crops for biomass power generation.

Friday – 24th January

Rolls-Royce has announced that a consortium based in UK aims to develop a fleet of small nuclear power stations to contribute to UK low-carbon energy mix over the next decade. Supporters claim that loss of benefit of economy of scale from power stations with about a tenth of capacity of Hinckley is compensated by more rapid construction and return. Security is raised as a concern from distributing nuclear reactors.

A group of businesses in north west England, with intentions to develop a regional hydrogen supply of energy and associated industry are appealing to government for policies which encourage growth of a local supply chain compared with offshore wind industry which, according to the group allowed much of work to be carried out overseas.

Saturday – 25th January

BMW predicts that fuel for its hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles will equal the cost of petrol and diesel within five years.

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