Saving energy is key to meeting all our needs
POINTS: David Williams
THE article featuring Green city councillor David Williams raises some
interesting points about saving energy. It is nice to know that Oxford City Council is looking into ways of cutting fuel bills.
Cllr Williams talks of community projects as being the way forward in our energy sector. An example is the Osney Lock Hydropower scheme which won the backing of EU grants to encourage self-sufficiency in energy production. This do-it-yourself approach embodies the new paradigm shift in our energy markets.
The paradigm shift is a move away from centralisation of energy production to decentralisation or small-scale community approach. What are the pros and cons of this decentralisation of energy shift ? Well, a look at basic maths tells us this: n The decentralised, community Osney scheme may produce power supply for a mere 50 dwellings n In contrast, the centralised Didcot power station, recently closed, produced power for three million homes. The maths are worrying.
The decentralisation paradigm shift suggests we surmount this mathematical deficit by serious energy savings.
There have been huge advances in green, eco-insulating materials for buildings; this is one industry growth area we can thank the Greens for.
The new thermal exterior and interior wall claddings can result in big energy savings, even for Victorian homes of single brick construction.
The public needs to be helped more, as this vast range of new insulating products can be confusing. Free insulating grants are still available, so why not apply if your home is cold?
Eco grants have not been removed by the recent green levy reforms in our energy bills that were implemented by the Coalition to save poor consumers paying tariffs to rich landowners for wind farms.
SUSAN THOMAS Magdalen Road Oxford
Cllr Williams talks of community projects as being the way forward in our energy sector. An example is the Osney Lock Hydropower scheme which won the backing of EU grants to encourage self-sufficiency in energy production. This do-it-yourself approach embodies the new paradigm shift in our energy markets.
The paradigm shift is a move away from centralisation of energy production to decentralisation or small-scale community approach. What are the pros and cons of this decentralisation of energy shift ? Well, a look at basic maths tells us this: n The decentralised, community Osney scheme may produce power supply for a mere 50 dwellings n In contrast, the centralised Didcot power station, recently closed, produced power for three million homes. The maths are worrying.
The decentralisation paradigm shift suggests we surmount this mathematical deficit by serious energy savings.
There have been huge advances in green, eco-insulating materials for buildings; this is one industry growth area we can thank the Greens for.
The new thermal exterior and interior wall claddings can result in big energy savings, even for Victorian homes of single brick construction.
The public needs to be helped more, as this vast range of new insulating products can be confusing. Free insulating grants are still available, so why not apply if your home is cold?
Eco grants have not been removed by the recent green levy reforms in our energy bills that were implemented by the Coalition to save poor consumers paying tariffs to rich landowners for wind farms.
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