Bringing new life to vital wetlands
Nov 29 2008 by Tony Henderson, The Journal
Energy-saving tips for mum and her boys
A GOVERNMENT "energy doctor" has visited Gateshead to help residents learn how to conserve power this winter.
Mike O’Brien, Minister for Energy and Climate Change, met mother-of-two Elaine Stamp, 42, of Rowlands Gill, as part of the People Power campaign to reduce energy and fuel bills.
Elaine said: "I live with my two sons, who could also use the energy-saving tips, especially when it comes to spending ages in the shower. Hopefully, People Power will give me an opportunity to save some energy and some money."
The People Power challenge will track the amount of energy teams in the North, Midlands, and south of England are using in their everyday lives this winter.
Throughout the challenge, participants will be guided by professional energy-saving experts as they take all kinds of steps to save money and energy, from switching to energy saving light bulbs to learning how to drive in a way that uses less fuel.
Mr O’Brien’s visit came as a study revealed that the UK energy industry was prepared for the impacts of climate change.
Results from a ground-breaking project between key UK energy companies and the Met Office have highlighted that the majority of energy infrastructure is already fit to meet the challenges of a changing climate. But the study also showed more needed to be done by the industry to help it prepare for predicted rises in temperature in the future.
A clear indicator from the project was that historical climatology was no longer relevant because of global warming. These long-term changes mean that it is likely that energy demands will be affected through the seasons.
Within the next 10 years higher temperatures could increase electricity requirements during the summer, as air conditioning units become more widely used.
Change in demand was one of two broad areas the project highlighted, with developing and adapting technology to future climate being another major factor.
This included the prospect of reduced efficiency for the output of thermal power stations, as a result of higher summer temperatures. The study recommended that adaptation to climate change should now be considered, especially when redesigning or building new power plants.
Met Office chief executive John Hirst said: "This innovative Met Office project builds climate science into operational planning and showcases the energy industry’s commitment to respond to a changing climate."
Meanwhile, Mr O’Brien welcomed the report. He said: "Cutting emissions from energy plants is a crucial part of how we are tackling climate change, but our energy networks themselves must also be resilient to the changing world in which they operate.
"Energy infrastructure is costly and can have a lifespan of 40 or more years, so it’s a smart move for the energy industry to seek expert advice."
