Why news of reductions in carbon emissions is not good news

Carbon emission reductions are falling in the United States; in 2008 figures released by Celsias have indicated that as oil use fell by three percent and coal use fell by one percent, overall emissions fell by three percent. It seems that the United States is on course for further reductions in oil and coal use, [...]

Thoughts for Copenhagen

Around fifty years ago energy was relatively expensive and formed a large part of most people’s budgets. Then in the United Kingdom there were few homes with central heating and most homes had one light bulb for each room. Water was generally heated by an electric immersion heater (usually made of copper and un-insulated) and [...]

The Energy Bill

The United Kingdom Government has published its programme of legislation for this the last Parliament before A General Election. Many doubt whether any of the proposals will be enacted in law before Parliament is dissolved. Many of the proposals are simply window dressing but among the more useful pieces of legislation, if passed, will be [...]

Our meaningless emission reduction targets

I have been trying to understand the basis of measuring the United Kingdom’s carbon dioxide emissions. The country’s much publicised and apparently legally binding emission reduction targets depend upon these being accurately measured. If they are not accurately and consistently measured then they are not real targets at all, just froth and bluster. [...]

DECC misses the point on climate change

Mechanical Engineers are probably the most important engineers; civil engineers construct great and important building works, electrical engineers create things that work with electricity and in electronics but mechanical engineers concern themselves with the design and manufacturing of things, drawing upon the laws of physics and mechanics. They number in their ranks Archimedes, Ma Jun, [...]

Politicians need courage to deal with climate change

It is a bit like torturing yourself, listening to a politician talk about climate change. I inflicted some self torture when I watched and listened to Ed Miliband, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on Sunday morning.

Another series of consultations on energy

The UK Government just has published (on 9th November) a series of draft policy statements and will “consult” on them.  One of those statements is supposed include ideas which if enacted will speed up planning processes for nuclear energy; another will similarly deal with large scale renewable energy such as wind farms. I have not [...]

Uses for the autumn leaves

This is a glorious time of the year in many parts of the temperate zones; the leaves turn brown and golden before they fall off the deciduous trees, which are leafless in winter. Leaves form a valuable resource; they can be mulched and used to fertilise land as leaf mould, which is a high quality [...]

Renewable energy: a prize for the Minister who actually answers questions

Last week in Parliament the Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change was asked how the £5.8 billion that the Government would spend on renewable energy over the three years ended April 2011 was broken down. 
It was a good question, asked by Greg Clark for two reasons;

Energy and Emissions Policy of the Conservative Party – the missing bits

If the Conservative Party form the next government of the United Kingdom what will be their specific environmental and climate change policies? So far the Conservatives have not published a cohesive strategy, neither have they provided details on their likely energy policy, and energy policy will be an essential part of their climate protection ideas. [...]