Flooding and the need to decentralise energy supply

In all the uncertainties about climate change one thing is very clear. In the United Kingdom we are experiencing more extreme weather and we are feeling the effects of extreme weather more extremely than ever. I think that what is happening is that climate change is having an effect on our environment in ways that [...]

Oil prices rise as the economy falls

The price of oil still rising but the economy of the world is slowing down. This at first sight seems like a paradox. If the world’s economy slows down you would expect less energy to be used and therefore the price of oil should fall. Today oil stands at around $120 a barrel – it [...]

Science for its own sake

We need many tools, many weapons to bring climate change into a state where it has a minimal impact on our children and our grandchildren. Whatever its cause, the climate of our planet is changing and we need to slow down the rate of change to a rate with which our own evolution can keep [...]

Humpty Dumpty, Zero Carbon Homes and public confusion

The National House-Building Council Foundation, which is an independent research institution, connected to the NHBC, but operating separately and works closely with the Building Research Establishment, to look at the Government’s target of all new homes being “zero carbon” by 2016. 
The definition of a Zero Carbon Home is a bit of a Humpty Dumpty definition. [...]

Another YouTube video for Genersys

Genersys has put another video on YouTube. In it I explain how solar thermal systems are controlled by the digital controller and the pump station. If you are thinking of getting a solar system you will get an idea of how they work by clicking the YouTube link on the right of this page.
Modern domestic thermal [...]

The great persuader and climate change policies

Someone who consults for JP Morgan Chase and Co and also for the Zurich Insurance Group is trying to persuade countries like China to drastically cut their carbon emissions. You may ask what JP Morgan Chase & Co and the Zurich Insurance Group have done themselves to cut carbon emissions; the answer is not very [...]

Carbon Feet -emissions by microgeneration and other renewables

Iain Fraser posted a response to my post of 10th March asking me to cite my sources for my figures. It is a perfectly reasonable request but as I was away from my office it was hard for me to do that. Mr Fraser may think that I have a bee in my bonnet about biomass [...]

What green taxes should do and how the oil price is rising

I am writing this before Mr Darling announces his budget, which according to the papers will be a “Green Budget” with “green” taxes. I have always been in favour of the polluter paying for his hers or its pollution. This is one of the four energy principles that I have written about in the Energy [...]

The Carbon Footprints of Renewable Energy

Everyone talks about carbon footprints. It does not give an accurate picture but everyone knows what is meant by it. It is more accurate to think in terms of carbon dioxide emissions for each unit of energy created.  Renewables provide us with a means of enjoying energy which leaves no carbon footprint. True? No. Every [...]

Hospital car parking and climate change - a national Health service disgrace

Climate change, almost unreported eight years ago when I established Genersys is now a subject that has become for many a marketing opportunity and for others an excuse for bad behaviour, shameful policies and practices. 
I suppose it started with BP, who was initially very active in photovoltaic cells. BP’s core business is the extraction of [...]