#solar panels cost uk

[mindblowingscience]

We urgently need to move away from fossil fuels, but electric vehicles and other green technology can put their own pressures on the environment. That pressure could be eased with a new magnet design, free from rare-earth metals, that was built with AI in just three months. Rare-earth metals are essential components in modern-day gadgets and electric tech – including cars, wind turbines, and solar panels – but getting them out of the ground costs a lot in terms of money, energy, and environmental impact. As a result, technology that doesn't use these metals can help us transition towards a greener future more quickly. Enter UK company Materials Nexus, which has used its bespoke AI platform to create MagNex, a permanent magnet requiring no rare-earth metals.

Continue Reading.

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - October 8-14

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles on Patreon!

1. All 160 dogs at Florida shelter found homes ahead of Hurricane Milton

“[The shelter] offered crates, food and anything else the dogs would need in exchange for the animals to spend just five days with the foster parents if the human didn't want to keep them for longer. […A]fter about a day of receiving around 100 messages every 30 minutes, Bada said, all 160 were gone from the shelter and in safe and warm homes.”

2. Restoring Ecosystems and Rejuvenating Native Hawaiian Traditions in Maui

“[Volunteers] are restoring water flow to the refuge, removing invasive species, and restoring a loko iʻa kalo using ʻike kūpuna, ancestral knowledge. […] This human-made ecosystem will provide food for community members and habitat for wildlife while protecting coral reefs offshore.”

3. Solar-powered desalination system requires no extra batteries

“In contrast to other solar-driven desalination designs, the MIT system requires no extra batteries for energy storage, nor a supplemental power supply, such as from the grid. […] The system harnessed on average over 94 percent of the electrical energy generated from the system’s solar panels to produce up to 5,000 liters of water per day[….]”

4. Threatened pink sea fan coral breeds in UK aquarium for first time

“The spawning is part of University of Exeter Ph.D. student Kaila Wheatley Kornblum's research into the reproduction, larval dispersal and population connectivity of Eunicella verrucosa. […] Pink sea fans are believed to have been successfully bred by only one other institution, Lisbon Oceanarium, in 2023.”

5. Tiny 'backpacks' are being strapped to baby turtles[….]

““We analysed the data and found that hatchlings show amazingly consistent head-up orientation – despite being in the complete dark, surrounded by sand [… and] they move as if they were swimming rather than digging[…. This new observation method is] answering questions about best conservation practices,” says Dor.”

6. New California Law Protects Wildlife Connectivity

“A new state law in California will instruct counties and municipalities to conserve wildlife corridors when planning new development. […] This could entail everything from creating wildlife crossings at roads or highways, employing wildlife-safe fencing, or not developing on certain land.”

7. ‘I think, boy, I’m a part of all this’: how local heroes reforested Rio’s green heart

“By 2019, [the program] had transformed the city’s landscape, having trained 15,000 local workers like Leleco, who have planted 10m seedlings across […] roughly 10 times the area of New York’s Central Park. Reforested sites include mangroves and vegetation-covered sandbars called restinga, as well as wooded mountainsides around favelas.”

8. Alabama Town Plans to Drop Criminal Charges Over Unpaid Garbage Bills

““Suspending garbage pickup, imposing harsh late penalties and prosecuting people who through no fault of their own are unable to pay their garbage and sewage bills does not make payment suddenly forthcoming,” West said. [… The city] has agreed to drop pending criminal charges against its residents over unpaid garbage bills.”

9. New Hampshire’s low-income community solar program finally moves forward

“The state energy department is reviewing seven proposals for community solar arrays that will allocate a portion of their bill credits to low-income households. […] New Hampshire’s strategy of working with utilities to automatically enroll households that have already been identified streamlines the process.”

10. The Future Looks Bright for Electric School Buses

“EPA has awarded about $3 billion in grants from the infrastructure law, which paid to replace about 8,700 buses. Of those, about 95 percent are electric. [… Electric buses are] cheaper to operate and require less maintenance than diesel buses and will soon be at cost parity when looking at the lifetime cost of ownership[….]”

October 1-7 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[world-of-wales]

BREAKING NEWS -

THE PRINCE OF WALES'S SOCIAL HOUSING PROJECT!

The Prince of Wales will build a £3m social housing development on his own land to tackle homelessness, delivering on his pledge in my interview with him last year that he would "absolutely" put social housing on the Duchy of Cornwall estate.

The development in Nansledan, a suburb of Newquay, the Cornish seaside town famous for its surfing, will include a mix of four-bedroom houses and one-bedroom flats.

The duchy, will supply the land for the project free of charge and cover all construction costs. It will also invest in local infrastructure, including a bus link and connections to electricity, water and superfast broadband.

The new low-carbon homes will feature slate roofs, granite lintels, solar panels, heat pumps and colourful timber windows. It will be built in a “traditional Cornish seaside” style, designed by Adam Architecture and local firm ALA Architects.

Prince William, who launched Homewards UK last year, is looking at more projects on his land. He wants other landowners to follow suit and build more social housing. William is also working with St Petrocs to offer residents “wraparound” support services in addition to housing.

Kensington Palace said: “The prince is delighted that the duchy is using the Homewards approach as inspiration for building this innovative housing project, partnering with St Petrocs to find ways of ultimately getting people into permanent housing.

“It is exactly what he wants to do and for him it’s another example that if we can show people here and in other countries what is possible, maybe others will follow our lead. The prince hopes that every town and city in the country will take inspiration from this project.”

https://archive.ph/2024.02.17-182818/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prince-william-land-social-homes-project-royal-family-vtv7x6vjc

[darkmaga-returns]

By now, we are all aware of the plans of the mad scientists and billionaires to cover (CO2 absorbing) pasture and crop land with onshore wind turbines and solar plants. We are also aware of the intent to remove livestock – cattle, sheep, pigs and chickens – so that we ear bugs and ay land not polluted with solar panels and wind turbines is returned to nature for “rewilding”. We have seen how, in the UK, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is a huge sponsor of wind turbines that kill birds.

Here is an article that highlights the continuing war on farmers in the UK – via the inheritance tax that taxes unrealised capital gains – forcing the farms to be sold if there is insufficient cash to pay the inheritance tax calculated by bureaucrats.

Pay particular attention to the verbiage here:

“Inheritors will have to pay 20% of the value of the agricultural and business property above £1million. Having tax exemptions currently costs "about £1bn a year for taxpayers", according to Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones.”

“Taxation exemption costs…”!!! Hey Mr Jones, it’s not your effing money! What you are doing is not “closing an exemption”, it is imposing a tax that did not previously exist! The argument here s that “society” is being cheated by people who have accumulated wealth in the value of farms – regardless of the ups and downs of the land owned by the farm or whether the value is in livestock or solar panels/wind turbines!

All taxation is theft. No money paid to the State is the State’s by right – it is a privilege granted by voters.

In my view, VAT is a tax imposed on the country in order for it to join the EU. The UK is no longer in the EU, ergo, VAT should be abolished. It acts as a trade tariff for imports and has increased the cost of living by its percentage rate.

Mind you, it is also my view that government spending, especially on health, needs to be reduced by at least half and that taxation should be simplified to abolish ALL customs and excise duties, tobacco or alcohol taxes, or road taxes, TV license fees and there should be a flat corporate and income tax rate of 15% with NO ALLOWANCES. Vote for me!

[collapsedsquid]

That will take some doing. Covid vaccines could be developed so quickly because of years of research on the Mers and Sars viruses. To prepare for the next onslaught we must compile inventories of potentially dangerous strains and tighten global surveillance. We can try to predict which pathogens are most likely to provoke zoonotic mutation. Above all, we can start work now on the early stages of vaccine development for the dangerous diseases we already know. Of course, this will cost money. But compared with other major investments, scientific breakthroughs come cheap. To push at least one vaccine against the 11 epidemic infectious diseases to phase 2 trials has been costed at less than $8.5bn. In her book Disease X, the science writer Kate Kelland estimates that $50bn would pay for a comprehensive vaccine library. To expect that funding to come from the private sector is unrealistic. The work is too expensive and high risk and the returns too uncertain. Philanthropy and public-private partnerships may work. But ultimately it is governments that should foot the bill. Unfortunately, in public policy, pandemic preparedness is all too often relegated to the cash-starved budgets of development agencies or squeezed into strained health budgets. Where such spending properly belongs is under the flag of industrial policy and national security. Biotech is one of the most promising areas of future economic growth, combining research, high-tech manufacturing and service sector work. As the IMF declared: “vaccine policy is economic policy.” And pandemic preparedness belongs under national security because there is no more serious threat to a population. A far larger percentage of the UK died of Covid between 2020 and 2023 (225,000 out of 67mn) than were killed by German bombs in the second world war (70,000 out of 50mn).

Long been my crank opinion that if we want to "reindustrialize" to restore competitiveness with China that biotech would be a good way to do it, going to take China a while to lose the reputation for being the maker of knock-off products and adulterated food, you can deal with that if you want to sell cheap steel or solar panels but for pharma it's more of an issue.

[female-malice]

At the start of February, Ørsted, the world’s largest offshore wind developer, announced a major scaling back of its operations, exiting wind markets in Portugal, Spain and Norway and cutting both its dividend and its 2030 target for the number of new installations. The announcement followed the firm’s shock decision last November to back out of two major wind projects in New Jersey. Last week, it agreed to sell stakes in four US onshore wind farms for around $300m.

But Ørsted’s troubles are hardly unique. In September 2023, the UK government’s offshore wind auction failed to secure a single project from developers, who argued that the government-guaranteed prices on offer were too low in the face of rising costs. Two months before that, Vattenfall pulled out of a major wind UK development for the same reason. And in February, the German energy giant RWE – which provides 15 per cent of the UK’s power – warned that without more money on offer, the UK’s next auction, opening this month, might just fail again.

These cases are only a handful among many and have come as jarring setbacks for an industry grown accustomed to triumphalism: headlines over recent years have routinely celebrated the plunging cost of renewables and the seemingly unrelenting transition to clean energy advancing around the world. A quick Google of “renewable energy deployment” yields no shortage of charts with impressive upward slopes.

Much of this enthusiasm has centred on a metric called the Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE), which represents the average cost per unit of electricity generated over the lifetime of a generator, be it a wind farm or a gas power station. The LCOE has something of a cult status among industry analysts, journalists and even the International Energy Agency as the definitive marker of the transition to clean energy. When the LCOE of renewables falls below that of traditional fossil fuel sources, the logic goes, the transition to clean energy will be unstoppable. If only it was that simple, argues the economic geographer Brett Christophers in his latest book The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won’t Save the Planet.

As Christophers writes: “Everyone, seemingly, has gravitated to the view that, now they are cheaper/cheapest, renewables are primed for an unprecedented golden growth era” that will see them supplant fossil fuels. Doing so will be no mean feat. Despite the vertiginous growth of new renewable capacity in recent years, renewables have scarcely made a dent in the proportion of global power that comes from fossil fuels. The overall share of fossil fuel power in the energy mix has remained broadly stagnant for an astonishing four decades, from 64 per cent in 1985 to 61 per cent in 2022. Critically, the absolute amount of fossil fuel power generated each year – the figure that ultimately matters for the climate – has continued to rise.

In large part, this stems from overall growth in electricity consumption, which will continue apace in the coming decades as millions around the world gain access to electricity and as we race to electrify the economy. Thus, for all their upward momentum, global electricity consumption is still growing faster than solar and wind power is coming online, meaning the gap is widening. To close it, by the IEA’s estimates, the world needs to install 600 GW (gigawatts) of solar and 340 GW of wind capacity every year between 2030 and 2050. By comparison, the UK’s current total installed wind capacity is approximately 30GW, the sixth largest in the world, while Germany’s domestic transition plan implies installing the equivalent of 43 football pitches of solar panels every day to 2050. In short: the task is immense – almost unimaginably so. It is similarly urgent.

Where will the momentum needed to build this clean energy future come from? As Christophers documents in detail, the industry has thus far relied on an array of subsidy and support around the world. Extensive state support is hardly unique to clean energy, much as detractors and climate deniers may like to highlight it: the fossil fuel industry benefited from tax breaks and direct subsidy to the tune of £5.5trn in 2022 according to the IMF. The declining LCOE of renewable energy has been increasingly viewed as an argument for unwinding this government-backed support. As Christophers shows, however, in practice this has proven a near-impossibility. The question he therefore asks is why, in the face of declining costs, subsidies continue to be necessary, and what this tells us about whether the current approach to decarbonisation is fit for purpose.

The answer, Christophers argues, is that we’ve got it all upside down. When it comes to investment in renewable energy, as in anything else, it’s not cheapness that matters. Just take it from the investors themselves, he notes, citing one former JPMorgan investor who described the LCOE as a “practical irrelevance”. What matters instead is profit, and expectations of it.

Despite its simplicity, Christophers’s account is a quietly radical one that contravenes the received wisdom of not only the technocrats, mainstream economists and free marketeers who tout the wonders of the market, but also many on the left, for whom the problem with profits is typically their being far too high. Instead, as he demonstrates, the trouble is that renewable energy is nowhere near profitable enough, and certainly not reliably so, for the market to deliver it with anything like the pace, scale or certainty that is needed.

If the costs of renewables are indeed so low, one might ask, and profits are equal to revenues minus costs, then surely plunging costs should mean higher profits. But Christophers shows that low and unreliable profits are the definitive obstacle to the decarbonisation of the electricity system and, by extension, the wider economy.

The precise answer as to why low costs don’t necessarily translate into high and steady profits in this sector is technically complex and multifaceted, deftly handled by Christophers, a reformed management consultant, over nearly 400 pages of fine detail drawn from company documents, interviews and dense sectoral reports from global energy agencies. Put simply, the core of the problem is that the very features of markets so celebrated by mainstream economics – mediation via the price signal, increasing competition and private investment – are the undoing of a private-sector led transition to clean energy.

For Christophers, the commitment to marketisation in electricity systems is increasingly self-defeating. At the heart of this problem is the so-called “wholesale market” that prevails in many parts of the US and Europe, including the UK. Under this system, generators are paid a single price per unit of electricity for a given period, regardless of whether it is derived from a wind turbine or a coal plant. This price is based on what’s called a “merit order”, with the cheapest sources – generally renewables – being deployed first, followed by as many sources as are needed in order of escalating price. The wholesale is set by the last unit of energy needed to meet demand. In the UK, this is typically gas.

The defining feature of this wholesale pricing system, cast in sharp relief over the period of sky-high energy prices in 2021-2022, is volatility. With a host of factors potentially feeding into the price – from the balance of supply and demand through to global gas prices and geographic location – the swings can be enormous, regularly spiking from double to triple digit prices and back again within a matter of hours. In times of crisis, the figures can become outlandish, with the price of electricity in Texas during the state’s 2021 shock winter storms reaching $9,000 per MWh.

For Christophers, this volatility is nothing short of “an existential threat” to the “bankability” of a renewable project – that is, its ability to secure financing – because it makes profitability so uncertain. Worse still, within a competitive wholesale market, as the proportion of renewable generation in the market grows, and by extension the proportion of time in which renewables drive the wholesale price, the more frequently and strongly prices swing to the lower extreme, a phenomenon known as “price cannibalisation”.

The energy industry and governments rely on an impressive array of methods to circumvent these problems, from financial hedging to feed-in-tariffs, and from mega corporate Power Purchase Agreements with the likes of Amazon and Google to the UK’s “contracts-for-difference”. As Christophers writes: the reality of “liberalised electricity systems such as Europe’s is that, to secure financing, renewables developers ordinarily do everything they can… to avoid selling their output at the market price.”

Thus, despite ultra-high wholesale prices over 2021-2022, many renewables generators failed to enjoy correspondingly high profits, because they had traded the possibility of these certainties in the face of intolerable market volatility. For Christophers, this is the “signal feature” of the liberalised electricity market: that “the hallowed market price… is the one price that renewables operators endeavour not to sell at.”

It is in explaining this apparent contradiction that the book offers its most radical suggestion. Borrowing Karl Polanyi’s concept of a “fictitious commodity”, Christophers ultimately contends that electricity – like land, labour and money, Polanyi’s original trio – is not a commodity in the conventional sense of having been created for sale, and is therefore ill-suited to market exchange and coordination. This incompatibility sits at the root of the spiralling complexity of interventions that policymakers are obligated to make in the name of upholding the freedom of the “market”. The result, in the words of the energy expert Meredith Angwin, is that today’s electricity markets are less market and more “bureaucratic thicket”.

Thankfully, if the forces of capitalism, defined in terms of private ownership and the profit imperative, are fundamentally ill-equipped for this task, then we are not for want of alternatives. Public ownership and financing of energy, if freed from a faux market and the straitjacket of the profit motive, seems an obvious one. Christophers writes that the state is the only actor with “both the financial wherewithal and the logistical and administrative capacity” to take on the challenge of decarbonisation. The trouble though, when all you have is a hammer, is that everything looks like a nail. Thus, in the face of irreconcilable market failures, most policymakers seem only to offer more market-based fudges.

In this context, the tremors in renewable energy investment that we have seen with increasing frequency over the past several months are more than just a blip. They represent a potentially fatal flaw in the prevailing approach to the task of decarbonisation. From the perspective of the climate, every tonne of carbon matters, and every delay is significant. To continue to leave the future of electricity, and by extension global decarbonisation, to the whims of profit-motivated firms, is an intolerable risk. Rome is already burning, and there’s no time left to fiddle.

[nickhembery]

2023 wrapped

Let's try to sum up the year.

First, the TLDR: a long, drawn out groan of "fuck".

Second, what actually happened.

Remember that blog from a while back where I had six goals and if I did them all then I'd customise my mechanical keyboard? That didn't really work out. The treadmill I bought was a bit of a lemon and had to be sent back. It was one of those machines that's not really built to be used, it's designed to sit in a corner and have the owner look at it and say "I should use that sometime", but they never do. It's documentation all pointed to it breaking down pretty quickly with the amount of use I'd put it through. Not in the documentation was that it switched itself off after 40 minutes without warning. Based on that, I sent it back and got a refund, minus the shipping cost because the refund label I was given wasn't enough for the damn thing's weight. Oh well.

The writing didn't go so well either. Stress ground that to a halt. Two things happened to spread that over the year.

First, I got solar panels installed on my roof. That's a good thing. They're cool and they've cut my energy bill down a lot. But to put the panels in I needed scaffolding in place. It couldn't be put up and put down on the day of installation because a) different companies handled the panels and the scaffolding, and b) in case something went wrong. In my case something minor did go wrong. One of the installers got lazy and instead of securing the main power cable to my outside wall, he zip tied it to guttering downpipe. As I explained on the phone when I complained, this makes a mess of liabilities if I ever need work done on that pipe. Fortunately, a couple of guys came out to fix the cable problem. But no one came to pick up the scaffolding... for three months.

Remember I mentioned that different companies handled the panels and the scaffolding? Well, I could only talk to the panel company as they hired the scaffolding company. It took a lot of phone calls, emails and Official Complaints to find out what happened. The scaffolding company ran into financial trouble and didn't tell anyone for a while. To keep the money coming in they kept installing scaffolding in properties and didn't bother collecting any. They had scaffolding to spare and knew that no one would dare/be able to take down the stuff left behind. Eventually, once the panel company found out what was happening they got the scaffolding company to start coming out and collecting again.

The reason this was a big problem was the scaffolding shut off access to a few things. Two of my windows, and my neighbour's garage. It's a bit of a pain trying to explain all the problems with the scaffolding company hired by the panel company over a text message. But... one day they finally showed and took it away. Stress over. Except.

Except, that day, the very same day, there's an all-hands meeting with work. Everyone tunes into the conference call to hear the news. The company's in trouble. Layoffs in the US office, redundancies in the UK office. The layoffs had already happened by the time of the meeting, the redundancies would be announced after call. When the call ended, I decided to give it ten minutes before declaring myself safe. I got the notification at about the seven minute mark. It was, indeed, fuck.

So, in the US they did layoffs. You're called in, you're told, you leave. No argument, no appeal. In the UK we do redundancies. That's a process about a month long where people are 'at risk' of redundancy and no one is officially fired until the end. For some, there are groups who have the same or similar titles, and the high ups have to decide who in the group to get rid of. For others, like me, you're a one of one, and you'll be gone, unless you can convince them to keep you on. This isn't even the shitty 'interview for the job you're already doing', it's argue that your job should even exist. In my case, the documentation about the redundancy said the plan was that my duties as proofreader would be split up between the writers. Mood: Pickard face palm.

So, got that news. That night I ordered a big box of grease in the form of a pizza for dinner and ate it all while feeling sad. The next day, I got to work. The amount of people at risk of redundancy in the company was so big that there were too many for the HR people to speak to, so we were split into sub-groups based on departments, and those groups would need reperesentatives to come to meetings with HR and then dissiminate the information back to their group. I volunteered to be a rep at is a) meant I was getting all of the information and b) meant I could channel all of anxiety about the process into being a control freak. I made spreadsheets, I kept masses of notes, I wrote up every single meeting. Half the questions I asked in the meetings I had come up with rather than people in my group.

About a quarter way through the redundancy process time frame, I got a meeting with HR to make my pitch. It was really pretty simple: You Need Me. The writers make mistakes, in grammar, in spelling, in simple facts. They don't have the time to research things properly so just it wrong sometimes, and asking another writer to check it won't work out because they won't have the time either. But, I needed some carrot with the stick so offered a solution. My utilisation was down, so I could go on part time hours for a while until things pick up again. They were receptive in the meeting, and asked for a written pitch. I wrote it, read it over, edited it, read it again, then sent it. They accepted. My job was saved, well half saved.

It was a good thing too, as my backup plan feel through. Just before the redundancy process had started, I interviewed at a science journal to do proofreading there. Say what you will about the business model of journals (it's all a bit predatory), but it would have been a big step up from marketing. It was really nice to be taken seriously as a contender for the role, but in the end they decided to go with someone who had basically done the same job at another journal before.

Back to the job stress. I had a half a job. Better than zero job, but still. Finances were tight. I had just enough to pay my bills each month, but that was it. I was not going on holiday or even replacing that crappy treadmill. I got very lucky with the situation. If I hadn't gotten the raise in January the cut to my pay wouldn't have been viable at all. I didn't mention the raise. Man, this is all over the shot, isn't it? Short version: company introduced system to get promotions for most roles, left me (and some other unique jobs) out. So I wrote my own job description for the promotion system in specific way so that they would have to promote me. I gave them plenty of chances to stop me. And the promotion went through in January with a nice raise. And then in May that raised pay was cut in half.

Being on part time isn't all it's cracked up to me. What do you do with all that spare time? Well, you stress out that the rest of the job will be taken away from you, that's what. I played a lot of video games, watched most of the MCU and watched most of Star Wars. The only thing from the MCU I haven't seen is Ms Marvel, I watched every other movie and show. I watched all of Star Wars except the Resistance show set around Episode 7. Only people who have seen all seven seasons of Clone Wars, all four seasons of Rebels, The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett understand what's going in Ahsoka. It's like a soap twenty years long and suddenly plot threads from the entire run are all coming together.

Amongst all the TV watching, I gardened my garden. When I bought my house, there was decking in the back garden. But I quickly discovered that the decking was no good, it was rotting. Far too gone to Ship of Theseus it, I tore it all out, dug out the posts, lifted the gravel that was underneath the decking, lifted the second layer of gravel that was under the first, broke up some random paving stones that were in the corner, and cleared the whole area down to the mud. That took months of work. I filled my car three times with wood for disposing of and filled a four-tonne skip with the gravel and rocks. After the garden was clear, I got fresh gravel and membrane and covered it all over.

When November came around, I did NaNoWriMo again. I wasn't aiming for the full 50k though. It had been months since I'd tried writing and really I didn't have enough story to need that many words. So I went for writing every day. Late in the month I got sick, my first cold in four years. That knocked me pretty hard, so there was one day where I only managed 98 words. But I did manage to write every day, and a couple days into December I finished the first draft of the book I've been working on since 2019. It's gotten away from me a bit, it's 322,000 words long. I may try to cut it down to one big epic novel, or I may keep the length but split it out into a series of novellas. We'll see how editing goes.

That brings us to about now. Christmas is soon, and for the first time we're skipping presents. I'm actually relieved, I had no idea what to get anyone. Last day of work is tomorrow, then it's Christmas break.

This year has been stressfull. I'm seeing more grey hairs in the mirror than before. But it could have been a lot worse.

2024 is actually looking up. Going to do an editing pass of the mammoth novel, got a plan to do it in 100 days. Through a confluence of events, including metaphorically finding bodies stuffed in a cupboard, I'm going to be back at full time at work, so money will be okay again. I've got a plan to keep myself organised for the year, it involves a whiteboard and a physical diary. I'll do another blog later to explain that.

[ceevee5]

“Finally, the tables are starting to turn.” - Tracy Chapman

[krisinthefalklands]

It Begins...

"I've applied for a school in the Falklands", Sara tells me. ".... Huh!? Oh? Right... OK", this comes as a bit of a shock to me, we've previously spoken about the possibility of us returning back up north, where the quality of life is better than where we currently are, just outside of 2023's Worst Place To Live, Luton, and where the cost of living is significantly cheaper, but at the same time, I was also somewhat unsurprised, Sara has always had itchy feet (I'm talking about a desire to travel, not a long undiagnosed skin condition) and was ready for a new school to teach at.

We'd previously visited an island with a small population for her to attend an interview weekend, where partners were also invited, and please, do read the next bit in air-quotes, with as much sarcasm as you can muster, "but partners aren't being interviewed, just invited so they can get a feel for the island", sure Jan... and just days before the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown measures were introduced in the UK, we visited the tiny island of Sark in the Channel Islands.

Not only is Sark a tiny island, it also has a tiny population of about 500 people, where people are outnumbered by the sheep, and the coastline is frequented by funny looking black and white birds (just remember this information for later) as puffins can be spotted on the sheer coastal edges of the island in Spring.

During our time on Sark, when Sara wasn't preparing a lesson to give to her potential future class, we went up and down their bustling high street, avoiding the local traffic of tractors, horse and carts and bicycles...there are no cars allowed on Sark (despite how much my friend Victoria keeps suggesting that if you squint, you could mistake a sports car for a small tractor), not that you would need a car given the size of the island! We also had a lovely curry at the seigneur's home with the other candidates, headteacher of the school and his wife, and a few local residents, including the locum GP, who I may have landed in hot water when I was "absolutely not being interviewed" by the island's vicar and his wife.

The current seigneur of Sark is the delightful Christopher Beaumont, the 23rd person to take up the mantle, a former officer in the British Army, but despite his highfalutin sounding status is down to earth, and happy to chat away with visitors to his beautiful gardens, especially about his newly installed solar panels and electric tractor (the first of it's kind on Sark!)

Sadly, it wasn't to be for our dream of a few quiet years on Sark, and we returned to empty streets, loo roll shortages and queues outside supermarkets, as we took our singular government approved walk of the day. Life moved on, just day after day after sodding day. The more things changed, the more things stayed the same.

There were other attempts to move to Sark, the teacher who did get the job decided it wasn't for them and returned to mainland UK. I guess choosing small island life requires a certain kind of hardiness, pig headedness and a desire to be part of a small community who will know everything about you after a certain amount of time. We have those qualities (we hope), but again, the job was offered to another applicant.

So after a couple of attempts of moving to one small island, and it not being successful, I pessimistically assumed it would be the same here, Sara would go for the interview, impress the panel, but there would just be that one sodding person with a smidge more experience, who would get the job and leave us stuck on rainy Brexit island.

The big day came, Sara set off to London for the interview, you see, whilst for Sark they flew us to Guernsey and then put us on the cute little ferry to the small island, the Falklands is a 16 hour flight across the Atlantic, and a bit far to go for an interview, so the interview panel came to the UK, at Falkland House, the Falkland Islands London address, where you can visit to discuss all manner of things, so long as those questions are about the Falkland Islands. Of course, things didn't go smoothly, as her tube decided to stop in the middle of a tunnel between stations, unable to contact the office to say she was delayed as this was a line that did not yet have 4G signal installed throughout, but she did make her interview in the nick of time, and on exit was told she'd hear back within a week.

At this point my pessimism had kicked in. They had clearly given the job to someone else, and we were doomed for another year in the London commuter belt. Another year of eating fish fingers whilst watching Pointless. Another year of breathing in the polluted air from the main road we lived next to. Another year of...

"ring ring¹"... Sara's phone is ringing, it's a +500 number from The Falkland Islands... I listen in...

"Hi, is that Sara?", asks the caller, she confirms, and the voice on the other end replies, "Sorry about the delay in getting back to you, when we arrived we needed to have a week to rest from the exhaustion of flying and to have a think about the candidates we saw. We were really impressed with your"... I could sense the "but", again, I'm a pessimist by nature... "and we'd like to offer you the position of class teacher at the Infant and Junior School starting in September" - for once, my natural glass half empty, cheery outlook on life, was unfounded.

I went to Tesco to get cake to celebrate the news, although the choices were rubbish and I came back with mini Millionaires Shortbread bites rather than actual cake, but now we had to let it sink in that we were going to have a very big journey ahead of us.

What follows is that journey²...

¹it didn't actually go "ring ring", we're millennials and as such our phones are permanently on mute, and just went "vvvvvvb vvvvvvb" but that would have looked like a cat walked across my keyboard if I'd put that.

²It's worth noting up to now, this has mostly been about Sara's journey, but from hereon this will be a shared journey

[heatpumpsolutionuk]

Eco-Innovation at Home: The Rise of Air Source Heat Pump Cylinders

In an era where sustainability is no longer a choice but a necessity, the air source heat pump cylinder has emerged as a cornerstone of eco-innovation in residential energy systems. These advanced systems are transforming how we think about heating, energy efficiency, and environmental responsibility in our homes. In this comprehensive article, we explore the rise of air source heat pump cylinders, their benefits, and why they are pivotal for a greener future.

What is an Air Source Heat Pump Cylinder?

An air source heat pump cylinder (ASHP cylinder) is a highly efficient heating system that captures heat from the outside air and uses it to heat water for household use. These cylinders work seamlessly with air source heat pumps to store and deliver hot water efficiently, making them a key component in modern eco-friendly homes. Unlike traditional boilers, ASHP cylinders significantly reduce carbon emissions and energy costs by utilizing renewable energy.

How Does It Work?

The process involves extracting heat from the ambient air using a heat pump, which then transfers this heat to water stored in the cylinder. Even at low temperatures, these systems can efficiently extract heat, thanks to advanced technology. Key components include:

Heat Exchanger: Transfers heat from the pump to the water.

Insulated Cylinder: Minimizes heat loss and ensures energy efficiency.

Smart Controls: Optimize performance and energy usage.

Benefits of Air Source Heat Pump Cylinders

1. Enhanced Energy Efficiency

Air source heat pump cylinders boast exceptional energy efficiency. They can generate up to four units of heat for every unit of electricity consumed, making them significantly more efficient than traditional heating systems.

2. Reduced Carbon Footprint

By relying on renewable energy, these systems help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This aligns with global goals for carbon neutrality and supports a cleaner environment.

3. Cost Savings

Although the initial installation cost can be higher than conventional systems, the long-term savings on energy bills make air source heat pump cylinders a wise investment. Government incentives in many countries further offset installation expenses.

4. Versatility

ASHP cylinders are compatible with various heating systems, including underfloor heating and radiators. They can also be integrated with solar panels for an even greener energy solution.

5. Low Maintenance

These systems are designed for durability and require minimal maintenance. Regular servicing ensures optimal performance and a long lifespan.

Applications of Air Source Heat Pump Cylinders

Residential Heating

Air source heat pump cylinders are ideal for residential applications, providing hot water and heating for homes of all sizes. Their adaptability makes them suitable for new builds and retrofit projects alike.

Commercial and Industrial Use

While primarily designed for domestic use, larger-scale models are available for commercial and industrial applications, offering the same energy efficiency and environmental benefits.

Challenges and Considerations

Initial Installation Costs

The upfront cost of purchasing and installing an air source heat pump cylinder can be a barrier for some homeowners. However, government grants and subsidies can mitigate these expenses.

Space Requirements

ASHP systems require adequate outdoor space for the heat pump unit. Homes with limited space may need to explore alternative solutions or consult with professionals for tailored installations.

Performance in Extreme Cold

While modern air source heat pumps are designed to operate in low temperatures, extreme cold can impact efficiency. Supplementary heating systems may be necessary in such climates.

Government Incentives and Policies

Many governments worldwide are encouraging the adoption of air source heat pump systems through financial incentives, tax credits, and grants. For example:

UK: The Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers grants to homeowners for installing heat pumps.

USA: Federal tax credits are available for energy-efficient home improvements.

EU: Various member states provide subsidies under the Renewable Energy Directive.

Choosing the Right Air Source Heat Pump Cylinder

When selecting an ASHP cylinder, several factors must be considered:

Capacity: Ensure the cylinder meets your household's hot water demand.

Efficiency Ratings: Look for high Seasonal Coefficient of Performance (SCOP) ratings.

Compatibility: Confirm compatibility with existing or planned heating systems.

Warranty and Support: Opt for models with comprehensive warranties and reliable customer support.

Future of Air Source Heat Pump Cylinders

As the world moves toward renewable energy solutions, air source heat pump cylinders are set to play a pivotal role. Innovations such as smart controls, improved insulation, and hybrid systems are making these cylinders more efficient and user-friendly. Furthermore, advancements in materials and design are driving down costs, making them accessible to a broader audience.

Conclusion

Air source heat pump cylinders represent a significant leap forward in residential energy systems. By combining efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness, they provide a viable solution for reducing carbon footprints and achieving energy independence. As governments and industries continue to prioritize green energy, the adoption of ASHP cylinders is expected to accelerate, paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future.

[lovelypol]

Green Building Market: From $352 Billion to $1.05 Trillion by 2033 🌱🏗️

Green Building Market is revolutionizing the construction industry by emphasizing sustainability, resource efficiency, and environmental responsibility. This market focuses on the design, construction, and operation of eco-friendly structures incorporating energy-efficient materials, renewable energy systems, and water conservation technologies. These practices aim to reduce carbon footprints, improve occupant health, and lower operational costs, making green buildings an essential aspect of modern infrastructure.

To Request Sample Report :https://www.globalinsightservices.com/request-sample/?id=GIS26933 &utm_source=SnehaPatil&utm_medium=Article

In 2023, the market reached a significant milestone with a volume of approximately 300 million square meters. The residential segment dominated, capturing 45% of the market share, driven by rising consumer demand for eco-friendly homes and government incentives. The commercial sector followed, accounting for 35%, fueled by corporate sustainability mandates and green certification requirements. North America leads the market due to stringent environmental regulations and high awareness, while Europe is a close second, spearheaded by advanced green building technologies in Germany and the UK.

Key players like Skanska, Turner Construction, and Clark Construction are leveraging expertise in sustainable construction, propelling the market forward. Market segmentation includes residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings, with products such as solar panels, insulation materials, and energy-efficient lighting driving innovation. Technological advancements like IoT integration, Building Information Modeling (BIM), and energy management systems further enhance market growth.

Despite challenges like high initial costs, the Green Building Market is set to grow at a robust 10% CAGR through 2033, supported by government incentives and increasing urbanization. The global push for carbon neutrality and adherence to regulatory frameworks, including the Paris Agreement and LEED certifications, underscore the market’s potential.

#GreenBuilding #SustainableConstruction #EcoFriendlyHomes #EnergyEfficiency #RenewableEnergy #GreenTechnologies #SmartBuildings #LEEDCertified #CarbonNeutral #SustainableLiving #EcoInnovation #EnvironmentalAwareness #UrbanSustainability #GreenMaterials #FutureOfConstruction

[global-research-report]

Renewable Energy Market Forecast: Innovations and the Path to 2025

The global renewable energy market size is expected to reach USD 3.60 trillion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 17.2% from 2024 to 2030. Numerous governments across the world have framed various regulations to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. The shift toward low-carbon fuels and the presence of stringent environmental regulations in most of the developed countries have provided a major boost to the renewable energy sector. Due to climate change and increasing environmental concerns, most governments have set targets to cut down their emissions. As a result, there have been huge investments in renewable energy and alternate fuels, and this trend is expected to continue in the coming years.

Thus, the increasing inclination toward eco-friendly products to reduce emissions is expected to fuel the demand for renewable energy over the forecast period. The hydropower segment accounted for a share of 16.65% of the overall revenue in 2023. Hydropower, also known as hydroelectric power, offers advantages to communities and plays a crucial role to help climate change by providing storage, power, and flexibility services. It is a domestic source of energy, which allows each state to generate its own energy without reliance on any international fuel sources. The solar Power segment is expected to witness the largest growth over the forecast period owing to it being low in cost and reducing electricity interruptions. The industrial segment was the largest in 2023 and accounted for a revenue share of about 61.90%.

The growing demand for clean electricity is expected to increase the number of utility projects and fuel the PV modules market growth across the industrial sector. The commercial segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. The rapid adoption of PV modules in corporate offices, hotels, and hospitals is expected to drive product demand across the commercial sector coupled with increased power demand in communication base stations and data centers. The market in Asia Pacific was the largest in 2023 with a revenue share of 40.98%. The increasing demand for renewable energy in Asia Pacific is attributed to the rising installation of solar power projects in China and India.

These countries are the key markets for solar panels, both globally and in Asia Pacific. In addition, other countries in the region, including Australia and Japan, have high growth potential for the market as they have been investing largely in solar power generation for the last few years. Major players in the industry are focusing on innovation and technological advancements to reduce the cost of renewable energy and make it competitive with traditional power sources, such as natural gas and coal. In addition, industry participants are emphasizing practicing several strategic initiatives, such as joint ventures, partnerships, and mergers & acquisitions, to strengthen their foothold in the global market over the coming years.

Renewable Energy Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global renewable energy market report based on product, application, and region:

Renewable Energy Product Outlook (Volume, TWh; Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

Hydropower

Wind Power

Solar Power

Bioenergy

Others

Renewable Energy Application Outlook (Volume, TWh; Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

Industrial

Residential

Commercial

Renewable Energy Regional Outlook (Volume, TWh; Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

North America

US

Canada

Mexico

Europe

Germany

Italy

UK

Norway

Asia Pacific

China

India

Japan

Australia

Central & South America

Brazil

Argentina

Middle East and Africa

Iran

Egypt

Key Companies profiled:

ABB

Acconia S.A.

Enel Spa

General Electric

Innergex

Invenergy

Schneider Electric

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, S.A.

Suzlon Energy Ltd.

Tata Power

Order a free sample PDF of the Renewable Energy Market Intelligence Study, published by Grand View Research.

[interestingtools]

4 Factors To Think About When Choosing Solar Energy For Buildings

Have you ever settled down to track down details to do with Solar Energy for Buildings just to find yourself staring google eyed at your computer screen? I know I have.The emergence of electric vehicles (EVs) has introduced new considerations for rural electrification planning. The need to provide adequate charging infrastructure in rural areas, where distances between settlements are greater, requires careful consideration of grid capacity and charging point distribution. Consumer perception and brand value have seen notable improvements among retailers who have visibly invested in solar power installations. Studies have shown that consumers are increasingly making purchasing decisions based on a company's environmental credentials, and the visible presence of solar panels on retail properties serves as a tangible demonstration of environmental commitment. This enhanced reputation can translate into increased customer loyalty and potentially higher sales figures, as environmentally conscious consumers choose to support businesses that align with their values. Local economic development receives a significant boost from community solar projects through job creation and skills development. The installation, maintenance, and administration of solar projects create employment opportunities within the community, while the process of establishing and running these initiatives helps develop valuable project management and technical skills among participants. The money saved on energy costs tends to be spent locally, creating a positive multiplier effect for the local economy. Research into biological solar cells, inspired by natural photosynthesis, is opening new possibilities for solar energy conversion. These bio-inspired systems could potentially offer new pathways for solar energy conversion and storage, though they remain in early stages of development. The adoption of solar power technology in Wales has witnessed a remarkable surge in recent years, offering business owners across the region an array of compelling advantages that extend far beyond simple energy generation. The unique geographical and climatic conditions of Wales, combined with government incentives and technological advancements, have created an environment where solar power installations represent a strategic investment for companies of all sizes. The solar power industry in the United Kingdom operates under a comprehensive framework of standards and regulations designed to ensure safety, efficiency, and reliability in solar installations. These standards are primarily overseen by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), which works in conjunction with other regulatory bodies to maintain quality across the sector. The MCS certification is mandatory for solar installations that wish to participate in government incentive schemes and represents the cornerstone of quality assurance in the UK solar industry.

The implementation of solar panels in Scottish cities must navigate the complex interplay between historic preservation and renewable energy adoption, particularly in areas with protected buildings and conservation zones. Local authorities must balance the preservation of Scotland's rich architectural heritage, including its distinctive sandstone buildings and historic Royal Burghs, with the pressing need to reduce carbon emissions and meet renewable energy targets. Grid connection capacity has emerged as a critical constraint on solar deployment in many parts of the UK. The challenge of securing viable grid connections has led to increased interest in private wire arrangements and the development of local energy markets, where solar generation can be consumed close to the point of production. The development of solar power has created new forms of social capital and community resources. Technical knowledge about solar systems, installation expertise, and maintenance capabilities have become valuable community assets, shared through formal and informal networks. The adoption of solar power systems represents a significant opportunity for UK retirees seeking to establish predictable energy costs while living on fixed incomes. The volatile nature of traditional energy markets has created substantial financial uncertainty for pensioners, with energy bills often consuming an increasingly large portion of their monthly budget. At the renewable energy fair, Solar Panels Berkshire showcased their latest technology innovations.

Increase Home Value

The adoption of solar power has enabled many farms to improve their waste management and recycling operations through powered processing and treatment systems. Solar-powered waste management solutions help farms reduce their environmental impact while potentially creating additional value from agricultural byproducts. Vegetation management around ground-mounted solar arrays requires ongoing attention to prevent shading and ensure adequate airflow around the panels. This typically involves regular trimming of grass and shrubs, removal of any invasive species that might damage equipment, and maintaining clear access paths for maintenance personnel. The environmental benefits of solar power align with many retirees' desire to leave a positive legacy for future generations. The significant reduction in carbon emissions achieved through solar power adoption contributes to climate change mitigation efforts and demonstrates environmental responsibility to children and grandchildren. Solar installations have provided conservation organizations with practical examples of sustainable development that they can use to influence policy and planning decisions. Their experiences have contributed to the development of more environmentally sensitive approaches to renewable energy deployment across the UK. The solar industry's maturation has led to more competitive pricing and improved installation standards, benefiting retirees who choose to invest in solar power systems. The availability of experienced installers and standardized equipment has reduced both the cost and complexity of transitioning to solar energy. Many farmers across the region have partnered with Solar Panels Wiltshire to power their agricultural operations.

The integration of solar power into telecommunications networks has improved connectivity in remote regions while reducing operational costs. Solar-powered cell towers and communication repeaters operate reliably in locations where grid power is unavailable or unreliable. The integration of solar power with emerging technologies such as electric vehicles and heat pumps creates additional pathways to energy independence by reducing reliance on imported oil for transportation and natural gas for heating. This comprehensive approach to electrification, powered increasingly by domestic solar generation, represents a fundamental shift away from foreign energy dependence across multiple sectors of the economy. The integration of solar power with other clean energy technologies, particularly wind power and energy storage, represents an important frontier for the UK market. The development of hybrid projects and virtual power plants demonstrates the potential for solar to play a central role in a fully decarbonized energy system. Public awareness and education about energy storage technologies are crucial for their continued adoption and support. Understanding the benefits and limitations of different storage options can help communities and stakeholders make informed decisions about energy investments. The growing network of solar-equipped apartment buildings is creating opportunities for knowledge sharing and collective purchasing power. Building managers and resident associations can learn from each other's experiences and negotiate better terms with solar providers. The comprehensive guide to Solar Panels Oxfordshire provides valuable information for first-time buyers.

Peak Energy Production

The integration of solar power systems with energy storage capabilities represents one of the most significant developments in the renewable energy sector, fundamentally reshaping the economics of both residential and utility-scale power generation. This transformative technology combination is driving substantial changes across multiple sectors of the economy, from manufacturing and construction to energy markets and grid operations. The integration of solar power into the UK's electricity grid has necessitated significant adaptations in network infrastructure and management practices. Distribution network operators (DNOs) have developed new approaches to handle the intermittent nature of solar generation, including advanced forecasting systems and flexible connection agreements. The increasing availability of innovative financing options for solar power installations makes the technology more accessible to businesses of all sizes in Northern Ireland. The range of financing solutions, from traditional loans to power purchase agreements, enables businesses to choose the most appropriate funding structure for their specific circumstances and objectives. Government incentives and support schemes have historically played a crucial role in making solar power accessible to UK homeowners, though the landscape of these programs continues to evolve. The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme, which replaced the earlier Feed-in Tariff program, ensures that homeowners receive payment for excess electricity they export to the national grid, creating an additional revenue stream that enhances the financial appeal of solar installation. The cultural significance of solar power has evolved, becoming an important symbol of environmental commitment and social responsibility. Solar panels have become visible markers of environmental values and community engagement, influencing social status and identity. During the summer months, Solar Panels Buckinghamshire reported record-breaking energy production levels.

Environmental standards play an increasingly important role in the UK solar industry, with requirements for sustainable manufacturing processes and end-of-life recycling. The WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations require manufacturers and installers to ensure proper disposal and recycling of solar panels and associated equipment at the end of their operational life. These regulations help minimize the environmental impact of solar installations and promote sustainable practices within the industry. The reduced carbon footprint achieved through solar power adoption can help Welsh businesses participate in green supply chains and secure contracts with organizations that have strict environmental criteria. This can open up new business opportunities and strengthen relationships with existing customers who prioritize environmental responsibility. The implementation of solar power projects has helped councils better understand the technical and operational requirements of renewable energy systems. This knowledge often proves valuable when evaluating other clean energy technologies and solutions. You can get additional intel on the topic of Solar Energy for Buildings on this Energy Saving Trust article.

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