The development of 52 houses at an average size of 147m² have been insulated to a level 30% above the average home in Canada in order to keep the energy needs low.  Around 800 solar panels have been fitted to the roof of each house and completely covering all of the garages in the development enabling them to collect 1.5MW of solar energy in a heat storage fluid.  This glycol based fluid is then transferred to a central energy centre where it is stored.

During Winter months any collected solar energy is stored in a short term storage tank where it is used straight away to heat water to provide space heating and hot water to the houses.  But the clever bit comes in the Summer months when the excess heat energy is pumped below ground through boreholes, similar to a reverse heat pump, heating the ground temperature up to around 80°C.  Due to the high insulation properties of the surrounding earth, this heat energy is sufficiently retained so that it can be drawn from the ground in the Winter to provide additional heating to the properties.

The system performs particularly well due to the scale of the development, and it should be noted that a similar system would not work on a single dwelling because of the substantial energy losses that would occur.  However, if a system such as this can be pulled off on a development in Canada, then why aren’t we outperforming them over here in the UK.  Hopefully this development can provide some inspiration for future schemes here in the near future.

Via Green Building Elements

The technique involves ‘painting’ glass with a mix of transparent, organic dyes which collect the income light and transport it towards the frame of the glass where photovoltaic cells convert it electricity.  Any light that makes it through the glass can be picked up by another set of solar cells behind the glass.

Engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) say that the technology could be used to convert glass buildings into vast energy plants, potentially generating all their own electricity.

What’s more, the team say that the system is simple to manufacture and could be implemented within three years!

The graphic below shows how the system works.

Via BBC & Telegraph

Ruth Kelly told the Commons that Britain needed to press ahead with biofuels because the technology could still prove beneficial. But she said the government would slow down their introduction.

She said: “I believe it is right to adopt a more cautious approach until the evidence is clearer about the wider environmental and social effects of biofuels. We also need to allow time for more sustainable biofuel technologies to emerge.”

This move follows the publication of a government-commissioned report by Professor Ed Gallagher, the head of the government’s Renewable Fuels Agency, which recommends ministers “amend not abandon” biofuel policies. However, for the Conservatives, shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said a “mere slowdown” of the targets would not address problems and said policy had to change “right now”.

The report calls for biofuels to be introduced more slowly than planned until controls are in place to prevent higher food prices and land being switched from forests or agriculture. It predicts that current policies could see grain prices in the EU rise by 15%, sugar by 7% and oil seed by 50%. The review estimates that an extra 10.7 million people in India could find themselves in poverty, while countries such as Kenya, Malawi and Bangladesh could see hundreds of thousands affected.

The report said that without stringent checks, current targets for biofuel production could cause a global rise in greenhouse gas emissions and an increase in poverty in the poorest countries by 2020.

Ms Kelly’s statement comes as the European Parliament is about to vote on whether to scrap the EU’s target of sourcing 10% of transport fuel from biofuels by 2020. World Bank president Robert Zoellick has also called for reform in rich countries, urging them to grow more food instead.

Via BBC and The Guardian

Orange commissioned research into the device that would simply strap to a revellers arm and through a series of weights and magnets, similar to those found in kinetic powered watches, would harness the energy as they dance to their favourite band.  This energy is stored in a battery within the device which can later be used to charge the users mobile phone when they return to their tent after a hard days dancing.

Weighing only 180grams and measuring approximately 108mm x 63.5mm, the device is similar in size and weight to a mobile phone and is comparable to a runner’s arm-mounted mp3 player.

We look forward to seeing what Orange and Got Wind can come up with next year… if they can think of something mud-powered they’ll be on to a winner!

Via Orange Press Office

The Tesla Roadster is the first of a new age of fully electric vehicles to reach commercial production and will hopefully be the first of many with other companies following the lead of Tesla Motors.

So what exactly does the Tesla have to offer?  Well below I’ve listed just a few of it’s main features:

• 100% electric
• 0 – 60 mph in 3.9 seconds
• 125 mph top speed
• 13,000 rpm redline
• 135 mpg equivalent
• 220 miles per charge
• Useful battery life of 100,00 miles
• Recharge time 3.5 hours

With a list of specs like that, it’s hard to believe it looks so good!  Unfortunately it’s only available in the USA currently and it has a price tag of around $100,000 but hopefully we’ll start to see similar vehicles appearing on in our market before long!

Well we’ve outlined the main Climate related points of the Budget for you below:

• On the back of record oil prices, the planned 2p per litre increase in fuel duty has been postponed until October. However, for environmental reasons, duty on fuel will rise by 0.5p in real terms by 2010.
• Road pricing could fight congestion, so new funding committed to its development.
• From 2009 there will be new bands of road tax for the most polluting vehicles. From 2010, lowest emission cars will pay no tax in first year.
• Target to reduce carbon emissions by 60% may be extended to 80% by 2050.
• Legislation to come into force in 2009 to impose a charge on single-use carrier bags if progress is not made on a voluntary basis.
• £26 million next year to help homes cut their carbon footprint and energy consumption.
• New non-domestic buildings zero carbon by 2019.
• First carbon budget pledged alongside next year’s Budget.

So all-in-all I don’t see that as too bad for the Climate.  Obviously there’s always more that could be done but it’s good to see that things are moving in the right direction!

The one really exciting point of this for me is next year’s “Carbon Budget”.  I’ll try and find out some more about what exactly this will consist of but it sounds as though it could mean big things for this Country’s commitment to the Environment and the fight against Climate Change.

In a costly concession, he is expected to announce that a 2p rise in fuel duties will be delayed by six months to avoid angering motorists, who are bearing the cost of rising oil prices.

But is this being done for the right reasons or are the Government just trying to grab more of our money?!  I’m all for taxing car users more, but let’s hope the Government will put the extra revenue to a good cause!