The Green Village News Tagged ‘energy efficiency’
Thursday, November 5th, 2009
Further to a trial in 8 of their buildings, the Environment Agency will install Voltage Power Optimisation technology in a further 33 of its buildings in a bid to reduce their energy consumption and carbon emissions. The trial resulted in a saving of between 10%-18% of the buildings’ electricity consumption, which is the equivalent of 281 tonnes of carbon.
Voltage Power Optimisation (VPO) works by reducing the voltage of the incoming electricity to reduce energy wastage. Most appliances work fine at 200 volts, however the voltage of electricity entering our homes is usually between 207 and 253 volts. This additional electricity is often wasted as heat, therefore by reducing the voltage, considerable savings in electricity consumption and, as a result, carbon emissions and energy bills can be achieved.
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Tags: carbon emissions, carbon footprint, electricity, electricity consumption, energy, energy bills, energy efficiency, environment agency, voltage power optimisation, VPO
Posted in Companies and Organisations, Energy and Resources, Environmental Impact, Environmental Politics, Green Planet | No Comments
Wednesday, August 26th, 2009
The EU ban agreed to in December last year which will put an end to the sale of 100 watt and frosted incandescent light bulbs comes into place on 1st September 2009. The ban will help reduce carbon emissions, as energy efficient CFL (Compact Florescent Lamp) bulbs use less energy than the familiar incandescent bulbs, and also last up to 7 years, therefore significantly reducing the number of bulbs people need to buy.
Energy efficient light bulbs have become much cheaper to buy over the past couple of years, and advances in technology have meant they are now available in many different sizes and shapes, with both bayonet and screw fittings, and are even available to work with dimmer switches. There is some criticism however regarding the newer types of CFLs that they do cost more, however the Energy Saving Trust estimates that each energy efficient light bulb used can save between £3 and £6 on your electricity bill each year.
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Tags: CFL, electricity bills, energy bills, energy consumption, energy efficiency, energy efficient lightbulb, energy saving, incandescent light bulb, light bulb ban, lightbulb
Posted in Eco Home, Energy and Resources, Environmental Politics, Ethical shopping, Green Living, Green Planet, Science and Technology | 8 Comments
Saturday, August 1st, 2009
The UK’s first Green Skills Training Centre will be built in Tredegar in the South Wales Valleys later this year according to an announcement from British Gas and the Welsh Assembly Government. The centre will provide training for up to 1300 people a year, including up-skilling existing British Gas employees in renewable energy technologies.
The new green jobs created by the training provided through the Green Skills Training Centre will help the Welsh Assembly Government meet its commitment to reducing carbon emissions through increasing the energy efficiency of 40,000 homes. In addition, the programme aims to reduce fuel poverty experienced by many in one of the worst affected areas of the UK, therefore providing social as well as environmental benefits.
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Tags: blaenau gwent, british gas, energy efficiency, heads of the valleys programme, micro generation, renewable energy, wales
Posted in Companies and Organisations, Eco Home, Energy and Resources, Environmental Politics, Green Living, Green Planet, Sustainable Development | 1 Comment
Saturday, June 13th, 2009
A new consultation announced today by Government agency, Defra, aims to canvass 213 companies including supermarkets such as Waitrose, Tesco and Asda, energy companies E-on, Npower and British Gas and a range of environmental charities and organisation such as Forum for the Future and WWF.
The consultation process is open until 4th September and invites companies to give their views on proposals for the introduction of a market surveillance body and how minimum energy standards and energy labelling of products available on the high street can be implemented, including the powers an enforcement body should have and the role that businesses would play in testing and enforcing these standards. Businesses are also being asked to provide feedback on draft proposals for 5 key areas responsible for energy use; standby functions on products, external power supplies for products, simpler set top boxes and two areas of lighting – tertiary and household.
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Tags: consultation, defra, eco design, economy, energy efficiency, energy efficient, energy laballing enforcement, energy saving
Posted in Companies and Organisations, Energy and Resources, Environmental Impact, Environmental Politics, Ethical shopping, Green Living, Green Planet, Science and Technology | No Comments
