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Behemoth
Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds
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 Posted: Tue Nov 01, 05 9:32 am Post subject: Heating with Biomass is the hot topic |
 
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Defra Press release
HEATING WITH BIOMASS IS THE HOT TOPIC SAYS TASK FORCE
Britain should use biomass to generate heat the Biomass Task Force told the Government today.
The Task Force concludes that biomass (fuel from forestry, crops and waste) could reduce the nation's carbon emissions by almost three million tonnes a year if used to provide heating. The carbon saving would be the equivalent of taking 3.25 million cars off the road.
The Chairman of the Task Force, Sir Ben Gill, today presented the findings of the year-long study to Defra and the DTI, whose Secretaries of State jointly commissioned the report.
Sir Ben said: "What many see as tomorrow's fuel is here today. We estimate there could be 20 million tonnes of biomass available annually. The challenge for the Government now is to unlock this vast potential. We have suggested several ways to develop this industry which has a vital role in climate change, sustainable development throughout the country and economic activity in rural areas.
"Heat has been the forgotten part of the energy debate - enough waste heat is emitted from our power stations to heat the country one and a half times over - but our findings show that producing heat either alone or in Combined Heat and Power plants is by far the most efficient way of using biomass.
"There are many renewable sources of electricity but biomass is the only widely-available source of renewable heat. Heat generation accounts for 40 per cent of our national energy consumption. At a time of rising oil prices, biomass heating is fast becoming an attractive economic option. And it is a cheaper way of cutting carbon emissions than many other options."
The Task Force makes 42 recommendations, including a call for the introduction of capital grants to fund more biomass heating boilers and says that public buildings can be the ideal place to begin the expansion.
The report also gives examples of where biomass boilers are already operating successfully, including at Defra's Worcester offices and at a new Cheshire school which has cut its energy consumption by more than 75 per cent.
The Task Force concludes that one of the biggest barriers to progress is ignorance and recommends that the Government acts in the next 6 months to create a single information point on biomass for the country as a whole as well as delivering on its promise in the 2003 Energy White Paper to lead by example in its own building stock.
Welcoming the report, Lord Bach, Defra's Minister for Farming and Food, said: "I am very grateful to the Task Force for their hard work over the past year. This is a complex issue and we commissioned the report to bring a fresh independent perspective to our understanding of the potential of biomass to contribute to the Government's renewable energy targets and farming, forestry and rural objectives.
"I am pleased to say that the Government is now establishing a cross-departmental team to work on a detailed response to the Task Force recommendations and to develop a plan for taking its work forward."
Malcolm Wicks, Energy Minister at the Department for Trade and Industry said: "This wide-ranging report leaves us in no doubt that biomass has the potential to make a real and lasting contribution toward renewable energy and heat in the UK.
"We have already shown our commitment to biomass through the �66 million Bioenergy Capital Grants that have funded 22 projects so far and the �5 million given to support smaller-scale schemes through the Clear Skies programme.
We will now examine the recommendations that are contained in today's report to see how we can further develop this technology for the future."
The full report is published at: www.defra.gov.uk/farm/acu/energy/biomass-taskforce/index.htm.
For more details contact the Defra press office on 020 7238 5610.
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Notes for editors
1. The Task Force was commissioned by Defra and the DTI in October 2004 to help Government and industry develop biomass energy in support of renewable energy targets and sustainable farming and forestry and rural objectives.
2. The members of the Task Force are Sir Ben Gill CBE (Chairman), John Roberts CBE and Nick Hartley.
3. The Task Force has asked that the Government issues a formal response to the report by June 2006. |
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Stacey
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow
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Behemoth
Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds
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ele
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 814
Location: Derby
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ken69
Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 316
Location: Norfolk
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| Posted: Tue Nov 01, 05 11:10 am Post subject: biomass |
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When I last checked 'Clear Skies', grants were available to individuals, altho the woodburners or whatever had to be automatically fed with wood pellets. Do you know why that is, Behometh.
Had a Rayburn for years, fantastic machine, rusted away in the end, and now that I'm retired could probably give a newer version more attention.
But shock horror, the price !! Always fancied one of those long burners that came out .about a two or three feet into the living room. Now if they were priced at, say �200 with a 50% grant, would consider that. |
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Behemoth
Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds
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Behemoth
Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds
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Jonnyboy
Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.
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Res
Joined: 07 Apr 2005
Posts: 1172
Location: Allotment Shed, Harlow
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Behemoth
Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds
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| Posted: Tue Nov 01, 05 12:14 pm Post subject: |
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Again apologies for not being clear - that's my slant on it - not Govt policy - I don't run the country...yet
Here's the Defra press release
MEETING THE CHALLENGE - CLIMATE CHANGE, CLEAN ENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Energy and Environment Ministers from 20 countries will meet in London tomorrow to take forward the outcomes from the Gleneagles Summit.
The meeting, chaired by Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett and Trade and Industry Secretary Alan Johnson, will focus on energy and technology, looking at how to move to a low carbon economy and how soon that goal can be reached.
Ministers will be joined by Claude Mandil, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Ian Johnson and Kathy Sierra, the World Bank Vice-Presidents for Environment and Infrastructure. The IEA and World Bank are playing a leading role in delivering an action plan to meet the challenge of access to reliable and affordable energy within a stable, sustainable climate.
Margaret Beckett said considerable progress had been made since Gleneagles under the UK's G8 and EU Presidencies.
She said:
"I am delighted to welcome Ministers and representatives from 20 countries to the first meeting of the follow-up dialogue agreed at Gleneagles. It is imperative that we find new ways to cooperate and develop a shared understanding of how the world can respond to climate change. There is no greater challenge facing the world. The Dialogue is a terrific opportunity to achieve this.
"We have used our Presidency of the EU to agree new partnerships with both China and India on climate change. I am particularly pleased that we have agreed to work with China to develop and demonstrate carbon capture and storage technologies to enable power to be generated from near-zero emissions.."
Mrs Beckett added the World Bank had launched an Energy Investment Framework, which will be used to pilot large-scale investment in major challenges, such as power generation and transport systems, in developing countries.
The Framework will include the regional development banks, private sector banks, insurers and technology companies.
Alan Johnson said the International Energy Agency was already playing a key role in working to reduce the barriers to the development and deployment of low carbon technologies.
He said:
"Energy technology has a crucial role to play in addressing the climate and energy challenges of today and tomorrow. I am very pleased that the International Energy Agency is so closely involved, bringing to the table its world-renowned expertise on issues such as hydrogen storage and cleaner coal technology. This work informs national technology programmes, including the DTI's recently launched �25m Carbon Abatement Technology strategy.
"The Gleneagles Plan of Action and this Dialogue are new opportunities to take forward work on climate and energy, to build on existing work and increase dialogue and engagement with economies with significant energy needs including China and India."
Other important steps have taken place at national level, including:
New energy legislation in the US and France with stronger incentives for clean energy, including low-carbon vehicles and more efficient buildings.
Action in many countries to improve energy efficiency including specific measures to tackle energy waste from appliances on standby.
Increasing support for the inclusion of aviation into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, a voluntary agreement with industry on aviation fuel consumption in Canada, and ambitious research programmes in the US to achieve major technological breakthroughs.
Both Ministers stressed that Gleneagles Summit had added momentum to the international climate change process ahead of the forthcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Montreal, which for the first time will discuss action on climate change beyond 2012.
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Notes for editors
1. The Gleneagles Dialogue is underway with 20 countries (G8+5 together with Indonesia, Australia, Spain, Poland, Nigeria and South Korea), the European Commission and key international organisations including the World Bank and the International Energy Agency.
2. Details of the Gleneagles Plan of Action can be found on the G8 Presidency website at www.g8.gov.uk.
3. The Dialogue is linked to the G8 because it was started by leaders at Gleneagles and Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi has asked for a report on the Dialogue for the Japanese G8 Summit in 2008.
4. The World Bank launched its Energy Investment Framework in September in Washington. Further information can be found in the World Bank's press release of 24 September at www.worldbank.org.
5. The IEA provides support for over 40 international co-operation and collaboration agreements in energy technology R and D, deployment and information dissemination. Information about the International Energy Agency's programme can be found at www.iea.org.
6. The DTI launched a strategy for developing Carbon Abatement Technologies for Fossil Fuel use in June 2005. The report can be obtained from www.dti.gov.uk.
7. The UNFCCC Convention of the Parties/Meeting of the Parties (COP/MOP1) will take place from 27 November to 10 December in Montreal, Canada. |
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Behemoth
Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds
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| Posted: Wed Nov 02, 05 10:08 am Post subject: |
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Issued at Press Briefing at today's Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development
FACTSHEET: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN UK ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF GLENEAGLES PLAN OF ACTION
EU-China Partnership on Climate Change: Near Zero Emissions Coal
The proposal for a joint EU-China project on Near Zero Emissions Coal was announced at the EU-China Summit on September 5th as part of the Partnership on Climate Change.
The nZEC project aims to demonstrate coal fired power generation with carbon capture and storage technology in China by 2020. This is in recognition that carbon dioxide emissions from China's increasing coal use are set to double by 2030.
The UK is leading the first phase and supporting it with �3.5M of funding. The 3-year feasibility study will examine the viability of different technology options for the capture of carbon dioxide emissions from power generation and the potential for geological storage in China. Discussions with China are progressing well, and we hope to begin awarding contracts for the initial feasibility stage of the project in early 2006.
Key industry players have expressed a strong interest in participating in the nZEC project.
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP)
The UK Government is providing significant further funding to support the activities of the Renewable Energy And Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP).
Following on from the �2.5million the UK provided this year, Defra will be providing a further �2.5 million pounds per year in 2006/7 and 2007/8. In addition, the FCO will be providing funding of �1million in 2006/7 giving a total of �6m from the UK over the coming two years.
The additional funding will provide REEEP with the capabilities to play an important role in helping to take forward the Gleneagles Plan of Action, increase its global reach by further expanding its network of regional secretariats, and support a growing number of individual projects around the world to develop robust policies, favourable, transparent and stable regulatory frameworks, and new forms of financing to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency. This will build on the successful projects REEEP is already delivering on the ground, for example support to a Bangkok based company to establish a � 50 million fund to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in China, India and Southeast Asia.
UK-India Cooperation on Clean Energy Technology
The UK and India announced the launch of a joint study on how to reinforce cooperation on energy technology between developed and developing countries.
The study will work to identify potential policy, regulatory and financing barriers to technology cooperation, how to stimulate innovation in both developed and developing countries, as well as development at the national and international levels.
At the G8 meeting in Gleneagles technology transfer and strengthening of technology cooperation were recognised as necessary to address the challenges posed by climate change. India along with Brazil, China, South Africa and Mexico called for a new approach to international co-operation on clean energy technologies between the developed and developing world.
Further UK Events
The UK is also taking forward events to look in more detail at two areas of the plan of action: energy efficiency and transport.
The International Energy Efficiency conference will be on the 2-3 November, to consult on international elements of European Commission Green Paper on energy efficiency. It will be attended by 40 countries (including all countries attending Dialogue plus EU Member States and accession countries - many of the delegates on 1 November are staying on for this).
The Environmentally Friendly Vehicles Conference will be on the 10-11 November, and will launch a global dialogue on environmentally friendly vehicles, bringing policy makers and industry together to shape the future market for clean and fuel-efficient vehicles. It will be attended by 30 plus countries including all G8 and +5 countries.
And, of course, on 5 and 6 October we hosted an international conference for business on climate change entitled "Climate Change: The Business Forecast".
Over 300 delegates from businesses in the UK, EU, G8 and the key emerging markets were involved in discussions around four main themes: "transport and logistics"; "power and energy"; "consumers, products and buildings"; and "investment and finance". The outputs of these discussions have been collated into a series of "business insights" which have been fed into this G8+Dialogue meeting and will be formally launched at COP/MOP in Montreal in December.
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Notes for editors
1. Carbon capture and storage involves capturing carbon dioxide from the combustion process and storing it underground in geological formations such as aquifiers and depleted oil fields. The technology has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by some 90%.
2. REEEP is a multi-stakeholder partnership launched by the United Kingdom along with other partners at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development in August 2002. It has been developed by a wide range of stakeholders at national and regional levels with an International Secretariat in Vienna and a network of Regional Secretariats. REEEP now has over 30 partner governments and receives financial contributions towards its programme from the UK, Australia, Italy, Germany, Holland and others. All the G8 partners except Russia have now signed up and the US have cited REEEP as an important part of their international work on sustainable energy.
3. REEEP is a successful Partnership with a growing reputation for working globally to spread best practice through international collaboration to overcome barriers to the development of a global market in renewable energy and energy efficiency. This was recognised earlier this year by the G8 in the Gleneagles Plan of Action which explicitly encouraged the important work done by REEEP and other Partnerships.
4. The UK-India study will work to identify potential policy, regulatory and financing barriers to technology cooperation, how to stimulate innovation in both developed and developing countries, as well as development at the national and international levels. The study will report into the next meeting of the Gleneagles Dialogue during 2006. |
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