It has been estimated that if the hot air and wind generated from one politician could be harnessed for one month it would create enough energy to close one coal fired power station per month. Think now what could be achieved by harnessing the hot air and wind generated by several politicians.
Always bear in mind that whatever happens to energy prices the government benefits from increased tax revenue!
This in part may explain why grants for Renewable Energy Systems are so poor unless of course your plan includes blighting an area of outstanding natural beauty with a field of bright white wind turbines. There is no need to build obtrusive wind farms when smaller wind turbines could be fitted to existing structures (electricity Pylons with minimal fuss) , such pylons already exist in their tens of thousands in suitable high wind areas and Electricity could be dripped into the grid. This would be less contentious and dare we say it sensible. We believe the technology exists to do this if not the will and the grants, yet!
The real answer is not in large scale wind farms, which attract grants from here there and everywhere for companies who don't really need the money, but in DIY small scale 'in my backyard solutions.' The problem being by implication that the 'power' and control pass from the utility generators to the individual with his DIY energy source, enabling our empowered householder to show two fingers to the utility and two more to the government.
There really is no good reason why evacuated solar hot water tube panels, for domestic systems, are not seen on the rooftops of every property here in the U.K. Arguably if every penny from every grant spent on wind farms here in the U.K had been diverted into domestic evacuated tube solar hot water panel installations and training facilities tens of thousands of houses would already be enjoying this tried and tested technology and carbon emissions would be reduced.
Why do so many electricians who would like to drive the DIY Wind Turbine market forward find it virtually impossible to find any training facility running Grid Tie Wind Turbine courses for domestic and small scale installations. This is choking growth in this sector. Similarly this is the choke point for evacuated solar hot water system installation.
For the householder one RE source may not be the answer however a combination of systems can have a big effect in helping to dramatically reduce fuel costs as part of an overall 'home strategy' generating home energy and saving energy with suitable devices simultaneously.
PV panels - forget it unless you live off grid. This type of electrical energy generation is not cost effective even with a grant, as things stand currently here in the U.K. Panel prices are high due to the comparatively distorted demand from countries offering large grants for this type of technology namely the U.S, Germany and Japan - New Stirling Engine Energy systems will arguably obsolete these panels in many instances over the coming years.
Ground source heat pumps and evacuated solar hot water systems should be made compulsory for every new build home linked to under floor heating systems.
Consider tree shaker mini generators and wave bobbers, a whole forest canopy could be linked to these devices which generate electricity when the wind moves the tree canopy and are a lot less obtrusive than wind turbines.
The truth is that were individual householders to incorporate as many RE solutions as possible into their properties as well as energy saving solutions this would arguably add value to their property, much the same as replacement windows and conservatories have done.
Let us face up to facts in 10 years time what will energy prices be like?
Its no good politicians substituting a wind turbine where in the past there would have been a baby kissing photo opportunity.... that's just hot air. If every home in the U.K were given a grant to fit radiator insulation panels behind their wet radiators (costing less than £65 to do 8 -10 radiators), which most of us still use as the primary source of space heating, this would save 10 -15 % off the heating bill. Multiply that by the number of homes and this proves that you don't always need a sledgehammer to crack a nut. But what would that relate to in terms of lost tax revenue for the treasury? Where there's a way there isn't always a will!!
