Energy
Addressing everyday and long term needs
The use of energy has many impacts on our quality of life. Some affect us on a daily basis, such as managing energy bills, trying to stay warm in the winter or cool in summer. Others, like climate change, have longer term affects. Renewable energy can benefit both positively.
Sources of energy in the United Kingdom
The UK relies upon carbon-based fossil fuels for the majority of its energy sources. Coal and gas supply power stations to generate electrical energy distributed to homes and industry via the national grid. It is also used to heat homes and workplaces directly. A smaller amount of electrical demand is met by nuclear power stations, wind turbines and solar power.
The Impact of Energy Consumption & Efficiency
When coal and gas are burnt for energy, carbon dioxide (CO2) is released together with a range of other gases including greenhouse gases. These are now accepted as the cause of climate change, a key challenge councils must respond to. As such, we will now report carbon dioxide emissions produced from consumption instead of Energy Efficiency in Homes and Public Buildings (Indicators EN1 & EN2).
Energy consumption in the residential sector1
Table 1: 2004 gas consumption and carbon dioxide produced as a result in each district (residential sector)
| District | Gas consumption Gwh2 | C02 tonnes produced |
|---|---|---|
| Broxbourne | 445 | 84,550 |
| Dacorum | 956 | 181,640 |
| East Hertfordshire | 939 | 178,410 |
| Hertsmere | 814 | 154,660 |
| North Hertfordshire | 940 | 178,600 |
| St Albans | 1,230 | 233,700 |
| Stevenage | 518 | 98,420 |
| Three Rivers | 794 | 150,860 |
| Watford | 657 | 124,830 |
| Welwyn Hatfield | 871 | 165,490 |
| County | 8,164 | 1,551,160 |
Source: DTI 2006, Conversion Values: Carbon Trust LA Carbon
Management programme and Watford Borough Council
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Table 2: 2004 Electricity consumption and carbon dioxide produced as a result in each district (residential sector)
| District | Electricity consumption Gwh2 | C02 tonnes produced |
|---|---|---|
| Broxbourne | 185 | 79,550 |
| Dacorum | 286 | 122,980 |
| East Hertfordshire | 314 | 135,020 |
| Hertsmere | 205 | 88,150 |
| North Hertfordshire | 257 | 11,510 |
| St Albans | 277 | 119,110 |
| Stevenage | 146 | 62,780 |
| Three Rivers | 184 | 79,120 |
| Watford | 162 | 69,660 |
| Welwyn Hatfield | 205 | 88,150 |
| County | 2,221 | 955,030 |
Source: DTI 2006, Conversion Values: Carbon Trust LA Carbon
Management programme and Watford Borough Council
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Looking at energy consumption levels and CO2 produced, it is clear we first need to reduce our energy demand in order that the relative CO2 produced is lowered. The primary stage in the Energy Hierarchy (see Building Futures9), this is the most effective way to reduce the environmental impact of buildings.
One scheme that has helped county householders to reduce their demand is Warmer Homes Greener Herts3. By giving advice on loft and cavity wall insulation and providing grants of up to £2700, it has enabled residents to make energy-saving home improvements and cut their annual home energy bills by up to £250. Details are available via our website or by calling 0800 8048777. In addition to reducing demand by purchasing materials or energy-efficient appliances, we can also reduce demand for free. By unplugging unused phone chargers or appliances on stand-by and by using natural sources of ventilation and daylight, we can easily reduce demand without cost.
Other ways we can indirectly reduce the impact of our energy demand globally on a personal level includes, for example, reducing water use. Processing and transporting water requires energy, just like the consumption of many items in the home.
Energy consumption in the commercial sector
The government has also set targets for CO2 reductions in other sectors such as industry and transport in the Energy White Paper4. This requires the UK to reduce emissions by 60% before 2050.
Assistance to meet government targets
To reach the targets many issues need addressing. Non-governmental organisations that support and provide advisory services to assist with this include The Energy Saving Trust5, The Carbon Trust6, the DTI's Low Carbon Buildings Programme7 and Hertfordshire's buying consortium8. Both public and private sector can benefit from using these; not only to facilitate CO2 reduction and its harmful effect on the environment but in realising significant economic benefits. For example, large users can learn how to buy energy collectively through a consortia, specify a "green" electrical tariff and invest in energy-saving technologies such as combined heat and power, solar panels and wind turbines.
Planning and housing authorities have also been preparing to assist organisations and individuals to meet carbon reduction targets so policies and guidance are being developed to reflect this need. The County Council, for example, has developed a building design guide called 'Building Futures'9.
Table 3: 2004 Gas consumption and carbon dioxide produced as a result in each district in the commercial sector
| District | Gas consumption Gwh2 | C02 tonnes produced |
|---|---|---|
| Broxbourne | 197 | 37,430 |
| Dacorum | 622 | 118,180 |
| East Hertfordshire | 514 | 97,660 |
| Hertsmere | 439 | 83,410 |
| North Hertfordshire | 387 | 735,530 |
| St Albans | 491 | 93,290 |
| Stevenage | 386 | 73,340 |
| Three Rivers | 294 | 55,860 |
| Watford | 251 | 47,690 |
| Welwyn Hatfield | 559 | 106,210 |
| County | 4,140 | 786,600 |
Source: DTI 2006, Conversion Values: Carbon Trust LA Carbon
Management programme and Watford Borough Council
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Table 4: 2004 Electricity consumption and carbon dioxide produced as a result in each district in the commercial sector
| District | Gas consumption Gwh2 | C02 tonnes produced |
|---|---|---|
| Broxbourne | 189 | 81,270 |
| Dacorum | 345 | 148,350 |
| East Hertfordshire | 401 | 172,430 |
| Hertsmere | 298 | 128,140 |
| North Hertfordshire | 280 | 120,400 |
| St Albans | 239 | 102,770 |
| Stevenage | 326 | 140,180 |
| Three Rivers | 189 | 81,270 |
| Watford | 292 | 125,560 |
| Welwyn Hatfield | 367 | 157,810 |
| County | 2,926 | 1,258,180 |
Source: DTI 2006, Conversion Values: Carbon Trust LA Carbon
Management programme and Watford Borough Council
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By becoming aware of carbon emissions levels and the source, everyone can consider the impact the source creates and take steps to reduce reliance upon it. We can also make a substantial reduction in fossil fuel use by taking advice and advantage of the new Renewable Energy technologies - commercial progress is shown on the next page and details on payback is given in the climate change section). In reducing demand on traditional fuels, households not only reduce their environmental impact but reduce their risk to cold-related illnesses, raise their disposable income and improve their quality of life.
Renewable energy and the planning process
The DTI invited the preparation of regional and county renewable energy targets in 1999. The target proposed for the county by the East of England SDRT10 was 153 GWh produced from renewable energy sources by 2010. Currently there are about 450,000 homes in the county with an expectation in the regional plan to provide a further 83,200 homes (see Future Land Use). An average household, i.e. 2 adults and 2 children, uses around 0.022GWh of energy per year. Consequently 153GWh represents the energy requirements of about 7,000 homes.
To address how the renewable energy target might be met, Hertfordshire's local authorities engaged consultants to identify its potential in the county. The outcome of this was the 2005 Entec Report11. This concludes that whilst the county has the technical potential to meet the target, for many technologies, developers are largely constrained by financial viability and planning policy is key to encouraging adoption. This is particularly true for onshore wind. Additionally, it also found that supportive planning policy was needed to attract both large and small scale renewable energy. Given the number of new dwellings proposed and the revised Building Regulations12, great opportunities therefore exist for energy and CO2 reduction in new homes. Planning officers in the county are currently in the process of developing supportive policies for these.
Progress in generating renewable energy
The table below shows the commercial levels of energy generated through renewable sources in the eastern region in October 2006 was limited. Details of planned and operational renewable energy development are available from Renewables East14. Non-commercial (micro-generation) installations are difficult to monitor so indicators for these are not produced, but they remain an important part of reducing carbon emissions. Further information can be obtained via the DTI's Low Carbon Buildings Programme, website details are given below15.
Commercial generation of power from renewable energy sources in the eastern region to October 2006
| Energy Source | Cambs | Norfolk | Suffolk | Essex | Herts | Beds | Non-County Specific | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind - Offshore | 60.000 | 60.000 | ||||||
| Wind - Onshore | 34.450 | 7.050 | 2.750 | - | 0.225 | - | 44.475 | |
| Biomass | 36.850 | 41.500 | 14.316 | - | - | - | 17.734 | 110.000 |
| Gas - Landfill | 16.454 | 13.952 | 8.463 | 67.054 | 4.000 | 56.173 | 166.096 | |
| Gas - Sewage | 0.270 | 1.000 | - | 0.270 | 1.480 | 0.555 | 3.575 | |
| Total | 384.546 |
Source: Renewables East for Wind, Energy Trends for Biomass and OFGEM for other technologies
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Meeting future energy demands
If just 10% of the average household energy demand was met by incorporating renewable technologies into new homes the county could meet its proposed renewable energy target. The real challenge lies in reducing the energy requirements of existing dwellings.13
1 Conversion Factor: Gas: 0.19, Electricity: 0.43 as per the Carbon Trust
Local Authority Carbon Management Programme
2 Multiply by 100,000 to relate to a home energy bill, displayed in Kwh
3 See Warmer homes greener herts
4 See DTI website
5 See Energy Savings Trust
6 See www.carbontrust.co.uk or call 0800 065 2005
7 See www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk
8 See Central Buying Consortium
9 A Hertfordshire guide to promoting sustainability in development. This will become available online in 2007.
See draft.
10 See Sustainable Development Round Table
11 See 'Renewable Energy Options for Hertfordshire'
12 Part L concerning Conservation of Fuel and Power
13 Acknowledged in the White Paper 'Our Energy Future - Creating a
Low Carbon Economy' (DTI 2003)
14 See www.renewableseast.org.uk
15 See www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk