Tuesday 5 July 2011

Energy in all its forms

I have been quite focussed on energy given Transition Poole were asked to lead the bid to Energy Share for Tidal Power in Poole Harbour. Think it is a great idea, although I have a slight worry about whether the energy levels are scalable to enable us to cover the inevitably long-drawn out and costly environmental and other work. Will update our progress over at http://transitionpoole.org.uk/?page_id=725 We have made a great start, and raised lots of local interest.

I spoke at the planning inquiry back in the spring into the 4 wind turbines at East Holne, to the West of Wareham. Initially approved subject to conditions http://transitionpoole.org.uk/?p=541 Bitterly disappointed that the nimbies subsequently squashed it (some coming from so far away that they needed maps and directions). So short sighted. I suspect the developer will win on appeal and certainly deserves to in my view.

Am interested in the Eneco offshore wind proposals for West of Wight/Dorset Coast. These can be seen  at http://corporateuk.eneco.nl/outlook_and_strategy/innovation/Pages/TheEnecoWindPark.aspx No specific details as yet.

I would much rather this off our coast than any reliance on nuclear power stations, yet am partly worried about their proposal for the following practical reason. I passed through this whole area on my only trip to France in my boat on the way in deep fog, and on the way back in a howling gale. Arrays of solid poles to hit limits choices for a small yacht.

Also, was alerted today to an interesting series of articles about renewable energy inteligence http://eeru.open.ac.uk/renew_online.htm.

And I have finally got around to talking to a local company about how I can better insulate and heat my drafty old house. Great chat with a very knowlegable supplier, who confirmed some of the things I had thought not worth doing, and identified several principles I had partly worked out. Although I was left at the end thinking - you haven't measured anything closely, and you haven't given me any prices.

So I popped in to their showrooms on my bike, in the rain tonight, just before they closed. Very helpful, but Simon, another Poole Transitioner, who shares meter readings on the imeasure.org.uk website, was also there looking at woodburners. It seems the competition is on !

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