Category: Efficiency
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SMART Meters consistently disappoint
Almost everyone that has had a SMART Meter installed has been underwhelmed by the result. The generation 1 smart meters were anything but smart. Bizarrely, the meters could only be read by the energy company that had installed it. This is a particularly perverse outcome. A whole industry was created around customers switching utility suppliers,…
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Reasons to achieve Energy Independence
If you want to insure yourself from external price shocks, you too should consider investing in a home energy system.
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The “sunk cost fallacy” of gas heating
The principle reason to go down the hydrogen route is because we have an extensive existing grid network for distributing gas, a professional trade body that is experienced in supplying and fitting central heating boilers, and a customer base that is well adapted to benefit from gas fired central heating. These are the sunk costs.…
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“To what extent are governments the driving force of change?”
Governments are not (and never have been) the driving force of change. Private enterprise drives innovation. These changes to how we heat and power our homes are happening now, irrespective of government U-turns.
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Energy-Stats.UK – an excellent “hobby” blog
Energy-stats.uk is an excellent blog. It shows what is possible when it comes to de-carbonising a UK home. But more than that, it shows you the data behind each project. Here are a few thoughts about what we can learn from projects like these.
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Heat Pumps are greener than burning gas under all circumstances
It is a common criticism of Heat Pumps that if the electricity they use isn’t green, then the heat pump itself isn’t green. Robert Howarth completely debunks this criticism in his 2016 paper on the topic. The normal way to heat water using gas is worse for green house gas emissions that a heat pump,…
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Energy Efficiency versus Energy Conservation
Energy Conservation measures require behavioural change, which is very difficult to accomplish. Energy Efficiency harnesses the improvements in technology to deliver the same output at reduced cost – to the environment and your wallet. Explore this idea here.
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The Financial Independence case for Solar PV
Let’s explore the case for investing in Solar and Battery Storage from the perspective of someone seeking financial independence, keen to minimise their income tax bill and to permanently reduce their living costs.
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Does smart thermostat technology encourage inefficient heating behaviour?
Smart thermostats offer the ability to control your heating much more intricately than a traditional wall mounted thermostat. But does this capability actually increase efficiency? The smart thermostat speaks to our tech enabled Amazon generation. You want heat immediately? No problem. You can boost the heating whilst on the tube on the way home. But…
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Your gas boiler – replace, repair or switch to heat pump?
As your boiler gets older, it will require maintenance. How do you decide whether to repair or replace your boiler, or should you switch to using a heat pump?