This country has gone mad. Nearly every TV and news channel is going on about the expenses that all members of parliament have been declaring for the past few months. Meanwhile what good news should be getting through is being muffled by the hysterics of the hyena's in the press.
MOVE ON!
There are bigger issues at stake than who claimed for a trouser press and whose husband (or wife) watched a blue movie whilst staying at a hotel.
Meanwhile - why oh why is the petrol price creeping up so severely again. Now unleaded is almost the same price as diesel whilst the oil barrel price remains quite low. The British people are always getting ripped off. Do something about it!Downsize your cars , take alternative means of transport - work at home twice a week.
Now is the time to change.
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Worst of Recession Over? UK Market
The OECD "Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development" said yesterday that their were indications that the country was experiencing a pause in the economic slowdown.
More importantly the fact that George Soros echoed the positive forecast saying that a meltdown of the world's financial system had been averted was a big tick for confidence in the markets.
Now lets start filtering some of those funds into energy efficiency projects to get people usefully employed again.
More importantly the fact that George Soros echoed the positive forecast saying that a meltdown of the world's financial system had been averted was a big tick for confidence in the markets.
Now lets start filtering some of those funds into energy efficiency projects to get people usefully employed again.
Monday, 11 May 2009
Link of the Week - Bentley Hevacomp Pro EP Cert
Since April 2008, new buildings, major refurbishments and large public buildings throughout England and Wales are required to have an energy certificate to rate the energy performance of the building. There are two types of energy certificates:
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which is required for all buildings when they are constructed, sold or rented.
The Display Energy Certificate (DEC), which is required for large public buildings occupied by public authorities or institutions providing a public service to a large number of people - these will show the actual energy usage of a building and need to be displayed at all times.
Part of the prerequisites for being able to join an energy assessors scheme and therefore become an accredited energy assessor is to be trained and measured on your ability to use your chosen tool for EPC production.
Become an accredited building energy assessor now by registering for Bentley's Hevacomp EP Cert upcoming courses and exams.
For further information go to...
http://www.bentley.com/en-GB/Promo/Hevacomp/Hevacomp+EPcerts+GB.htm?skid=CEO_BN_EN_GOOG_EPCERT&gclid=CMq45LSXtJoCFRC7ZwodQGtfdQ
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which is required for all buildings when they are constructed, sold or rented.
The Display Energy Certificate (DEC), which is required for large public buildings occupied by public authorities or institutions providing a public service to a large number of people - these will show the actual energy usage of a building and need to be displayed at all times.
Part of the prerequisites for being able to join an energy assessors scheme and therefore become an accredited energy assessor is to be trained and measured on your ability to use your chosen tool for EPC production.
Become an accredited building energy assessor now by registering for Bentley's Hevacomp EP Cert upcoming courses and exams.
For further information go to...
http://www.bentley.com/en-GB/Promo/Hevacomp/Hevacomp+EPcerts+GB.htm?skid=CEO_BN_EN_GOOG_EPCERT&gclid=CMq45LSXtJoCFRC7ZwodQGtfdQ
Article of the week - Why the Financial Crisis is Like Energy Inefficiency
Why the Financial Crisis is like Energy Inefficiency
Tom Konrad, Ph.D.
I have a regular column called Greener Money in Smart Energy Living Magazine. The Spring issue just printed, and I'd like to highlight this column, because it discusses ideas I have not written about elsewhere. The column begins:
As people become more aware of how we use energy, many become amazed and appalled at the sheer waste of it. Why are homes built without attention to insulation and sealing that would not only make them more comfortable, but also mean they cost less to live in, even with the slightly larger mortgage payments? Why do most microwaves use more electricity running the integrated clock than they do heating food?
The financial crisis can inspire similar emotions. Why did so many institutional investors buy collateralized debt obligations which they knew they did not understand? Why did regulators assume that these investors understood the risks they were taking? Why did lenders make loans to people without first verifying their ability to pay?
The answers to both sets of questions are surprisingly similar: both are manifestations of market barriers. In the realm of energy, these barriers lead to purchases which might be slightly cheaper in terms of first cost, but come with large ongoing energy costs, far higher than the lower initial cost can justify. In the case of the financial system, these barriers caused the build up of risks which were much greater than could be justified by the potential gains investors might have achieved by taking them on.
What are these barriers?
Read the full article here...
http://smartenergyliving.digitalpubfor.me/issues/1/Page30/
Tom Konrad, Ph.D.
I have a regular column called Greener Money in Smart Energy Living Magazine. The Spring issue just printed, and I'd like to highlight this column, because it discusses ideas I have not written about elsewhere. The column begins:
As people become more aware of how we use energy, many become amazed and appalled at the sheer waste of it. Why are homes built without attention to insulation and sealing that would not only make them more comfortable, but also mean they cost less to live in, even with the slightly larger mortgage payments? Why do most microwaves use more electricity running the integrated clock than they do heating food?
The financial crisis can inspire similar emotions. Why did so many institutional investors buy collateralized debt obligations which they knew they did not understand? Why did regulators assume that these investors understood the risks they were taking? Why did lenders make loans to people without first verifying their ability to pay?
The answers to both sets of questions are surprisingly similar: both are manifestations of market barriers. In the realm of energy, these barriers lead to purchases which might be slightly cheaper in terms of first cost, but come with large ongoing energy costs, far higher than the lower initial cost can justify. In the case of the financial system, these barriers caused the build up of risks which were much greater than could be justified by the potential gains investors might have achieved by taking them on.
What are these barriers?
Read the full article here...
http://smartenergyliving.digitalpubfor.me/issues/1/Page30/
Sunday, 10 May 2009
The Shocking State of the Greenland Ice Sheet
This week I have been to the US for a large career opportunity. On the way over the plane route took us over Iceland and into Greenland before coming through the vast expanse of Canada onto my final destination in San Francisco.
I was truly shocked at the state of the ice sheet over Greenland - every bit of it was cracked and melting. I have traversed this route several times but never seen it so bad. The Earth is telling us something. I felt guilty about having to travel but I have no choice if I want to be fully employed whilst this recession bites.
Anyway - will be back to updating the blog properly next week. Until then adieu.
I was truly shocked at the state of the ice sheet over Greenland - every bit of it was cracked and melting. I have traversed this route several times but never seen it so bad. The Earth is telling us something. I felt guilty about having to travel but I have no choice if I want to be fully employed whilst this recession bites.
Anyway - will be back to updating the blog properly next week. Until then adieu.
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Away for a few days
I will be away for a few days. For those not aware of the H1N1 outbreak please check out the following.
For the latest information about H1N1 Flu...
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/
The World Health Organization (WHO): http://www.who.int/en/
For the latest information about H1N1 Flu...
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/
The World Health Organization (WHO): http://www.who.int/en/
Friday, 17 April 2009
UK Petrol prices soar to 95p a litre...
News Item...
Average petrol prices at the pumps have soared to 95p a litre and are now rising faster than in last spring's fuel-price surge, the AA said.
Including the Government's April 1 fuel duty increase, average UK petrol prices have risen 4.45p in a month.
The AA said that this rise, from 90.56p a litre to 95.01p a litre, had coincided with the price of oil rising about five dollars a barrel.
Yet in the same period last year, when oil prices rose 10 dollars a barrel, petrol only went up 1.3p, from 106.8p a litre to 108.1p a litre.
This spring's leap has increased the cost of a tank of petrol by £2.23, lifting the monthly fuel spend for a family with two petrol cars by £9.65. Petrol prices were last at 95p a litre on November 13 last year.
Diesel drivers have not experienced such a sharp rise, with diesel prices rising over the last month by 2.92p to 102.69p a litre.
The most expensive petrol at present can be found in Northern Ireland where pump prices are averaging 96.4p a litre. The cheapest petrol is in north-west England and in Yorkshire and Humberside where the average for both regions is 94.6p a litre.
AA president Edmund King said: "It is not clear whether it is the stock markets or the oil industry trying to pump up the value of oil. However, with laden tankers moored off-shore as temporary storage indicating major stock surpluses, there is growing concern that the fundamentals of supply and demand are not being reflected in prices."
He went on: "For UK drivers, despite being in a recession, rising fuel costs are again making it hard to make ends meet for UK families. This means they will cut back on other spending in leisure and the high street, undermining economic recovery.
"Increases in fuel duty by the Government are also contributing. Let us hope there is some good news for motorists in the form of a scrappage grant for older cars in next week's budget."
Average petrol prices at the pumps have soared to 95p a litre and are now rising faster than in last spring's fuel-price surge, the AA said.
Including the Government's April 1 fuel duty increase, average UK petrol prices have risen 4.45p in a month.
The AA said that this rise, from 90.56p a litre to 95.01p a litre, had coincided with the price of oil rising about five dollars a barrel.
Yet in the same period last year, when oil prices rose 10 dollars a barrel, petrol only went up 1.3p, from 106.8p a litre to 108.1p a litre.
This spring's leap has increased the cost of a tank of petrol by £2.23, lifting the monthly fuel spend for a family with two petrol cars by £9.65. Petrol prices were last at 95p a litre on November 13 last year.
Diesel drivers have not experienced such a sharp rise, with diesel prices rising over the last month by 2.92p to 102.69p a litre.
The most expensive petrol at present can be found in Northern Ireland where pump prices are averaging 96.4p a litre. The cheapest petrol is in north-west England and in Yorkshire and Humberside where the average for both regions is 94.6p a litre.
AA president Edmund King said: "It is not clear whether it is the stock markets or the oil industry trying to pump up the value of oil. However, with laden tankers moored off-shore as temporary storage indicating major stock surpluses, there is growing concern that the fundamentals of supply and demand are not being reflected in prices."
He went on: "For UK drivers, despite being in a recession, rising fuel costs are again making it hard to make ends meet for UK families. This means they will cut back on other spending in leisure and the high street, undermining economic recovery.
"Increases in fuel duty by the Government are also contributing. Let us hope there is some good news for motorists in the form of a scrappage grant for older cars in next week's budget."
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