I suggest one "plank" for a "Green Energy" campaign in the Local Elections - that of returning to Local Authorities the responsibility for some - if not all - energy provision within their area. As was the case in the days of the local gasworks.
Energy transmission losses could be greatly reduced, and CHP projects - including those using waste as the energy input - set on with advantage. Local Hydropower could be harnessed once more. This could have very beneficial effects on countering Climate Change. Council Tax could be reduced or possibly even eliminated ?
The fact that this is not so was adversely commented on in the House of Lords Science & Technology Committtee's reports, see
http://www.publications.parliament.u...h/ldsctech.htm
Mention was made there of the work at Leicester and Woking "which received scant help from government" !! A summary of a comparison between the Draft Climate Change Bill and the HoL reports is aavailable.
There is also the Ludlow Food Waste Digester Project,
www.greenfinch.co.uk
On a specific technology, Solar PV, the USA is starting to follow Germany in considerable activity in this field, see
http://energy.seekingalpha.com/article/29269
DOE Invests $168 Million in 13 Industry-Led Solar Energy Projects
see also
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sunball
which technology is on offer in Australia at a basic cost of around £650/DC kW
New Zealand has just announced a new technology which could be even more economical
This is relevant to the UK as in February 1998 Lord Clinton-Davis gave a reply to Lord Liverpool about the Solar PV potential for the UK being greater than the then electricity demand. See House of Lords proceedings for Feb 1998. The report cited was I believe that from ETSU, see
http://www.aea-energy-and-environment.co.uk/
and ask for report etsu -R-82 1994 solar pv
It would be feasible and now I suggest economical for Local Authorities to "rent" the roof space of Council Tax Payers, rewarding them with an electricity supply, and selling the surplus to fund Local Authority activity. Thus reducing the tax burdens on the community
As regards Nuclear, long term this may well be required, - especially to supply rail transport- but should in my view be linked to some enterprise which could make use of the waste heat. [In summer one can make "cold" from heat by adsorption refigeration]
best regards
Andrew Stobart, BSc Chem Eng, Secretary Grünhaus Project, Liverpool,
Orleton, Ludlow, SY8 4HU 01 568 780837
www.grunweb.org.uk http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/aferrand
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