ENERGY MATTERS

[plaques]

Last sunday saw us wake up to a flood of water in the utility room. A pipe inside the central heating boiler had ruptured. Nothing we could do only switch the water and power off and mop up the flood. Placed a call to Wilkin plumbers, Barlick, just to register the problem. Followed this up on monday and got the reply, " Yes I've got your message, we've got a load of work lined up but we will see what we can do". Later, "can you be in this afternoon? Tom arrives, strips the unit down and sees that the water had drowned the controlling circuit board, this is as big as a motherboard on a computer, rushes back to base for a replacement. Dried it all down and fitted the new board then checked all the ancillary electrics to see if they were still working. List of new parts ordered from the supplier. Now it was just a case of sitting back waiting. Late next day tuesday Tom appears again with the parts fits them all plus anything suspect along with a full service. At 5 pm central heating is up and running.
Fantastic service from a local firm, Thank you Jane and Tom.

[Big Kev]

Excellent service

[PanBiker]

I can also vouch for Wilkins. We had a need a few years ago for some extra radiators fitting. So we thought we would get them done during the summer. I rang the contact number and got Jane who told me they were on a beach in Greece on their holidays! I was very apologetic and wished them the best for the rest of the holiday and that I would contact them when they got back. Two days later one of the lads rocked up for an appraisal of what we needed, we got an estimate the day after and had the job done and sorted before they got back of holiday. All Jane had to do was to send us the bill. Smashing service. We are going to re-jig our bathroom at some point in the future. I have a good idea who will be getting the job.

[Stanley]

Good to know. I've known the family for years.....

[Stanley]

BG site healed itself. My energy use for March is £102, almost exactly the same as February. It will be paid on 15th April and I have no debit apart from current usage. I like it this way!

[Tizer]

A BBC report this morning says: `The UK should lead the global fight against climate change by cutting greenhouse gases to nearly zero by 2050, a report says. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) maintains this can be done at no added cost from previous estimates.' Further down the article it states: `The report also has one controversial recommendation: to turn down the home thermostat to 19C in winter.' The CCC has blundered on this point. It should be recommending that all radiators are fitted with TRVs so that the living room can be set high while other rooms are kept at lower temperatures. There's no need to feel cold in the main living area. It would also encourage families to spend more time together, as in the past!

Also in the report, is this: `Many of us will convert our natural gas boilers to hydrogen boilers'. This prompted me to look further and I found these two pages about hydrogen boilers: The Engineer and The Hy4Heat Programme

[Stanley]

I noted that 19C setting as well Tiz. My main thermostat is set on 18C winter and summer and I never turn the boiler off, just leave it for the thermostat to make the decisions. My living room (the kitchen) is always above 18C because of the heat from cooking and the fridge (currently 20C). If the front room (North facing) feels cold I put a cardigan on! Listening to the list, I reflected that I do not use air travel, have no car and walk to where I want to go in the town. I also conserve water and if someone came up with a viable alternative to the gas boiler I would look at it very carefully. They tell me that some have the thermostat set at 22C! That would feel uncomfortably warm to me but then I don't wander round the house with hardly anything on..... I wear my normal clothes.
So, I suspect I am not 'average'!?

[Tizer]

All this was new to me - interesting technology.
`Could high-flying drones power your home one day?' LINK

[Whyperion]

Stanley , you also have a house that has a maximum of two external walls, mums flat has three - and is perched at nearly a comparable elevation to Barnoldswick, and three of the last houses I have been in have had three - so I suppose terraced houses should be more efficient than semi and detached.

[Stanley]

They are and back to backs even better.
Never seen them before Tiz. Interesting idea which looks feasible. Then there are tidal barrages......

[Stanley]

I tried the BG site again this morning, terribly slow but it let me in. Last month's total energy bill reflects the changing weather, it is £75.59 and will be paid around the 14th of the month.

[Big Kev]

Things are moving forward with regard to SMETS1 meters communicating via the DCC. This will provide a central point so all suppliers will be able to communicate with all suitable devices. Watch this space...

[chinatyke]

Britain has gone a week without burning coal for electricity for the first time since the 19th century.
Power operator National Grid says coal hasn't contributed to the U.K. electricity mix since the afternoon of May 1.
The landmark was reached two years after Britain had its first coal-free day since the Industrial Revolution.
Fintan Slye, director of National Grid Electricity System Operator, said Wednesday that coal-free power would become the 'new normal' as Britain generates more power from wind, solar and other renewable sources.

[Stanley]

Good news indeed Kev but let us not forget that the biomass powered stations are less carbon efficient than coal and they are contributing. Time to clap is when they are shut as well.....

[plaques]

that the biomass powered stations are less carbon efficient than coal and they are contributing.

Much of the biomass is coming from America where trees are dying through disease possibly aggravated by temperature change. The argument goes that this wood would only decay to carbon so why not burn it? and make a bit of profit. The problem is that this speeds up the carbon cycle giving you less time to take remedial action. The big Satan strikes again.

[Stanley]

That's what the wood industry says but there is evidence that a lot of healthy young growth is being felled to supply the market. These trees are at the stage where they sequester the most carbon. Then there is the transport and the question of dependence on imports....
The general opinion seems to be that the Biomass Project was an extremely well run and successful lobbying exercise to protect the investment in power stations like Drax. The evidence on carbon cost is not seriously disputed. In other words as you say The big Satan strikes again.

[Whyperion]

that the biomass powered stations are less carbon efficient than coal and they are contributing.

Much of the biomass is coming from America where trees are dying through disease possibly aggravated by temperature change. The argument goes that this wood would only decay to carbon so why not burn it? and make a bit of profit. The problem is that this speeds up the carbon cycle giving you less time to take remedial action. The big Satan strikes again.

Though most of the UK biomass was coming from the Nordic Countries or straw based ?

[Stanley]

May's energy bill has arrived. It's £59, £21 less than the same month last year.... Looks as though I did something right!

[Pluggy]

that the biomass powered stations are less carbon efficient than coal and they are contributing.

Much of the biomass is coming from America where trees are dying through disease possibly aggravated by temperature change. The argument goes that this wood would only decay to carbon so why not burn it? and make a bit of profit. The problem is that this speeds up the carbon cycle giving you less time to take remedial action. The big Satan strikes again.

Though most of the UK biomass was coming from the Nordic Countries or straw based ?

Most of the UK's biomass is Drax power station who have their own subsiduary : https://www.draxbiomass.com/

[plaques]

From the site posted by Pluggy.
The wood pellet process starts with wood fibre
Quote . Trucks arrive at the plant carrying one of the following loads: low-grade roundwood such as thinnings and diseased or misshapen trees; wood chips produced from harvesting residuals, including branches and treetops; sawdust and similar by-products from other wood product manufacturing operations; or bark. The roundwood is delivered to the woodyard where it is staged for processing, while the wood chips and sawdust and delivered directly to the woodchip pile. Meanwhile, the bark is delivered to a separate area where it is stored for use as fuel for the woodchip dryer.

The proportions of each class of wood usage it not quoted. It looks like they use any byproduct of wood manufacture as part of the 'chip' manufacture. No doubt burning bark to dry the wood also contributes to the carbon footprint.

[Tripps]

What I took to be a small local wood, was totally chopped down and cleared in the last couple of months. It resembled a piece of cleared rain forest afterwards, and I was a bit put out.
I contrasted the 'Tree Preservation Order' regime with this action, and was indignant.

I then looked back at google earth and saw this The wood

Looks like the trees have been grown as a crop - hopefully they will be replanted, and off we go again. I didn't know this was a 'thing' in this area of England.

[PanBiker]

Interesting Tripps, what kind of trees are, (were) they?

Is there a company name or anything on the access points that you could Google?

[Tripps]

Interesting Tripps, what kind of trees are, (were) they?

Is there a company name or anything on the access points that you could Google?

I don't know what kind of tree, except they all look the same, and there are no clues at the site. I'll ask around. I've just popped down to photograph it.

P1000769.JPG

P1000771.JPG

[plaques]

Tripps, have you tried this site. There's a good chance that it could be covered on this map but if has never changed hands Aristocratic holdings. it may not be in the Land Registry maps.

http://map.whoownsengland.org/

[Tripps]

Yes - thanks for that - I've had a look, but the owner isn't shown. My interest was mainly in the use of the land rather than the owner, and now I've seen that the trees were probably grown for their timber, and (I'd guess) they will be replanted, I'm OK with that.