The Rail, Engineering, Energy, Renewables, Power Blog

We hear a lot these days about climate change and the effects it will have in the future if we don’t cut our carbon emissions.

But what about the here and now? The world is already witnessing more destructive tropical cyclones, with much stronger winds. Just ask anyone who lives in or around Manila. Typhoon Ketsana, or Ondoy as it was known locally, wreaked havoc on Saturday when it struck landfall on the northern island of Luzon. 80% of the capital was under water within six hours and the cleanup operation is set to take several weeks.

The heavy rain brought by Ondoy inundated the homes of nearly 1.9 million people in Metro Manila and surrounding areas. The death toll currently stands at 246 and nearly 380,000 people have sought shelter in schools, churches and other evacuation centres. (more…)

The annual labour party conference got underway in Brighton on Sunday.

Speaking on the first day of the conference, Ed Miliband, the climate change secretary, called on all Labour councils to sign up to the 10:10 campaign and cut their carbon emissions by 10% by next year. (more…)

There was good news for the north east of England on Wednesday when energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband announced that the world’s largest wind turbine blades are to be made in the UK, after the government awarded a £4.4m grant to help finance plans for a new manufacturing project.

Miliband said that US-based offshore wind firm Clipper Windpower Marine Limited would receive the money to support its Britannia Project to build a prototype 70m blade for offshore wind turbines that will be bigger than the Blackpool tower and will weigh more than 30 tonnes. (more…)

A third of people would pay more for a home that had been fitted with a renewable energy source.

Research released last week by the Energy Saving Trust reveals that a third of Britons are happy to speculate to accumulate when it comes to house buying decisions.

Of those polled, a third (35%) said they would be willing to pay more for a home where some of their energy supply came from renewable resources such as wind, solar or hydropower. (more…)

New proposals announced last week by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband are set to unblock delays in the connection of renewable energy developments to the national grid. Around 60 gigawatts of power capacity across the UK is now awaiting connection.

The fortunes of hill sheep farming have changed dramatically as a result of booming prices at the autumn sheep sales. Despite improved profits from sheep, the best enterprise for a hill farm is still a group of wind turbines. (more…)