Decentralised Approach to Energy Planning

Decentralised approach to energy planning

In early 2006, there were just 82,000 micro-generation units installed in the UK, but demand is increasing. Between last October, when B&Q started selling micro wind turbines, and Christmas the stores sold 1,500 units. Solar demand has also increased, especially from homebuilders. Barriers - No one doubts that micro-generation has potential, but there are barriers to overcome. A 2005 study commissioned by the DTI from the Energy Saving Trust suggested that by 2050, micro-generation could provide 30%-40% of the UK's electricity needs and help reduce annual household carbon emissions by 15%. But it added: "Units must be installed by consumers in their millions. This will require a new, highly decentralised approach to energy planning and policy."

“Deforestation is a phenomenom of state ownership, not of genuine capitalism. Trees in Nigeria,”


UK food production: emissions

The UK’s carbon dioxide (CO2) output – the country’s carbon footprint – is much in discussion; and food production and consumption activities overall account for 13% of the UK’s emissions. ‘Food miles’ is one element of that, but no more than a quarter of the total.1 The methane produced by livestock and the nitrous oxide created by manure and crop fertilizers are, however, intrinsically more damaging than CO2 in their greenhouse effects.2 A move towards the emissions based economy envisaged would almost certainly require changes in farming practices and would have a clear impact on the UK’s dairy and wheat supply networks, the farming elements of which currently account for 36% and 66% respectively of the UK’s methane and nitrous oxide totals.3

1 I. Herbert and J. Brown, ‘Study calculates precise damage Britons cause to the environment’, The Independent, 9 December 2006.
See also http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/about/presscentre/061206_Carbonfootprint.htm

2 Methane is calculated to be 23 times more potent, while nitrous oxide is 296 times more potent. Source: FAO report.

3 http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/globatmos/gagccukem.htm


Minimum Wage Factor
A minimum wage law likely to reduce the levels of current employment, even where unemployment is falling in the economy overall, it will still raise the unemployment level over what it would otherwise have been. But what will happen if wages can easily be driven down is that there will be disproportionate exploitation. This is a possible error to imagine that the market has no mind, dynamic or slack. The concept of "satisficing" is acceptable even in rigorous monetarist thought and the most distinctive feature of any company.
If that avenue to the correct level of achievement is blocked then other avenues will be more tempting, ideally adding value to the staff so as to justify the wage. it is wrong to think that companies operate at the maximum possible profit – while at all levels hitting targets is the aim , not exceeding them..(then they will be moved)
Theoretically we end up with a high value economy rather than a low value resource.
Obviously there is a balance but to invite the market to operate in an easy and exploitative way would be far out of step with the last 150 years of progress in protecting Labour. We do not want to go back to Victorian Laissez Faire; neither would those having energetically changed it.
Source: BUSINESS COMMENT , TELEGRAPH, 11 FEB



Social Capital
Most worrying part of UNICEF’s report on Children is :” The report presents a sad picture of relationships with friends, which are so important to children. Not much more than 40% of the UK's 11, 13 and 15-year-olds find their peers "kind and helpful", which is the worst score of all the developed countries”.