Lower Carbon – Bigger Bucks!

‘In late 2009 Northamptonshire and “motorsport valley” scored a major lower carbon – bigger bucks triumph. The British Grand Prix is reputed to be worth some £54 million per year to the local economy; and in 2009, with the support of Northamptonshire County Council, a 17 year deal was signed between Silverstone and Formula One Management. It was recently stated that F1 drivers had travelled 53,248 air miles for the final five races of 2010; and that’s before they burn any fuel in their F1 cars. By keeping the grand prix at Silverstone and by discouraging Bernie Ecclestone from “exporting” yet another European grand prix to the other side of the world, we have actually saved the emission of millions of tonnes of carbon-dioxide, plus a wide range of other pollutants from the aircraft used by F1 race teams and spectators.

One single Boeing 747-400 carries 45,000 imperial gallons of kerosene; this quantity of jet fuel weighs around 163 metric tonnes and results in the emission of 522 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide. At 32,000 feet this has between two and four times the global warming impact of the same emission at sea level; say the equivalent of 1566 metric tonnes! However, the F1 “circus” doesn’t make only one flight, or use just one Boeing 747; and 40,000 spectators would require around one hundred B747 aircraft.

In June 2010, the FIA decided that F1 events should be rescheduled to reduce the use of air transport. So we can be thankful that the F1 aeronautical-environmental impact message, which originated in Northamptonshire, was so effectively used by DCMS and ministers of the previous government, to help save the British Grand Prix. However, this is just one step towards protecting the environment from plain stupid emissions.

The motorsport industry should also be driving the green automotive agenda fast forward. Cranfield University, Lotus, Ford and GM had all endorsed the concepts before January 2000. Then GM created the Opel Eco-Speedster in Germany, using Lotus aluminium platforms. This car achieved 155 mph and 113 mpg on the standard cycle in 2002; today Shell is promoting “FuelSave” while BP is investing in Canadian tar sands!

In 2003 it seemed that Patricia Hewitt, the Secretary of State at the DTI, had grasped the key messages. However, then we had the total façade of “Energy Efficient Motor Sport,” (EEMS) which commenced in 2003. They rushed off in all the wrong directions; and the programme was wound up in March 2009. Yet the resources for real British Racing Green formulae are still here; and there is much we can learn from aviation technology. There is greater efficiency to come out of diesel and spark ignition engines, particularly if you examine aero-engine history and the technologies which are currently banned by the motorsport regulators. The Ilmor “5-stroke” engine appears to be a prime candidate for eco-motorsport competitions; and there are a range of other efficient possibilities.

There are established links between cancers and the aromatics, which are added to gasolines. The health risks associated with synthetic lubricants have also become evident in aviation. In the USA, IndyCar racing uses transport grade ethanol; and improvements in air quality are high on the American racing agenda. Ethanol has proved to be an exceptional two-stroke fuel; take the poisons out of the fuel tank and you significantly reduce the poisons in the exhaust gases. Here Northamptonshire is in “pole position” and the Cougar Red ethanol powered two-stroke motorcycle, developed in Kettering, beat 34 Honda competition motorcycles at Donington Park in July 2009.

Motorsport today covers everything from karting to truck racing; yet there is no form of motorsport which actually drives fuel efficiency fast forward. We race “touring cars,” why aren’t we racing with eco-sports cars? We already have all of the “corner-stones and building blocks” within motorsport valley. Look at the expertise here in light-weight materials, light-weight power-trains, aerodynamics and various automotive technologies. However, you can’t play rugby using the rules of football; and you can’t have fuel efficient motorsport, using the archaic gas-guzzling regulations from a previous millennium.

The motorsport regulations “weren’t cut in stone by almighty God and given to Mosley to bring down the British Motorsport Mountain.” We should recall that at Silverstone in 2006, Max Mosley told us “saving fuel, saving energy is absolutely fundamental,” yet 1986 had been Energy Efficiency Year in Britain. We’ve recently reduced F1’s use of aviation fuel; we should now be aiming to drive forward real energy efficiency within two and four wheel motorsport. There is substantial funding available for the “green” automotive agenda; and companies in Northamptonshire should be in pole position.

David Cameron has recently stated that Britain must “create and innovate;” the Prime Minister has also been promoting the sciences. A creative, innovative and scientific approach has been applied to help save the British Grand Prix. When will we start to exploit the resources which are here, in a relevant, creative, innovative and scientific manner, to benefit the environment and to help with the arrival of peak oil and gas?

This unique performance engineering cluster described as Britain’s “motorsport valley” conveniently straddles the Oxford to Cambridge Arc. What better place to apply science, technology and engineering expertise to the “British Racing Green” automotive agenda?

There is much more which can be done to reduce fuel consumption in the automotive sector, while maintaining performance. However, many of the proven aero-technologies are currently banned across British motorsport. What is this doing for the creativity and innovation which the Prime Minister wants us to develop here in the UK? Some new efficient British Racing Green competitions for the 25^th anniversary of Britain’s “Energy Efficiency Year” (1986) would seem none too soon for 2011. Why don’t we create the concept eco-sports car and eco-motorcycle in this county, as initial green steps forward?

If we get this right, there wouldn’t be a major vehicle manufacturer in the world which could afford to be outside this emerging “green” innovative motorsport engineering culture. New opportunities for inward investment would soon emerge. “He who does not move forward is backward.” This applies to the motorsport industry and to motorsport regulators, who determine the technological trajectory of this entire industry.’

Derek Lowe (Carbon!)
Blakesley Resident and Motorsport Enthusiast

Northamptonshire County Council’s fire and rescue service is distributing power-saving devices which will help to make the county’s homes safer and protect the environment at the same time.

The TV PowerDown units automatically switch off electrical items that have been plugged into the unit, such as DVD players and games consoles, when the TV is turned off. Electrical items are therefore not left switched on or on standby for long periods of time when they aren’t in use.

The units have been supplied as part of a partnership between the fire and rescue service and energy company E.ON UK.

Councillor Andre Gonzalez de Savage, county council cabinet member for customers and communities said: “The fire and rescue service will be distributing these PowerDowns to Northamptonshire residents as part of an ongoing commitment to protect the community and the environment.

“They are really clever devices, allowing you to switch off your TV and attached appliances using your one TV remote, therefore saving electricity, money and the environment, and most importantly, reducing the likelihood of an electrical fire too.”

From April 2009 to March 2010 there were over 450 fires in Northamptonshire homes where the main cause was electricity. Over half of the incidents were caused by cooking appliances and over 12 per cent were due to faulty wires, cables or plugs.

To avoid an electrical fire happening in your home, Northamptonshire fire and rescue service recommends:

* Avoid leaving items on overnight unless they are designed to be left on such as freezers

* Ensure electrical items are serviced or checked regularly according to the manufacturer’s instructions

* Not to overload sockets or extension leads

* Never run an electric cable or lead under a carpet or a rug

* Never use an appliance which has old or poorly wired plugs or cables, replace it making sure you dispose of the old one safely

* Never put water on an electrical fire. If you can, switch off the power at the fuse box, but don’t take any risks with you or your family’s safety. If there is a fire, get out, stay out and call 999.

Darren Dovey, fire and rescue area manager for service delivery said “We are pleased that by distributing these units we can help to further protect the people who live in the county from the risk of electrical fires.

“As well as helping keep our community safe, Northamptonshire fire and rescue service is constantly looking for ways to help combat climate change. These power saving units will contribute to achieving this, as well as helping Northamptonshire residents save money on their energy bills.”

The TV PowerDown units have been supplied as part of a partnership between the Service and E.ON UK.

Northamptonshire residents can obtain a free TV PowerDown unit by visiting the county’s libraries.

Northamptonshire County Council is being presented with an international environmental award in recognition of best practice employed by its transport and highways department.

The Green Apple Environment Award will be presented in the House of Commons on Monday for the work being carried out in disposing of waste from roadside gullies in an environmentally friendly way.

Because of its composition, waste removed from the gullies is typically sent to landfill but, with increasing landfill tax rates, this is becoming more and more expensive.The county council’s proposed solution is to provide a de-watering facility that reduces the volume of waste required to be disposed of, with the liquid being discharged through the existing sewerage system. The remaining solid waste can then either be recycled by composting or sent to landfill.

This method provides significant savings in terms of the volume of waste that is generated and reduction in journeys to and from landfill sites, and also increases the overall efficiency of the operation.

Cllr Heather Smith, county council cabinet member for transport, minerals and waste, said: “We’re delighted to have been chosen for this accolade, which offers quite a simple solution to the problem of disposing of waste from our gullies.

“Not only are there benefits to the environment here but by reducing the amount of waste being sent to landfill we’re also reducing the cost to the taxpayer too.”

Two de-watering bays will be constructed at the Brixworth depot of the council’s highways contractor MGWSP, to allow for the liquid and solid waste to be segregated. The bays will be connected to a series of interceptor tanks before discharging into the existing main foul sewer.

The facility will be designed and constructed to current standards and have the full approval of the Environment Agency.

The gully emptying vehicles will off-load their daily waste collected from programmed gully cleansing either at the start or the end of the working day, thereby removing the need for travel to and from landfill sites to dispose. This will reduce non-productive time, our impact on the environment and the fuel costs associated with these journeys.

Member of staff? Come along to Our Low Carbon Mission Event at 3:30 this afternoon in County Hall. You’ll find out what the council is doing to reach our target of a 5% reduction in our carbon emissions and energy costs in the next 12 months, and how you can help, saving yourself money and reducing your own carbon footprint.

For full details, see this week’s Informer on the intranet. Hope to see you there!

Two of our CROWs (Carbon Reducing Office Warriors) ran the EDF Birmingham Half Marathon this weekend – a Race Against Climate Change!

What have you done for the mission? Don’t worry – it needn’t be hard! Simple actions like only filling the kettle with as much water as you need for your cuppa, or washing your laundry at 15 degrees can make a big difference.

Sign up to become a CROW or make your own pledge today!

It seems that every time I turn on  the TV  I am bombarded with information about how this or that will affect ‘carbon emissions’, or buying this new product will reduce my ‘carbon footprint’. What does all this mean? Can the figures be trusted? And what difference can I make?

We know that burning fossil fuels like gas, oil and coal releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the atmosphere as part of the combustion process, but do different fuels release different amounts of CO₂? Switching a light on or charging up my mobile phone doesn’t directly release any CO₂, but the power stations that generate the electricity from fossil fuels release huge amounts.

Fortunately there are a number of government (actually ‘quango’) websites that can provide many of the answers. One of the easiest sites to use to find out about the CO₂ equivalents of various fuel/energy sources is published by the Carbon Trust:

Carbon Trust – CO2 factors – click here 

This shows the common fuel types and their CO₂ values. For example, using 1 kWh of natural gas releases the equivalent of 0.184 kg CO₂; using 1 kWh of kerosene oil releases 50% more CO₂ than gas and likewise 1kWh of electricity from the national grid releases almost 3 times as much CO₂ than gas.

The website explains in detail what the CO₂e figure means, makes reference to a more comprehensive table of conversion factors for all greenhouse gases and also explains how to convert from carbon dioxide to pure carbon values.

Interestingly, the value quoted for (grid) electricity is an average value based upon what is called the ‘generating mix’ and this value is set by government periodically for reporting purposes. In reality, the generating mix changes on a daily, if not hourly basis, depending upon demand and the availability of the different power stations supplying the national grid.

The generating mix includes nuclear, coal, gas, oil and hydro as well as some ‘carbon-free’ renewables like biomass, wind and solar power.

So what does all this mean? In simple terms, (grid) electricity use releases almost 3 times as much CO₂ as the equivalent energy from gas so would it make sense to go back to gas lighting for instance – probably not!

So, can you or I as individuals make a difference? The simple answer is yes – our lifestyle choices, travel arrangements and buying habits do have an impact on our personal ‘carbon footprint’ and consequently an impact on local, national and global emissions.

There is a wide variety of websites that provide free footprint calculators, some of which also offer advice on simple changes and improvements that we can all make. Try one of the following:

Energy Savings Trust – footprint calculator  or carbonfootprint.com calculator

Start measuring your footprint today and see what a difference you can make!

Julian Steele
Energy Programme Fund Manager

For many centuries watermills were an active part of the Northamptonshire landscape, using energy from rivers to grind corn. For various reasons, none are now used for their original purpose – but perhaps the time is right to rediscover this energy source.

On a recent cycling holiday along the river Danube in Austria, a friend and I witnessed impressive modern uses of water power, and other forms of renewable energy.

We cycled past, or over, the giant dams and turbines of many hydroelectric power stations, which contribute a significant part of Austria’s electricity production.

Austrians are also experts in biomass burning technology, and we spotted one large biomass plant near the river. A day or two later we came across a solar farm at Zwentendorf, its output rising and falling as the sun played hide-and-seek with the clouds. Strikingly, this solar farm stands beside the hulk of a nuclear power station, which was never put into use after a local referendum in the 1970s.

In total, almost 22% of Austria’s energy consumption is produced renewably. They have achieved this by tapping into every available resource, and constantly pushing technological boundaries.

And how does Britain compare? The UK produced only about 2.25% of its energy from renewables in 2008. The government’s aim is to raise this to 15% by 2020 – a 7-fold increase in a decade.

One way Northamptonshire can contribute to this target is, like the Austrians, to look at all available resources. And there are some signs of this happening already. The plans for developing Towcester’s new civic hub include a proposal to convert the historic watermill to generate hydroelectric power from the River Tove.

This may not quite match the capacity of the Danube’s mighty power stations. But it’s sensible to look again at neglected energy sources, which may be more environmentally friendly and help to reduce our fossil fuel dependence. 

Philip Gray

Environmental Performance Officer

Property Asset Management

This week ‘our low carbon mission’ moved on with the issue of ‘Your Guide to reducing your carbon footprint – Part 2’

Northamptonshire County Council is encouraging its employees to work through an easy 5 step programme.

Here are the 5 steps and what they involve:

Step 1:  Find out what your carbon footprint is

Step 2:  See ways you can reduce your carbon footprint and how they can fit into your life

Step 3:  Make a pledge. Small actions make a big difference.

Step 4:  See how you are getting on. Share with others and keep up the momentum.

Step 5:  See the improvements for savings, health and the planet

To support this, three guides will be produced leading our colleagues through the process. In Part 1 of ‘Your Guide to reducing your carbon footprint’ there was the low carbon quiz and lost of top tips.

Inside Part 2 is:

• More tops tips for a low carbon lifestyle – its all about saving money and carbon!
• Videos and pictures of CROWS (Carbon Reducing Office Warriors) and how they incorporate actions in to their daily lives
• Our steps to low carbon success – actions that we do and suggestions for actions you can take
• What actions we have taken so far

Following the guides will help us on our mission of 5% reduction in carbon emissions in the next 12 months, which will save £0.5million.

Check out the guides on our campaign home page www.northampotnshire.gov.uk/lowcarbon

Have you ever wondered about the cost of all the technology we use today?  I have to say until recently I hadn’t given it much thought. That was until I found out what our colleagues in IT have been up to.

I never realised for example that the little WYSE computers (or thin clients as they are called in IT circles) that have been popping up everywhere use only 7 watts of electricity compared to our standard Dell PCs that your monitor may be sitting on right now, which use around 50. That equates to a saving of 1.5 kg of carbon a day per computer.

Not only do they use much less energy, they require far fewer resources to make them. Considering most computer parts are made in China and most of China is powered by coal fuelled power stations which pump huge amounts of CO² into the atmosphere, this can only be a good thing.

IT has also installed a new air conditioning system in their data centre which gives them much more control over the temperature. This allows them to have the server room at a higher temperature saving energy by not over cooling the room below what is needed for the servers to function. IT have also introduced an air management system or hot and cold isle into the data centre to reduce the amount of cooling needed.

These are only a few things that IT are doing but we need your help to do more. If you know of a colleague who leaves their monitor on when they leave the office for a short time or leaves their computer running when they are not at their desks for hours on end, give them a bit of a push in the right direction.  Even better, become a CROW (Carbon Reducing Office Warrior) and lead you office on all energy saving matters.

Jonathan Newton
Climate Adaptation Project Officer

Our low carbon mission competition is closing.

We asked the local business community to offer us energy savings solutions in exchange for contracts. Final bids are due today! We are looking forward to seeing what ideas have been put forward – watch this space for details.