Modern international society is obsessed with increasing GDP, despite the suggestion that beyond a point it is no longer well correlated with wellbeing – the Easterlin Paradox. This is quite apart from the fact that growth in GDP generally ignores the depletion of natural and environmental resources and is incompatible with cutting carbon emissions. However, [...]
This post is here to explain three of the terms I use quite a lot when looking at project viability. Some will be familiar, others less so. Put together these three measures and the interactions between them go a long way towards assessing whether an energy generating or energy saving project is “worth it”. Ratios ROI: [...]
We were talking in the office recently about the confusing mass of renewable energy targets set by local authorities inspired by the Merton Rule. These targets seem to be on the way out now, to be replaced with targets set using the Code for Sustainable Homes methodology. However there must be hundreds if not thousands [...]
The range of wind EROEI I found during my literature review for the table on page 61 of the Offshore Valuation is staggeringly large. Much larger in fact than any of the other technologies included. It demands consideration of why this might be. There are two (or three) categories of answer to this question. Firstly [...]
Keep your eyes peeled for the next gripping instalment of Zero Carbon Britain: zerocarbonbritain2030. Press release. The report has been produced over the past year or so with input from various consultants and other industry experts and promises to show us “how we can transform the UK into an efficient, clean, prosperous zero carbon society.” zerocarbonbritain2030 [...]
Uptake The Merton Rule was a great creation. An idea ahead of its time. The original idea was to require developers to provide 10% of the energy required on their site from renewable sources. Say what you like about prescriptive targets but they are easy to understand (in principle if not always in practice). This [...]
What is the value of re-use, of refurbishment? And what about how we re-use or re-furbish? I touched on this with the Refurbish or Replace post the other day and a piece today from the D&AD Blog has brought it back to mind. Caulder feels this project demonstrates the role design has to play in the [...]