Talking Energy Are you energy efficient?

Comments and Video responses

matchmade said:

I'm not that energy-efficient in conventional terms because I have a G-rated boiler which I plan to keep running until it dies and I can no longer find spare parts. I am distrustful of condensing boilers because every plumber and heating engineer I ever talk to dislikes them - they are over-complicated and prone to break down, reputedly have a lifespan of 10 years at most in practice, compared to 25 years for a cast-iron boiler, and must be installed on an external wall. I find it incredible that even supposedly reputable companies like Worcester Bosch refuse to guarantee their products for more than a year, and will not give out any figures on how the efficiency of their boilers declines with time or the likely lifetime maintenance costs. If the likes of Kia can give a 7 year guarantee on their cars, why are boiler manufacturers getting away with one year guarantees, as if their products are akin to a toaster or something?

Further reasons on cost grounds to stick to the status quo is that my G-boiler was installed with the flue up my kitchen chimney, which is no longer allowed. Hence if I replace it, I have to find a suitable location and pay the cost of moving it and all the pipework, including the gas supply. I will also have to upgrade a lot of the controls. I replaced a G-boiler with a gas condensing one in a a similar situation in a previous house, and the new boiler cost me £5,500 including all the associated works. It's just not cost-effective! I will also have to re-fit my old but serviceable kitchen because moving the boiler will require wall space I don't have and leave a gaping hole in front of the chimney. The net cost will be £12-14,000. The green zealots go on about the energy savings of a new boiler, but they ignore the energy and carbon required to make the new boiler and the inefficiency of removing an "old" boiler before the end of its natural lifespan. They also ignore the hefty maintenance costs, both in financial and energy terms - all those trips by the heating engineer to replace the latest burnt-out circuit board, or fix the temperamental pressure chamber. G-rated boilers may be less inefficient in real-time energy-burn terms, but at least the things work and you can get 25 years of use out of them.

I have also researched self-generated options like air- or ground-source heat pumps. The only one that is remotely cost-effective is solar hot water panels, and even there you need a new dual-circuit cylinder installed.

The only energy-saving measures I consider worthwhile are energy-saving lightbulbs (even if they count for nothing in your house's EPC), draught-proofing, cavity-wall insulation if you have cavities, loft insulation, and a combination of TRVs and turning down your thermostat and water temperature.

2 months ago

jane basics said:

along with most of the people i work with, at home, i've been good, changed the way i live to save energy and so my bills are 25% less. winners all round. but in the work place i seem to be the only one turning of lights etc. general attitude is they don't pay the bill so it's not their problem. given the amount of energy used in the workplace, until a way can be found to put a stop to this kind of small mindedness we're not going to get far

2 months ago

renewable wise said:

the problem with the energy supplies in this country is down to a lack of forethought and investment. renewable energy for domestic customers starts at around £3K perkW/hr installed. the americans have got it right because the power companies intal it for you and you both share the benefit or they lease you the system at a reasonable rate the governmebt and power companies need to act now not 5 years down the line just as the lights go out

2 months ago

FRONTERAMAN said:

Anyone who believes companies like E-on and EDF energy actually care about energy efficiency live on the same planet as those who think supermarkets are good for small local busnesses and lively town centres.
Get real they are only after your money and if times get hard they will hold this country to ransom, they dont care about England they are German and French based. What our government need to do and quickly is boot out these euro rip off merchants, nationalise all engery companies again and invest heavily in new generation nuclear power. We are supposed to be a world leading country, but by listening to all this green party, climate changing , global warming bull we are being forced into third world conditions an living standards. Ask their CEOs just how much one unit of electricity costs them and then work out how much they spend on sport sponsorship, advertising, web sites like this etc etc. Now you know why your bills are so high its got nothing to do with enery efficiency. You are being ripped off by a load of euro con men and your grandparents would turn in their graves if they knew what was going on in the country they fought and died for

2 months ago

Paul said:

There seems to be a lot of support available for householders with cavity walls but none for those of us with older houses where the solid walls lose much more energy.

2 months ago

R Phillips said:

How is it credible for essentially non-scientists/electrical engineers to frame an energy policy based primarily on electricity. I can find no senior MP in any party who has studiec these subjects beyond GCSE. The The Energy Trilemma Panel had one engineer, the four others were a journalist, two economists, and a strognly anti nuclear ex FOE and Greenpeace. Those charting the present energy policies are very different to those who established the electrical generating industry in 1926. At that time Stanley Baldwin, knowing himself to be ignorant in the subject commissioned a committe of electrical engineers ot propose a reform of electrical generation in the UK, which was chaotic. Their submission was presentd almost unaltered into statute as the athe 1926 Electricity Act and established large central generators, and the high voltage grid, a system which is still with us and highly efficient.

Why do not the present government consult elctrical engineers inthe same way instead of listening solely, it seems to nontechnical business men?

2 months ago

reg said:

Having just honestly answered the questions in the Energy Trillema(?) survey, I am told I am most interested in Economy. That makes me feel bad but i think I know why. As an individual, I do not feel empowered. Apart from giving my opinion I am unable to influence the decisions being made. I don't want to be doing this on my own! I am responsible for keeping my own bills down by using less and I do that because I can control it. If we have to pay more for non carbon energy, so be it. But I don't want an option, I want everyone to pay more, not to have to opt in. Government has a role here, it must dictate the way forward, not be an observer as it is now. Invest heavily in research into wave energy and other alternatives and defend the expenditure.
Awareness of energy issues is increasing and this must be increased to make it a world wide issue, perhaps the internet, with its trans border access is the best way forward.
Finally, we do not need to save the planet, it will save itself. We need to save humanity and we are the only ones that can do it!

2 months ago

steven said:

If I want to save funds, or energy prices are high and I'm forced to be efficient or resources are not there or even restricted than the answer is yes. I may consider my self to be efficient.

There is many things that can be done by very large consumers to free up what thousands of house hold would save, Its all retrospective.

Households can be thoughtful in there usage, but knowing how is they key.

It seems evident that people of this 21st century have forgotten how to live how we did 100 years ago, when there was no electricity or cars to drive, there is a culture of dependance of what is perceived as essential.

As costs rise and oil runs out people will be forced to be efficient. I can image this process would be a painfully transition as this adjustment occurs over the next 50 years unless an answer to harness energy loss, energy retention, energy release, energy efficiency and dependencies within appliances are fully addressed. And at the same time scientific research is exhausted into the complete phenomenon of electricity.

But if all fails it becomes survival, switch of the lights at night go to bed when its dark, use a microwave not an oven, buy foods with no packages and that don't need extensive cooking, don't buy foods that need freezing or refrigeration, have a 12volt television, Wrap up warm when its cold, Get a bicycle. use the microwave to heat your water before coffee or tea do not use a kettle. And when it gets tough, drink from a well, and catch rain water to wash with and water plants.Oh and buy a donkey and cart you'r freind will allway call on you as all the cars will be too exspensive to run.

2 months ago

Mouldymeat said:

We cook on an induction hob which can be more than 95% efficient, especially with a pressure cooker. Induction-suitable pots are not over-expensive and usually of good quality. Our stand-alone hob cost £30 and the pressure cooker £30, frying pan £10. I cannot recall when we last used the incandescent built in hob, at least a year ago. For the few items that require an oven, we use a combi microwave.

2 months ago

SkyBlue said:

I believe that MP's should all lead by example by advocating and using solar panels and the new invention Chimney turbine on their own houses and to champion their use in all public buildings i.e schools, hospitals,police/ambulance/fire stations, courts, Houses of Parliament. WE all pay for the energy used in public buildings via taxes and Council tax, so these should be a priority, and then can be used as an example of how to save money/energy. The Government (whichever party is in) should also appoint a High profile Independent Energy Saving Promoter. Someone who is already known to be a highly motivated energy saving person, who could then organise major countrywide installations and work to bring down the cost of solar panels and chimney turbines for home use. If only one quarter of family homes in this country had solar panels, just think how much energy would be saved.

2 months ago

John said:

There needs to be more leadership by example. We should see all public employees and mps travelling economy; cycle lanes installed; all new houses built south facing; street lights off after midnight. And Eon could be installing new smart meters now. I have pv panels so why can't Eon give me a meter to show electricity exported?

2 months ago

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