Words About Things

Renewable energy such as solar and wind generated sources are cheap and renewable environmentally friendly ways of producing energy your business can save money with. Due to recent gas and electricity price rises, renewable energy is getting huge amounts of press currently, but is now the time to really invest in environmentally friendly power for your business?

Firstly, looking at the price of energy and the premise that it’s set to rise further in the near future, it’s obvious that if you can find cheaper and cleaner supplies of energy then it’s a good idea. Gas and electricity rates have risen in recent months, with British Gas increasing rates by up to 18 per cent for gas.

If you own a business this means a huge rise in costs, nearly £200 for every £1000 you currently spend on already expensive gas. It also looks unlikely that there will ever be a nuclear power source to the same degree as in the past after the tragedy in Japan in March.

Altogether this means that renewable energy sources are looking very strong options for the future. Wind turbine and solar panel companies are becoming increasingly strong as the fossil and nuclear power industries stumble from crisis and irritate people with price rises and faltering service.

Solar Energy

Solar energy in the UK offers huge benefits currently, with the government offering financial benefits for companies who have PV solar panels. The feed in tariff to the central electricity system means that businesses can make large amounts of money back on their panels. Not only this but if you can produce enough power you have a free source of power during a time when energy costs are sky rocketing.

There is no better time than now to fit panels, with expectations that there will be reduced returns for feeding in to the central system on 50kWp systems in the coming months. These proposals have not been finalised, but getting in now means you will get the top rate on for the electricity generated when they do. Strike the iron when it’s hot and reap the rewards.

Also, your business will be doing a lot for the environment and you can sleep tight in your bed with the knowledge you’re not the cause of the fossil fuel crisis of the future.

Wind Energy

Wind energy also provides users free electricity, for the price of an initial cost you can receive a large amount of energy for your business and bypass the high costing price of electricity and gas suppliers.

This rising cost of old power sources and the free choice available from solar and other renewable energy sources really means that solar panels are a no brainer. Not only this but the feed in tariff pays back a tax free allowance to those willing to use this means of producing power.

So as you can see with the current rises in price of power, the possible changes in the feed in tariff rate and the low cost of renewable energy, now is a great time for your business to move to renewable energy sources. As any sensible businessman or woman will tell you, if you get the chance to cut down on your overheads by reducing your business energy costs then it’s certainly worth taking a look at. One small piece of advice though, inital set up fees can be steep so make sure that you fully research any new techniques and conduct an extensive energy audit before you go ahead and start investing.

The Himalayan Balsam doesn’t look like an out-of-control weed, it has pleasant pink flowers and is often referred to ‘kiss me on the mountain’ (“left or right..?”) or ‘Policeman’s Helmet’. It isn’t as harmless as it might first seem however. The flower is not a native of the UK (as its name suggests), it was first grown here in 1839 at Kew Gardens from whence it escaped into the wild.

The flowers of the Balsam are pleasant, it looks somewhat like an Orchid. If you had some of the flowers delivered to your mother she would no doubt be pleased (not knowing that they could take over her entire living room). Unfortunately it is a voracious plant and has a tendency to overwhelm slower growing native species. The Balsam mainly grows on riverbanks where it can very quickly take over large areas preventing other wild flowers from growing in their natural habitat.

The Balsam is increasingly becoming a problem in the Norfolk Broads in Northern England. A weekend of action has been planned by the slightly racist sounding Norfolk Non-Native Species Initiative along with the Norfolk Broads Authority in order to control the growth of the Himalayan Balsam. Volunteers are being sought to report sightings along the banks of the River Bure.

The results of the survey will be collated and plan will be formed by Waterways conservation officer Beth Williams on how best to tackle the problem. She says that people are generally unaware of the dangerous nature of the flower:

“People say it is so pretty and the bees love it, but it is sneaky. It grows quickly and blocks out all sun light. It produces hundreds of seeds per plant and when the seed pods are ripe, if you flick them they pop, which is something kids like to do. Hopefully this weekend of action will help people look at it in a different light. It is about generating awareness.”

Anyone who has traveled to Asia is likely to have encountered the auto Rickshaw. They buzz around the big cities in India, Thailand, Pakistani and Sri Lanka ferrying tourists and locals through dense traffic at breakneck speeds. They are normally referred to as Tuk Tuks due to the sound of their engines. They are very cramped (particularly for westerners) and have open sides and no seat belts, they don’t have particularly eco friendly engines, until now.

Air Marshal Morakot Charnsomruad of the Clean Fuel Energy Enterprise in Bangkok has been working on creating the Tuk Tuk of the future. The year round sunshine in Thailand convinced Mr Charnsomruad that a solar power was the way to go:

The new tuk-tuk has a battery, but uses the sun’s rays to supplement the power supply. It is silent, emission-free and can run for 80 kilometres (50 miles) on a three hour battery charge costing 10 baht, compared with up to 60 kilometres for conventional models before they need refuelling.

Tourists thinking of booking a flight to Bangkok will be pleased to note that the new, improved Arun Sawasdi (Good Morning) Tuk Tuk is more spacious than the traditional model. It has extra head and leg room giving it the look of a three wheeled golf cart and the prototype suggests that it will be decorated in some pretty eye catching colours. The prototype continues the theme of having no side panels which suggests that riding in the new solar powered auto rickshaws will be just as exhilarating experience.

Unfortunately the Arun Sawasdi has yet to be approved for public use. It has the backing of Greenpeace environmental campaigner Tara Buakamsri who said “Tuk-tuks can lead the way for a better and healthier transport system in Bangkok and the rest of the country”. Bangkok city authorities actually stopped issuing new tuk-tuk licences in 2008 but are expected to approve the new model within the next few years.

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