Air’s bad enough... (From Daily Echo)
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Air’s bad enough...
10:39am Tuesday 17th July 2012 in Readers' Letters
THERE are times, both night and day, when Shirley (and probably other parts of Southampton ) smells disagreeably from air pollution.
Some comes from heavy road traffic, but other particularly corrosive odours must come from Marchwood , the docks or the western industrial estates.
I should think that the forthcoming Biomass plant, burning thousands of tons of wood, is unlikely to improve the situation.
I suppose all we can do is keep coughing!
G ROBINSON, Southampton.
Comments(9)
Dan Soton
says...
12:53pm Mon 23 Jul 12
Helius competing with agricultural land.. 120,000 acres produce 800,000 tonnes of Biomass pellets
-
Shortages of EU/World Biomass wood means Helius could be incinerating 120,000 acres of Canadan Miscanthus grass per year
-
Biomass pellets becoming a hot commodity in Europe.
By Diana Martin, QMI Agency.
Posted 12 days ago.
“Last year, Europe consumed 13 million tonnes of biomass pellets,” said Ian Moncrieff, president and CEO of Canadian Biofuel. “By 2015, they will be using 20 million; by 2020, it will be 30 million-plus.”
European countries don’t have the landmass to produce enough biomass pellets to meet the demand, which is why they are looking at Canada to fill the void, he said.
Moncrieff added Canadian Biofuels would need 12,000 to 15,000 acres of miscanthus to produces 100,000 tonnes to support a new plant.
-
http://tinyurl.com/c
srdlee
-
Shortages of EU/World Biomass wood means Helius could be incinerating 120,000 acres of Canadan Miscanthus grass per year
-
Biomass pellets becoming a hot commodity in Europe.
By Diana Martin, QMI Agency.
Posted 12 days ago.
“Last year, Europe consumed 13 million tonnes of biomass pellets,” said Ian Moncrieff, president and CEO of Canadian Biofuel. “By 2015, they will be using 20 million; by 2020, it will be 30 million-plus.”
European countries don’t have the landmass to produce enough biomass pellets to meet the demand, which is why they are looking at Canada to fill the void, he said.
Moncrieff added Canadian Biofuels would need 12,000 to 15,000 acres of miscanthus to produces 100,000 tonnes to support a new plant.
-
http://tinyurl.com/c
srdlee
Dan Soton
says...
10:54am Tue 24 Jul 12
Dan Soton wrote:Re: Helius competing with agricultural land.. 120,000 acres produce 800,000 tonnes of Biomass Pellets.
Helius competing with agricultural land.. 120,000 acres produce 800,000 tonnes of Biomass pellets
-
Shortages of EU/World Biomass wood means Helius could be incinerating 120,000 acres of Canadan Miscanthus grass per year
-
Biomass pellets becoming a hot commodity in Europe.
By Diana Martin, QMI Agency.
Posted 12 days ago.
“Last year, Europe consumed 13 million tonnes of biomass pellets,” said Ian Moncrieff, president and CEO of Canadian Biofuel. “By 2015, they will be using 20 million; by 2020, it will be 30 million-plus.”
European countries don’t have the landmass to produce enough biomass pellets to meet the demand, which is why they are looking at Canada to fill the void, he said.
Moncrieff added Canadian Biofuels would need 12,000 to 15,000 acres of miscanthus to produces 100,000 tonnes to support a new plant.
-
http://tinyurl.com/c
srdlee
-
In this youtube video @ 03:40 mins.. a Canadian farmer says he grows Tobacco, Soya, and Wheat but Miscanthus grass for biofuel pellets is his future.
-
www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=-ix1n2RfMpA
-
Given Helius/European countries are looking to Canada for Biomass pellets, I say this video goes some way to prove Helius will be competing with agricultural land.
-
Thats 120,000 acres of Canadian agricultural land incinerated every year to keep 20,000 homes supplied with power/lights and some (GAS) heat = Six Acres of agricultural land per home per year.
Dan Soton
says...
6:15pm Fri 27 Jul 12
Today Bells peeled across Southampton to welcome the Olympics.. cover your ear's here's the Biomass Alarm Bells
-
For evey home Helius could be incinerating Six Acres of Canadian Miscanthus grass per year .
Six Acres of solar panels can power 199 homes.
One home Helius Biomass Vs One hundred and ninety nine homes Solar Panels.
-
Daily Echo.. Estate creates huge solar panel farm.
9:37am Friday 13th July 2012.
Nearly 19,000 solar panels have been installed on 30 acres of land on the Cadland Estate at Fawley to generate enough electricity to power 1,000 homes.
-
http://www.dailyecho
.co.uk/business/9815
892.Estate_creates_h
uge_solar_panel_farm
/
-
For evey home Helius could be incinerating Six Acres of Canadian Miscanthus grass per year .
Six Acres of solar panels can power 199 homes.
One home Helius Biomass Vs One hundred and ninety nine homes Solar Panels.
-
Daily Echo.. Estate creates huge solar panel farm.
9:37am Friday 13th July 2012.
Nearly 19,000 solar panels have been installed on 30 acres of land on the Cadland Estate at Fawley to generate enough electricity to power 1,000 homes.
-
http://www.dailyecho
.co.uk/business/9815
892.Estate_creates_h
uge_solar_panel_farm
/
Dan Soton
says...
2:36pm Sun 29 Jul 12
Europe needs 30 million plus tonnes of biomass pellets per year.
-
According to Canadian miscanthus growers, Europe needs 30 million-plus tonnes of grass pellets per year grown on 4.5 million acres or about 7,031 square miles of land.
That's 1000 square miles more land than Egypt's Nile Valley ( not the best comparison ) that helps to feed Egypt's estimate 90 million population.
When it comes to profits incinerating tall grass wins out over timber it's that simple
-
AFAIK: this Government or I should say the EU's support for biomass/biofuel isn't centred on incinerating timber or grass but Helius's Southampton plans are.
environmentally Helius is 20 years behind the times.
Helius is the wrong company at the wrong time.
-
According to Canadian miscanthus growers, Europe needs 30 million-plus tonnes of grass pellets per year grown on 4.5 million acres or about 7,031 square miles of land.
That's 1000 square miles more land than Egypt's Nile Valley ( not the best comparison ) that helps to feed Egypt's estimate 90 million population.
When it comes to profits incinerating tall grass wins out over timber it's that simple
-
AFAIK: this Government or I should say the EU's support for biomass/biofuel isn't centred on incinerating timber or grass but Helius's Southampton plans are.
environmentally Helius is 20 years behind the times.
Helius is the wrong company at the wrong time.
Dan Soton
says...
3:04pm Sun 29 Jul 12
Governments Will Tax Algae Biofuel.. why subsidise Helius's Wood/Grass incinerator ?
-
Algae Biofuel is getting to the point where it will be commercially viable and not to soon after Taxable.
If the below news can be trusted, a £300m, 119 acre Algae Plant can produce over 15m gallons of biofuel per year.. 20,000 homes x 750 gallons.
If scaled up to Fawley Refinery's 3,250 acre site an Algae Plant can produce over 400m gallons of biofuel per year.. 20,000 homes x 20,000 gallons.
-
Austrian algae biofuel-production technology to debut in Brazil.
By Antonio Pasolini.
10:53 July 20, 2012.
The new plant will make the most of algae's potential. One of the products to come out of it will be feedstock for animals, providing an alternative to soybeans. The process also yields algal lipids that can be used to make biodiesel and biochemicals. Algae are also a source of omega-3. As overfishing has become a serious environmental concern, algae are a more environmentally friendly source of this nutrient, which is commonly sold as a supplement.
"We believe that this marks a significant step forward in the evolution of our company and validates both our exclusive technology and the commercial viability of algae, especially for use in feed and biofuels,” said Dr. Joachim Grill, SAT’s CEO.
The plant will occupy one hectare (2.5 acres) and the total investment is €8 million (US$9.81 million). SAT expects the unit to be producing 1.2 million liters (317,000 gallons) of biodiesel per year when it starts operating in late 2013.
-
http://www.gizmag.co
m/algae-biomass-plan
t-brazil/23378/
-
As I said to one ( Millbrook Church Hall ) of Helius's management team, environmentally Helius is 20 years behind the times.. Southampton has a choice of Algae Biofuel, Fuel Cell, Wind, Tidal, Geothermal and Solar why should we incinerate Wood/Grass ?
I'm still waiting on an honest believable replay and what are you going to do when all the subsidies dry up?
-
Algae Biofuel is getting to the point where it will be commercially viable and not to soon after Taxable.
If the below news can be trusted, a £300m, 119 acre Algae Plant can produce over 15m gallons of biofuel per year.. 20,000 homes x 750 gallons.
If scaled up to Fawley Refinery's 3,250 acre site an Algae Plant can produce over 400m gallons of biofuel per year.. 20,000 homes x 20,000 gallons.
-
Austrian algae biofuel-production technology to debut in Brazil.
By Antonio Pasolini.
10:53 July 20, 2012.
The new plant will make the most of algae's potential. One of the products to come out of it will be feedstock for animals, providing an alternative to soybeans. The process also yields algal lipids that can be used to make biodiesel and biochemicals. Algae are also a source of omega-3. As overfishing has become a serious environmental concern, algae are a more environmentally friendly source of this nutrient, which is commonly sold as a supplement.
"We believe that this marks a significant step forward in the evolution of our company and validates both our exclusive technology and the commercial viability of algae, especially for use in feed and biofuels,” said Dr. Joachim Grill, SAT’s CEO.
The plant will occupy one hectare (2.5 acres) and the total investment is €8 million (US$9.81 million). SAT expects the unit to be producing 1.2 million liters (317,000 gallons) of biodiesel per year when it starts operating in late 2013.
-
http://www.gizmag.co
m/algae-biomass-plan
t-brazil/23378/
-
As I said to one ( Millbrook Church Hall ) of Helius's management team, environmentally Helius is 20 years behind the times.. Southampton has a choice of Algae Biofuel, Fuel Cell, Wind, Tidal, Geothermal and Solar why should we incinerate Wood/Grass ?
I'm still waiting on an honest believable replay and what are you going to do when all the subsidies dry up?
Dan Soton
says...
1:45am Wed 1 Aug 12
If one solar home can power three who needs Helius's timber/grass incinerator ?
-
By 2020 one Southampton solar home could be generating 16,000kWh of energy and only using 4,000-5,000kWh a year.
-
YouTube Video.. Robert Llewellyn.
http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=Ac0cPOZMT
Tk
-
The Energy Efficient House | Fully Charged
Published on 25 Jul 2012 by
Robert Llewellyn visits an energy efficient house in Berlin.
Robert is back in Berlin, where he speaks to Jörg Welke who lives in a house which produces 16,000kWh of energy a year, when it only uses 4,000-5,000kWh. With it's great insulation, solar panels, and a 40kWh storage battery, it is truly energy efficient.
In 2010, the UK could produce on a sunny midsummer day, 74,000kW of energy from solar electricity. Compare this to Germany who under the same conditions producer 17,000,000kW of energy.
-
By 2020 one Southampton solar home could be generating 16,000kWh of energy and only using 4,000-5,000kWh a year.
-
YouTube Video.. Robert Llewellyn.
http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=Ac0cPOZMT
Tk
-
The Energy Efficient House | Fully Charged
Published on 25 Jul 2012 by
Robert Llewellyn visits an energy efficient house in Berlin.
Robert is back in Berlin, where he speaks to Jörg Welke who lives in a house which produces 16,000kWh of energy a year, when it only uses 4,000-5,000kWh. With it's great insulation, solar panels, and a 40kWh storage battery, it is truly energy efficient.
In 2010, the UK could produce on a sunny midsummer day, 74,000kW of energy from solar electricity. Compare this to Germany who under the same conditions producer 17,000,000kW of energy.
Dan Soton
says...
12:34pm Thu 2 Aug 12
An inquiry headed by Sir David Attenborough ?
-
Going by the below UK Renewable Energy Roadmap this Coalition Government hasn't carried out an in-depth inquiry into the sustainability of Wood/Grass Biomass Energy.
-
An inquiry headed by David Attenborough could keep everyone happy?.. He supported Glyndebourne in their successful application to obtain planning permission for a wind turbine in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and gave evidence at the planning inquiry arguing in favour of the proposal.
1) This Coalition Government says Biomass heat technologies supply chains have not yet been tested at scale, the key issue of whether the global supply of sustainable feedstocks can fuel it, given that supplies are finite and there are competing uses in the bio-economy.
2) This Coalition Government says Cost reductions are expected for offshore wind and solar PV as supply chains and technologies develop to 2020.. AFAIK this Government sees no such Cost reductions for Wood/Grass Biomass Energy.
-
UK Renewable Energy Roadmap.
July 2011.
The nations of the United Kingdom are endowed with vast and varied renewable energy resources. We have the best wind, wave and tidal resources in Europe.
The UK leads the world in offshore wind, with more than 700 turbines already installed, and is accelerating the deployment of onshore wind with the biggest projects in Europe already operating and under construction in Scotland and Wales.
Taken together onshore and offshore wind provide enough power for more than two and a half million homes. But we could do so much more. Our challenge is to bring costs down and deployment up.
This document – the UK’s first Renewable Energy Roadmap – sets out our shared approach to unlocking our renewable energy potential.
Plant Biomass
The range of cost uncertainty is particularly large for technologies such as marine, which is at the early stages of commercial deployment in the UK, and biomass heat technologies, for which supply chains have not yet been tested at scale.
Cost reductions are expected to be most pronounced for electricity technologies, particularly offshore wind and solar PV, as supply chains and technologies develop to 2020.
The cost of generating heat and electricity from fossil fuels is also expected to rise over time.
It is essential that costs of renewable technologies fall over the decade as deployment increases. Our goal in the medium to long term is to help renewables compete on a level playing field against other low carbon technologies. We will regularly review our subsidy programmes to take account of cost changes from supply chain development, learning, and technical breakthrough.
Figure 19 sets out the results of analysis of the potential for growth in biomass electricity generation to 2020.
The breadth of the central range reflects the dynamic potential of the large-scale biomass sector and the key issue of whether the global supply of sustainable feedstocks can fuel it, given that supplies are finite and there are competing uses in the bio-economy. The low and high scenarios reflect initial views from industry on the upside potential and downside risks.
Dedicated biomass electricity offers great potential for cost effective renewable electricity generation, provided that it is generated from sustainable feedstocks. As noted above, the Government’s ambition for biomass electricity depends on the availability of suitable feedstocks. The Government considers that sustainable biomass should be cultivated, processed and transported in a way which delivers real and significant greenhouse gas savings compared to the fossil fuel it is replacing. In particular, forest and woodlands must be sustainably managed to ensure continuing supplies in future years.
There would also be significant public concern to projects delivering unsustainable generation.
-
http://www.decc.gov.
uk/assets/decc/11/me
eting-energy-demand/
renewable-energy/216
7-uk-renewable-energ
y-roadmap.pdf
-
Going by the below UK Renewable Energy Roadmap this Coalition Government hasn't carried out an in-depth inquiry into the sustainability of Wood/Grass Biomass Energy.
-
An inquiry headed by David Attenborough could keep everyone happy?.. He supported Glyndebourne in their successful application to obtain planning permission for a wind turbine in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and gave evidence at the planning inquiry arguing in favour of the proposal.
1) This Coalition Government says Biomass heat technologies supply chains have not yet been tested at scale, the key issue of whether the global supply of sustainable feedstocks can fuel it, given that supplies are finite and there are competing uses in the bio-economy.
2) This Coalition Government says Cost reductions are expected for offshore wind and solar PV as supply chains and technologies develop to 2020.. AFAIK this Government sees no such Cost reductions for Wood/Grass Biomass Energy.
-
UK Renewable Energy Roadmap.
July 2011.
The nations of the United Kingdom are endowed with vast and varied renewable energy resources. We have the best wind, wave and tidal resources in Europe.
The UK leads the world in offshore wind, with more than 700 turbines already installed, and is accelerating the deployment of onshore wind with the biggest projects in Europe already operating and under construction in Scotland and Wales.
Taken together onshore and offshore wind provide enough power for more than two and a half million homes. But we could do so much more. Our challenge is to bring costs down and deployment up.
This document – the UK’s first Renewable Energy Roadmap – sets out our shared approach to unlocking our renewable energy potential.
Plant Biomass
The range of cost uncertainty is particularly large for technologies such as marine, which is at the early stages of commercial deployment in the UK, and biomass heat technologies, for which supply chains have not yet been tested at scale.
Cost reductions are expected to be most pronounced for electricity technologies, particularly offshore wind and solar PV, as supply chains and technologies develop to 2020.
The cost of generating heat and electricity from fossil fuels is also expected to rise over time.
It is essential that costs of renewable technologies fall over the decade as deployment increases. Our goal in the medium to long term is to help renewables compete on a level playing field against other low carbon technologies. We will regularly review our subsidy programmes to take account of cost changes from supply chain development, learning, and technical breakthrough.
Figure 19 sets out the results of analysis of the potential for growth in biomass electricity generation to 2020.
The breadth of the central range reflects the dynamic potential of the large-scale biomass sector and the key issue of whether the global supply of sustainable feedstocks can fuel it, given that supplies are finite and there are competing uses in the bio-economy. The low and high scenarios reflect initial views from industry on the upside potential and downside risks.
Dedicated biomass electricity offers great potential for cost effective renewable electricity generation, provided that it is generated from sustainable feedstocks. As noted above, the Government’s ambition for biomass electricity depends on the availability of suitable feedstocks. The Government considers that sustainable biomass should be cultivated, processed and transported in a way which delivers real and significant greenhouse gas savings compared to the fossil fuel it is replacing. In particular, forest and woodlands must be sustainably managed to ensure continuing supplies in future years.
There would also be significant public concern to projects delivering unsustainable generation.
-
http://www.decc.gov.
uk/assets/decc/11/me
eting-energy-demand/
renewable-energy/216
7-uk-renewable-energ
y-roadmap.pdf
Dan Soton
says...
5:53pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Oxfam calls for an end to biofuel subsidies.. almost a billion go hungry worldwide
-
Helius will be no more, join the choir invisible if David Cameron takes the slightest heed of Oxfam, Unicef and Save the Children
-
Almost a billion go hungry worldwide
SARAH MORRISON SUNDAY 05 AUGUST 2012.
An unparalleled number of severe food shortages has added 43 million to the number of people going hungry worldwide this year. And millions of children are now at risk of acute malnutrition, charities are warning. One week ahead of David Cameron's "hunger summit", they say that unless action is taken urgently, many more could fall victim.
Barbara Stocking, Oxfam GB's chief executive, called the summit "a positive step forward", but stressed: "It must be the start of concerted action to address the shocking fact that while we produce enough food to feed everyone on the planet, about a billion will tonight go to bed hungry.
"Dwindling natural resources and the gathering pace of climate change mean that without urgent action, things will only get worse, and multiple major crises could quickly move from being an exception to being the norm."
She added that Mr Cameron should call for increased investment in small farmers, greater transparency in commodity markets and an end to biofuel subsidies.
-
http://www.independe
nt.co.uk/news/world/
politics/almost-a-bi
llion-go-hungry-worl
dwide-8007759.html
-
Helius will be no more, join the choir invisible if David Cameron takes the slightest heed of Oxfam, Unicef and Save the Children
-
Almost a billion go hungry worldwide
SARAH MORRISON SUNDAY 05 AUGUST 2012.
An unparalleled number of severe food shortages has added 43 million to the number of people going hungry worldwide this year. And millions of children are now at risk of acute malnutrition, charities are warning. One week ahead of David Cameron's "hunger summit", they say that unless action is taken urgently, many more could fall victim.
Barbara Stocking, Oxfam GB's chief executive, called the summit "a positive step forward", but stressed: "It must be the start of concerted action to address the shocking fact that while we produce enough food to feed everyone on the planet, about a billion will tonight go to bed hungry.
"Dwindling natural resources and the gathering pace of climate change mean that without urgent action, things will only get worse, and multiple major crises could quickly move from being an exception to being the norm."
She added that Mr Cameron should call for increased investment in small farmers, greater transparency in commodity markets and an end to biofuel subsidies.
-
http://www.independe
nt.co.uk/news/world/
politics/almost-a-bi
llion-go-hungry-worl
dwide-8007759.html
Dan Soton says...
1:50pm Wed 18 Jul 12
-
According to all government figures Redbridge Road and Millbrook Road are UK pollution Hot Spots
-
http://tinyurl.com/b
o4x66e
-
Boris accused of pollution fraud by using dust-buster machines near monitoring stations to avoid EU fine
By DAMIEN GAYLE.
PUBLISHED: 16:57, 2 April 2012.
Boris Johnson has been accused of 'public health fraud' for ordering the use of dust suppressants to cut readings at pollution monitoring stations in London.
The London Mayor could be avoiding hundreds of millions in EU fines by ordering the use of sprays to cut the amount of dust in the air near pollution monitoring stations.
But the tactic could also be putting the public at risk by masking the true extent of pollution levels in the city and preventing smog warnings when pollution is severe.
Simon Birkett, director of Clean Air in London told MailOnline: 'This is deadly serious. We’re talking about dangerous particles, some of which are toxic or carcinogenic, not inert house dust.
http://tinyurl.com/c
x8lvm3