Microgeneration

1. Microgeneration Karl Letten – Change Programme Support Officer (Environment) Change Management

2. Structure of presentation • What is microgeneration? • Types of microgeneration • Benefits of microgeneration • Drivers for Microgeneration • Microgeneration Strategy • Climate change and sustainable energy bill • Microgeneration: potential implications for local authorities • Supporting the development of microgeneration

3. What is microgeneration? • Microgeneration is the small scale production of heat and/or electricity from a low carbon source • Microgeneration can include Photovoltaic panels, micro Combined Heat and Power, micro wind, heat pumps, solar thermal systems, fuel cells and micro hydro schemes. • Estimated that 10 million homes in the UK could benefit from microgeneration • Potential to reduce UK’s carbon dioxide emissions by 15%

4. Types of Microgeneration • Photovoltaic panels • Convert sunlight to electricity • Used in buildings excess sold to national grid • New build and retrofit • Solar thermal system • Provides hot water • New build and retro-fit • Relatively simple systems

5. Types of microgeneration • Micro combined heat and power • Units which generate electricity and heat at the same time • Biomass, gas or oil as fuel • Very energy efficient units • Micro wind • Small scale turbines for domestic properties • Low cost solutions

6. Types of Microgeneration • Heat pump • Can be ground, air or water sources • Work on heat differential • Provide heating and cooling • Use energy trapped in the soil • Fuel cell • New technology

7. Benefits of microgeneration • Reduces carbon dioxide emissions • Ensures reliable energy supplies • Can provide both electricity and heat energy • Promotes competitive markets • Improved efficiency of energy generation

8. Benefits of microgeneration • Ensuring adequate and affordable energy for all • Employment creation • Allows individuals to contribute to reducing CO2 emissions • Clearly links climate change to individual actions • Proposed Bill requires national target for microgeneration

9. Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill • Reduce emissions of greenhouse gases • Annual report on climate change actions • Alleviate fuel poverty • Promote microgeneration through national and local targets • Energy ‘buy – back’ • Renewable heat obligation

10. Low Carbon Buildings Programme • Grant scheme for renewable technologies run by EST • PV, Solar thermal, small hydro, wind turbines, heat pumps, bio-energy • 2 streams of funding • 1)Domestic and 2) community orgs, businesses and public bodies • Details of stream 2 yet to be announced • Varying amounts of funding for each technology • £15,000 - £500

11. Microgeneration Strategy • Publication of strategy March 2006 • Development of the microgeneration market • In 2004 were approx 82000 installations in the UK • Strategy highlights potential for 30-40% of UK’s electricity from microgeneration

12. Potential implication for local authorities • Setting and publishing local targets for microgeneration • Flexibility to deliver the local targets • Reducing fuel poverty • Links energy production to energy consumption

13. Potential implication for local authorities • Reducing local carbon emissions • Potential income generation for householders • Planning implications • Links to Climate Change Strategies

14. Summary • Microgeneration has the potential to reduce carbon emissions • Some technologies are still being developed e.g. Fuel cells but most are well proven • Government grants will help improve numbers of microgeneration installations • Potential for 40,000 mini energy generators in Charnwood