In an exclusive opinion poll, conducted on behalf of the not-for-profit trade association Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), in the middle of the current energy crisis, the public have blamed the government for the current gas crisis and have demanded the fast-tracking of alternative energy sources to heat their homes.
The electricity market is evolving to allow a higher integration of variable energy sources and a new class of devices is approaching the market to satisfy this necessity. In the new report released by IDTechEx: “Potential Stationary Energy Storage Device to Monitor”, the emerging class of energy storage devices,
New polling, published today, shows the scale of the challenge faced by the homebuilding sector as it holds a summit to plot a route map to net zero carbon housing and other environmental objectives. The summit, with delegates including Government officials, house builders, energy suppliers, material and appliance manufacturers and
North West based specialist surfacing company, Miles Macadam, has been selected to undertake work on Britain’s newest nuclear power station Hinkley Point C, in Somerset. Miles Macadam’s reputation as a market leader in the manufacture and installation of Grouted Macadam systems has resulted in its recent contract award to work
Energy Assets Utilities (EAU) is generating growth in the peaking plant market, recently working alongside project managers Stag Energy, and Keekle Power, to bring a 20MW gas peaking plant online near Southampton to help National Grid balance its power requirements. The plant will enable Keekle Power to provide low cost,
The powerful music festival community continues to grow each year as new and exciting venues pop up to house a few days of live performances that bring together musicians and festival goers alike. It is all well and good merging nationalities, as everyone celebrates a common interest in music and
A solar energy park is due to be developed by Audi in partnership with energy firm E.ON on the roofs of two logistics centres of its plant in Győr in Hungary, which covers about 160,000 square meters. The construction of the roof system will start in August 2019, while the renewable
In high value industries like construction, there’s a growing emphasis being placed on energy-efficiency and the use of sustainable materials. Despite this and the fact that renewable energy sources are growing at an incredible rate, it’s estimated that fossil fuels will still account for a 77% market share by the
The world’s largest offshore wind farm off the coast of East Yorkshire has produced clean renewable energy for the first time. Once completed, Hornsea Project One will be almost double the size of the world’s current largest offshore farm. All of the 174 turbine blades for the wind farm are being
If you’re involved in a farming operation, then you’ll be aware of just how much energy is needed to maintain a living. Whether it’s tractor use, ensuring the needs of livestock are met, or heating any number of crop stores – all are extremely energy-intensive. The predicament can be even more
In an exclusive opinion poll, conducted on behalf of the not-for-profit trade association Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), in the middle of the current energy crisis, the public have blamed the government for the current gas crisis and have demanded the fast-tracking of alternative energy sources to heat their homes. The 2,000 respond representative sample of the UK population when asked who was to blame for the current crisis, said the government and energy suppliers shared responsibility, with 26.4% blaming the energy suppliers; 24.9% the government; 12.9% the regulator Ofgem. 40.5% of respondents blamed all three. Overwhelmingly, three out of four people asked (74.4%) agreed that the government should keep the price cap for energy bills in place, placing a limit on bill increases, rather than allowing the market to determine the price for energy. What’s more, two-thirds of those asked (66.1%), confessed to being worried about being able to afford to keep warm this winter and 64.9% believe any increase in household energy bills above £10 a month was unacceptable. Crucially, UK homeowners are now looking for government action on energy to prevent a repeat of the gas crisis. More than nine in ten (95.8%) thought it important for the government to invest in alternative sources of energy such as zero carbon hydrogen and only one in four (24.6%) wanted to see gas central heating removed from homes to be replaced with electric appliances. Commenting on these results, Mike Foster the CEO of Energy and Utilities Alliance said: “These results are shockingly clear. The government cannot be comfortable knowing that two-thirds of people are genuinely worried about being able to keep warm this winter. “But consumers don’t want to pay higher energy bills and are blaming the government and energy suppliers for the problems they now face. Any increases above a tenner a month are seen as unacceptable.” “There is also a very clear message being sent about future energy policy. Consumers expect, actually they are demanding, that the government invests in alternative sources of energy, such as zero carbon hydrogen, to avoid a repeat of what we are going through. When 96 per cent of the public support something, politicians had better listen.” “The current crisis is further proof that we need to decarbonise our gas network, using zero carbon gases such as hydrogen and keep costs down by adopting hydrogen-ready boilers. “What our politicians must avoid at all costs is a ‘dash for electricity’. These results clearly show that there is real concern over electricity prices and the consequences for consumers if we try and convert homes from gas for heating. What’s more, the electricity grid will not be able to withstand the extra demand being placed upon it in winter months.” For more information on renewable heating and to see the EUA’s latest report, Too Close to Home, visit: https://eua.org.uk/too-close-to-home/
The electricity market is evolving to allow a higher integration of variable energy sources and a new class of devices is approaching the market to satisfy this necessity. In the new report released by IDTechEx: “Potential Stationary Energy Storage Device to Monitor”, the emerging class of energy storage devices, characterized by long storage duration and MW size power output, are investigated. While existing energy storage devices are already populating the market, from Li-ion batteries to pumped-hydro energy storage, this new class of storage technologies will aim to complete the puzzle of the energy storage market. Pushed from the electrification of the automotive sector, Li-ion batteries have been deeply investigated in the last decades and are currently the standard choice for short and medium-duration storage. On the other end of the storage market, pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) are the main energy storage systems supporting the grid. These systems have a power capacity of GW scale (1000s of MW), and long storage time, from days upwards. In between these two storage systems, a new group of storage devices is now approaching the market, with an intermediate power range, between MW to GW scale and an energy storage capacity that is almost indefinite. Power and storage capacity comparison of different technologies. Source: IDTechEx Research report “Potential Stationary Energy Storage Device to Monitor” The devices investigated by IDTechEx include: Gravitational Energy Storage (GES): Piston-Based GES (PB-GES) Underground PHES (U-PHES) UnderWater GES (UW-GES) Advanced Rail Energy Storage (ARES) Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) The market addressed by these systems aims to improve the quality, and resiliency of the electricity grid, and distribution networks. Therefore, it is aiming to address the Front-the-Meter (FTM) section of the electricity grid. These devices, as investigated in IDTechEx’s new report “Potential Stationary Energy Storage Device to Monitor”, support the electricity grid providing peak-shaving service, grid deferral, and frequency regulation, among other possible services. Moreover, because some of these technologies involved the use of several turbines, some of these devices can address more than one service at the time, therefore increasing the value stacking of these technologies. Although they come with high capital costs, and are in their initial demonstration phase, these devices are a promising solution to stabilize the electricity grid and reach a high level of integration of variable renewable energy sources. For more information on this report, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/PotentialSES or for the full portfolio of Energy Storage research available from IDTechEx please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research/ES. IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Consultancy and Event products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information on IDTechEx Research and Consultancy, contact research@IDTechEx.com or visit www.IDTechEx.com.
New polling, published today, shows the scale of the challenge faced by the homebuilding sector as it holds a summit to plot a route map to net zero carbon housing and other environmental objectives. The summit, with delegates including Government officials, house builders, energy suppliers, material and appliance manufacturers and environmental groups will discuss the scale of the challenge and start to plot a road map for delivery. Today’s results, based on polling by Public First, show that 20% of people put environmental concerns in their top three biggest issues facing the country (higher than terrorism, access to quality education, taxation or public transport). However, over half (54%) of the people polled were not aware of the energy efficiency rating of their current home when they moved in demonstrating the need for further consumer education. Consumers put saving money over environmental concerns when assessing why they went for an environmentally friendly home; with the most popular adaptations being triple glazing and water saving devices. However, 20% of people said they had not lived in a home with any environmental adaptations and only 8% said they had lived in a home, or knew someone who had lived in a home, with a heat pump. 80% of people polled are living in a home with a gas boiler, underlining the scale of the task posed by the requirement to heat new homes without gas boilers from 2025. Whilst the industry faces a whole host of challenges to meet the Government’s commitment to net zero, taking consumers – future home buyers – on the journey will be absolutely key. The research also found almost a third of people (29%) think mortgage providers should factor in energy bills when assessing a mortgage application – more than those thinking the number of children should be considered! More generally, whilst over two thirds of people are positive about the Government’s net zero emissions target for the country, only 12% think they should focus on cutting emissions form homes, compared to 42% for factories, 23% public transport and 25% on cars. Consumer engagement is just one of the issues being considered today in London by a broad range of stakeholders looking at how the sector could deliver the Government’s challenging net zero emissions target from 2050 as well as other environmental objectives. Whilst the industry has made significant progress over recent years, the milestones for delivery are looming large including; 2020 changes to Part L of the Building Regulations, (the current options include a 31% reduction in emissions from new homes) 2025 introduction of Future Homes Standard (including the effective ‘ban’ on gas boilers in new homes) 2050 target for net zero emissions from homes. As well as implementing a step change in how new homes and hot water are heated, delegates will also consider the vast range of other challenges that come under the environmental banner, including; Delivering further thermal efficiency improvements to new houses Providing a robust electricity network that can cope with increased demand from heating systems, plus other new sources such as car charging points Developing a range of new environmentally friendly technologies, supply chains and the skills to manufacture, install and maintain them whilst keeping a mindful eye on the end user and the need to provide customers with usable and practical solutions. Creating developments that deliver increased biodiversity once complete Speaking today, Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation said; “The scale and scope of the environmental challenge we face is daunting, but it is one we are committed to tackling. Today was the start of a long journey that only underlined the broad range of stakeholders and issues involved. We have all committed to work together to develop a route map for how we deliver net zero homes and the range of other linked requirements. “Consumers will be key. Ultimately builders need to sell their wares and we need to ensure the homes and technologies are acceptable and deliver for the homeowner and the environment.” The polling also showed that; 37% of people said they would be willing to pay more for a ‘zero carbon’ new home; versus 36% who wouldn’t. Of those who say they would consider energy efficiency when moving home, 56% said it would be more for low ongoing bills compared to 39% who want to help the environment. Interestingly, when asked which outgoings should be considered by a lender when assessing a homebuyer’s mortgage application, almost 30% listed energy bills. Only current debts (51%) and council tax (34%) were higher. HBF is currently talking to lenders about a ‘green mortgage’. Of those polled 67% think new builds are more energy efficient. When those who were considering buying a new build were asked what factors might influence their views on deciding between two different home builders, ‘the respective companies’ environmental credentials was the third most popular answer only behind ‘reputation for quality work’ and ‘how attractive their home are’
North West based specialist surfacing company, Miles Macadam, has been selected to undertake work on Britain’s newest nuclear power station Hinkley Point C, in Somerset. Miles Macadam’s reputation as a market leader in the manufacture and installation of Grouted Macadam systems has resulted in its recent contract award to work on the construction of Hinkley Point C, the first new nuclear power station in a generation. 20,000m2 of Hardipave™, Miles Macadam’s own BBA certified Grouted Macadam, has been chosen for the surfacing of the North Plaza, an area to be used as a bus terminal during the construction phase of the power station. Hardipave™ was specified as a fuel resistant surface course with a high tolerance to deformation, heat and abrasion, making it an ideal choice for the proposed scheme. The use of Hardipave™ also provided a ‘value engineering’ solution with a cost saving of over £200k when compared to the originally specified concrete design. The flagship product has been used extensively throughout the UK on transport infrastructure hubs, including many bus terminals, industrial facilities and other areas of intense traffic loading. Notable examples include the Crossrail bus depot at Paddington Bus Station and Wembley Coach Park (the only multi-storey coach park in Europe). Led by EDF Energy, Hinkley Point C is the first new nuclear power station to be built in the UK for over 20 years. The power plant will provide safe, secure low-carbon electricity for around 6 million homes and marks a significant milestone in the revitalisation of the UK’s nuclear power industry, making a major contribution to reaching net-zero emissions.* The project has already created thousands of jobs, hundreds of apprenticeships and spent over £1 billion with local businesses, bringing lasting benefits to the UK economy. Ben Shaw, Director of Miles Macadam, comments: “It’s a huge achievement for us to be selected to work on the Hinkley Point C project and to assist with the incredible progress being made on-site. “It’s great to work on such a prestigious project that will ensure low carbon energy for the future and benefits for the wider economy. “Thanks to a great team effort and our highly skilled operatives we will deliver 20,000m2 of Hardipave™ which will provide a durable and effective surface course, for years to come.
Energy Assets Utilities (EAU) is generating growth in the peaking plant market, recently working alongside project managers Stag Energy, and Keekle Power, to bring a 20MW gas peaking plant online near Southampton to help National Grid balance its power requirements. The plant will enable Keekle Power to provide low cost, dispatchable power to the local distribution system and fulfil its Capacity Market obligation. Peaking plants are being created across Britain and come into operation when there is a peak in demand for power from the electricity grid. EAU is one of the leading utility network construction businesses working in the sector, having completed more than 40 such schemes. The latest project involved the design and construction of a particularly complex gas infrastructure, including a 140m directional drill under the main Southampton railway line to connect the site to the gas network. The 10 gas fired reciprocating engines generating the electricity required a gas load of 54MW at around 250mb inlet pressure. Dennis Habergham, EAU Design & Technical Manager, said that a root protection area meant open-trench digging works were not feasible, so a non-intrusive directional drilling approach was employed instead. “The undercrossing of the railway was another one of the major challenges,” said Dennis. “We originally planned a total drill length of 120m passing 7m below the track level, but we had to contend with an unforeseen World War II concrete structure, which meant going deeper and extending the drill length to 140m. The completed supply pipeline was then connected to an IP to LP gas regulator/ meter skid also installed by EAU.” Joe Grant, Project Manager at Stag Energy, said that peaking power plants were playing an increasingly important role in balancing the nation’s power requirements due to the increased volume of intermittent renewables which require balancing. “This plant will provide power to local homes and businesses at times of high demand or unexpected drops in supply,” he said. “The site was selected for its proximity to the nearby electricity sub-station and was originally going to be a diesel site, but regulatory change meant it was then developed as a gas operation. We spoke to a number of contractors, but Energy Assets had a wealth of experience in technically challenging projects and we are really pleased with the job they have done here.” EAU spotted an opportunity in the peaking plant market around four years ago and has since developed a specialist design and network construction team that has gone on to complete more than 40 schemes on behalf of operators. Nathan Schofield, Sales and Marketing Director at EAU, commented: “In addition to our established gas network construction and metering operations, we have also extended our in-house electrical design capability, so that we can deliver a true ‘end-to-end’ service for peaking plant customers. Today, we are one of the leading utility network design and construction companies in this sector in Britain.” Picture shows the peaking plant near Southampton (aerial image). www.energyassets.co.uk
The powerful music festival community continues to grow each year as new and exciting venues pop up to house a few days of live performances that bring together musicians and festival goers alike. It is all well and good merging nationalities, as everyone celebrates a common interest in music and live acts, but it is also important to remember the dramatic affect that these types of festivals can have on the environment. We have put together this post to highlight some of the environmental issues that take place during music festivals and the steps we can take to help prevent or minimise these. Think, ‘leave no trace’ as you start to pitch your tent. Festival attendees can enjoy the great outdoors responsibly, so it is about being mindful when on public lands. It is important to help sustain healthy, vibrant natural lands for all people to enjoy, now and in the future. During festival season it is a time of high use in terms of camping and using public land. Take a look at some of the issues below along with ways we can help to resolve them: Waste Within the short space of time a music festival takes place, people seem to forget their daily responsibilities and the fact that littering is not just frowned upon, it is illegal. As the mountains of empty cups and food containers stack up it is apparent just how harmful these events can be to the environment. By disposing of waste properly and inspecting your campsite area for litter or spilled foods can help the land space a considerable amount. Things such as repackaging food before you arrive into biodegradable containers, using recyclable cups or investing in Hessian bags to carry food and camping essentials from suppliers such as Weirbags, will all help towards sustaining the festival surroundings. By storing food rations and litter securely this will also help protect any wildlife in the area. Hygiene Ensuring a festival is hygienic is vital, especially when it comes to campers needing to do their business. Using a portaloo hire company for portaloos is the first step. Also ensuring there are regular hygiene stations that provide alcohol hand gel, as well as cabins that offer showers will help festival-goers reduce their need to be unhygienic and rely on “wet wipe showers” which will likely result in pile-ups of wet wipes that cannot be recycled. Regular reminders will also minimise the spread of illness. Bugs such as the common cold are widespread, but unhygienic practices can soon spread around the campsite and potentially result in widespread illness. By providing services to encourage hygienic practices while also reminding campers to regularly practice hygiene by washing their hands is an effective two-pronged attack. Transport Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of greenhouse emissions are caused from music festivals alone as they consume energy, food, water and other materials and produce waste and carbon emissions as a result. Travelling to these types of venues causes an excess of greenhouse gas emissions affecting the rise in air pollution. If you have secured yourself a ticket for this year’s music festivities, then book yourself a coach service to help reduce the amount of emissions. Most venues offer public transport to and from the festival and some are even included in the ticket price. Many people take the opportunity of booking a music event to go abroad and celebrate with friends in the sun. This could be a step in the right direction in terms of combining holidays and festivals and not travelling multiple times to do them individually. Energy Aside from the essential energy costs required to run a music festival in terms of traders, bars, DJ sets and speakers for live performances, campers have also created a demand for other ‘not so essential’ amenities such as, blow dry bars, showers and phone charging stations. If we focus more on the music and leave life’s luxuries at home, we will help reduce the levels of energy required to run the show. Music festivals are becoming increasingly popular, so it is critical that people are more mindful of the impact these field parties have on the environment. Remember to leave what you find in terms of rocks, plants and other natural objects. Do not build furniture or dig trenches and refrain from using marking paint or flagging your camping spot. By planning ahead and knowing the campsites regulations you may be able to contribute to eliminating some of the environmental issue’s music festivals bring.
A solar energy park is due to be developed by Audi in partnership with energy firm E.ON on the roofs of two logistics centres of its plant in Győr in Hungary, which covers about 160,000 square meters. The construction of the roof system will start in August 2019, while the renewable energy generation will start at the beginning of next year. “We are committed to the economical use of resources and therefore want to keep the environmental impact of our production as low as possible. Approximately 70 percent of Audi Hungaria’s heat requirements are already covered by climate-neutral, geothermal energy. Our goal is to have completely CO2-neutral plant operation in the future. With the construction of the solar-cell park, we are now taking a further step to achieve this in terms of power supply,” said Achim Heinfling, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi Hungaria. Audi will be providing the roof areas of the two 80,000 square meters logistics centers for the construction of the solar energy park, as part of the joint project with E.ON Hungaria. From its part E.ON will build and put the park into operation, consisting of 35,000 solar cells, and will continue to operate it, with an annual output of more than 9.5 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity. This corresponds to the annual energy requirements of 5,000 households. Thanks to green electricity from regenerative sources, about 6,000 tons less carbon dioxide will be released into the air. “Our company is committed to solutions supporting a sustainable future. The widespread use of solar energy is an integral part of this endeavor. We are pleased that E.ON has gained Audi Hungaria’s trust and a new, nearly 25-year partnership has started between the two companies,” added Zsolt Jamniczky, E.ON Hungaria’s Board member.
In high value industries like construction, there’s a growing emphasis being placed on energy-efficiency and the use of sustainable materials. Despite this and the fact that renewable energy sources are growing at an incredible rate, it’s estimated that fossil fuels will still account for a 77% market share by the year 2050. Much of this has to do with the numerous challenges surrounding renewables, particularly in terms of widespread adoption and considerable fluctuations in terms of energy sources. We’ll address these challenges in the article below, while asking how these may be resolved in the years to come. The Implementation of Effective Energy Storage In the case of traditional fossil fuel plants, these outlets operate at a pre-mitigated level and produce a consistently reliable source of energy. The same cannot be said for renewables, however, which represent a much more unreliable source that can be impacted by a diverse array of different factors. The energy output from a solar farm can be suddenly reduced by heavy clouds, for example, while wind farms are also impacted by speed and variable forecasts. To counter this, researchers and developers are investing heavily in energy storage systems for renewables, while also innovating as a way of optimising capacity for renewable sources like hydropower. In terms of the latter, firms like Weir have developed advanced flow controls that optimise capacity while also minimising waste, without compromising on the reliability of the power source. 2. The Combination of Distributed Systems On a similar note, control software is also an obvious solution to better monitor and manage the output of renewable power sources. However, we must recognise that the vast majority of renewable energy generation sites are distributed across a diverse geographical area, making it extremely difficult to regulate and oversee outputs with the existing range of software options. In order to manage large, global offshore wind farms (and indeed similar power sources), companies must leverage intricate data sets from each location and combine these into a single report. Further innovation is planned in this space, in a bid to develop software that can manage this complex process across various items of distributed equipment. We’ll have to watch this space for now, but we’re sure to see some advancement sooner rather than later. 3. Tracking and Reporting on Renewable Energy Sources The next stage in the process is accurately tracking renewable energy output and reporting on this. However, this crucial task is proving extremely difficult at present. After all, while effectively controlling and monitoring renewable energy is crucial to future efficiency, it’s also imperative that companies are able to harness the data generated by their equipment if they’re to optimise the value that they offer. The software used to manage renewable energy sources should be able to visualise and capture huge swathes of real-time data, while being able to present this in a way that analysts can easily comprehend. This requires a focus on smart and intuitive software, with initial options like Zenon Analyser enabling firms to generate several different reports across an array of data sets. Ultimately, the goal must be to build on this innovation and improve the level of data capture over time, without compromising on visibility or ease of use.
The world’s largest offshore wind farm off the coast of East Yorkshire has produced clean renewable energy for the first time. Once completed, Hornsea Project One will be almost double the size of the world’s current largest offshore farm. All of the 174 turbine blades for the wind farm are being manufactured by Siemens Gamesa at its facility in Hull’s Alexandra Dock. “The UK renewables sector is thriving. Last year we saw the world’s largest wind farm open off the coast of Cumbria, and today it’s joined by an even bigger one starting to produce power for the first time. British innovation is central to our modern Industrial Strategy and our upcoming sector deal will ensure UK offshore wind is a global leader as we transition to a greener, smarter energy future,” said Claire Perry, Energy & Clean Growth Minister. Located 120km off the East Yorkshire coast, Hornsea Project One will consist of 174 Siemens Gamesa turbines. The first turbine blade for the wind farm left Hull on February 5, and was installed just five days later. The wind farm is a joint venture between Ørsted, a global leader in offshore wind, and Global Infrastructure Partners. “Hornsea One is the first of a new generation of offshore power plants that now rival the capacity of traditional fossil fuel power stations. The ability to generate clean electricity offshore at this scale is a globally significant milestone, at a time when urgent action needs to be taken to tackle climate change,” said Matthew Wright, UK managing director at Ørsted. “Ten years ago, the thought of a project of this size was just a dream, but thanks to continued innovation, a determined effort from both the industry and supply chain to drive down costs, and the natural geographical benefits that surround us, the UK has positioned itself as a world-leader in offshore wind. Our company’s vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy, and this flagship project is a significant step on that journey, proving that large-scale renewable energy is not just an idea of the future, it’s here, right now,” Matthew added. So far, 172 out of 174 monopile foundations have been installed at the site, with turbine installation expected to continue until late summer 2019. The electricity generated by the turbines will pass via undersea cables through one of three massive offshore substations, before reaching shore at Horseshoe Point, Lincolnshire. The electricity is then transported via underground cables to the onshore substation in North Killingholme, where it connects to the UK National Grid.
If you’re involved in a farming operation, then you’ll be aware of just how much energy is needed to maintain a living. Whether it’s tractor use, ensuring the needs of livestock are met, or heating any number of crop stores – all are extremely energy-intensive. The predicament can be even more critical during the autumn and winter months, when harsh conditions make it more difficult for farmers to harvest, package and distribute produce. Add this to the challenges that come with heating rural, remote and off-grid agricultural locations (traditionally served by inefficient fuels like oil), and a farm’s energy supply can become quite problematic. For farmers looking for a greener, cheaper and more effective off-grid fuel solution that’s reliable even in colder seasons, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) could be an alternative. LPG has increasingly become a go-to for farmers looking to meet ongoing heating or operational needs without compromising on outputs and the quality of their end product – or becoming dependent on an expensive alternative fuel. Farming and off-grid use Available in gas cylinder and bulk form, LPG provides an alternative to oil and solid fuels for off-grid agricultural use. It can be used for heating or transport in all types of farming processes, and delivers a range of operational and environmental benefits. From dairy processing and poultry rearing right though to maintaining the perfect temperature for crop drying (or even propane enrichment of biomethane in anaerobic digestion plants), farmers have turned to LPG for its cleaner, more cost-effective and easily-controllable capabilities. For farmers looking to understand the benefits of LPG, here is advice on how gas can become an essential part of efficient farming in the winter months: 1. Livestock and energy usage Whether it be barn ventilation, lights, supplying food and water or manure handling, poultry cultivation requires a huge amount of energy. For birds and livestock, a constant heat supply is crucial to their survival – especially during colder seasons. By choosing LPG, farmers and animals can potentially benefit from: – An efficient and cleaner-burning fuel, LPG reduces the risk of contamination within livestock (through feeds and litter) – ensuring that animals are kept as safe as possible. – The moisture produced by LPG heating is the perfect level to promote speedy feathering and weight gain amongst poultry. – Choosing an LPG supplier with a national supply network means deliveries can be made quickly and efficiently, keeping birds warm all-year round. 2. Weighing up the green benefits For farmers looking for greener ways of working, LPG can offer environmental benefits. It’s a lower-carbon alternative to conventional fossil fuels, cutting carbon emissions by approximately 15 % compared to heating oil (and 33% compared to coal). It also doesn’t produce black carbon – which is a major contributor to climate change. As a transport fuel for tractors or other farming machinery, it’s also estimated that LPG (or propane) produces up to 24% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline, and 11% fewer emissions than diesel engines. Not only that, but the risk to the local environment is also kept to a minimum, as propane is non-toxic – providing a cleaner, greener, and cost-effective fuel solution for all kinds of farming uses. 3. When heating is needed for horticulture Maintaining constant temperatures for commercially grown plants and flowers is crucial to securing profits. When temperatures begin to drop, plants are naturally at greater risk of being damaged by frost, so it’s important to have the right heating system in place. LPG, as opposed to other off-grid options like oil, allows plant growers to benefit from a cleaner burning fuel, ensuring crops remain free from contamination. Depending on the size of the operation, farmers can also choose between an LPG gas bottle (which can easily be handled and lifted) and LPG gas tanks (which can be topped up automatically), meaning an energy system that delivers a constant heat supply for horticulture. 4. Using LPG to dry crops and grains When it comes to drying crops and grains, an LPG system can be a huge commodity to farmers looking to dry their produce quickly. As a highly controllable source of fuel, LPG makes for a more precise drying process, allowing farmers to maintain ideal levels of moisture without over-drying. The result is quicker drying all round, whilst also enabling farmers to preserve the quality of their crops, and ensure that the final product meets market specification. Additionally, with LPG grain drying technology, there’s the potential to recycle heated air, providing an even more efficient way to dry grain, without increasing fuel consumption. Sources https://lpg-apps.org/index.php?mact=LPGApi,cntnt01,application,0&cntnt01application_id=16&cntnt01returnid=17&cntnt01sector_id=2&cntnt01subsector_id=24 https://www.flogas.co.uk/business-lpg-farming#lpg-supply-options-41 Gas for Off-grid Britain’ Report, UKLPG, https://www.uklpg.org/resources/gas-for-off-grid-britain Gas for Off-grid Britain’ Report, UKLPG, https://www.uklpg.org/resources/gas-for-off-grid-britain https://www.smithgas.com/propane-uses-in-agriculture
