Governments and the general public across all nations begin to set tackling environmental changes as a top agenda in order to protect the future of our planet. As UK legislation laws continuously evolve in order to support gas emission reductions to help met international targets, some bold steps towards achieving
With Brexit causing uncertainty in the construction industry over the future availability of labour, and its costs, the issue of the UKs ‘housing crisis’ isn’t likely to dampen down any time soon. Positive initiatives and efficient processes are needed to help the sector deliver the number of homes that Brits
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
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
Governments and the general public across all nations begin to set tackling environmental changes as a top agenda in order to protect the future of our planet. As UK legislation laws continuously evolve in order to support gas emission reductions to help met international targets, some bold steps towards achieving this has been made. Since now we live in a digital world where we rely heavily upon the likes of technology and transport vehicles in our day to day lives, climate change has had huge effects on us because of this. Therefore, it’s important we understand how the implementation of policy changes set to help save the environment will impact us. 2050 Target: Net Zero Now The governments ‘net zero’ target to help cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 was legislated in June 2019. This makes the UK the first major economy to legislate to end its contribution to global warming.[1] This latest move is a more ambitious plan than the country’s previous target of an 80% emissions reduction by 2050, taking it one step further – cutting emissions to as close to zero as possible in the same time period. David Taylor, Head of Corporate affairs and Innovation at Flogas, said: “With so many premises still relying on high-carbon traditional off-grid fuels like oil – and heating making such a major contribution to current emissions levels – the transition to lower-carbon alternatives is long overdue. LPG energy is the cleanest, most efficient and effective conventional off-grid fuel, so it is uniquely placed to help reduce emissions immediately. “Building on this, we see biopropane (or BioLPG) as a hugely significant part of the UK’s renewable future. Produced using biological sources (such as waste, sewage and energy crops), bioLPG is chemically-identical to LPG. This means it can be simply ‘dropped in’ to the UK’s existing, comprehensive LPG network – so it will become increasingly important as we strive to meet the UK’s new 2050 net zero deadline.” A Carbon Neutral Future may be in sight: The Clean Growth Strategy The governments introduction of the Clean Growth Strategy is another key attribute the UK’s move towards a carbon neutral future involves– a plan brought into place to help accelerate the pace of ‘clean growth’ by decreasing emissions whilst simultaneously increasing economic growth. Most notably, the Strategy aims to reduce carbon emissions in the six areas that together make up 100% of the UK’s emissions.[2] These are: Improving business and industry efficiency (25% of UK emissions) Improving efficiency within our homes (13% of UK emissions) Increasing the shift to low-carbon transport (24% of UK emissions) Delivering clean, smart, flexible power (21% of UK emissions) Enhancing the benefits and value of our natural resources (15% of UK emissions) Leading the public sector (2% of UK emissions) The government stated that they plan to roll out lower-carbon processes, technologies and systems across the whole nation in order turn this vision into a reality – doing so in the most cost-effective way possible for businesses and homes alike. The 2018 Road to Zero Strategy plan The road to zero strategy, first implemented in 2018, outlined the government’s plans to reduce road transport emissions and build greener infrastructure. Part of this plan will be encouraging the uptake of zero-emission cars, vans and trucks, as part of the government’s mission to tackle air pollution and deliver cleaner air across the country. Changes such as putting a stop to the sale of conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040 is one of the most significant ways in which it intends to deliver this plan.[3] The UK government aims to make 50%-70% of new car registrations and 40% of new vans to give off ultra-low emissions by 2030.[4] What this means for the UK is that we’ll begin to see a huge rise in electric charging points as the government throws it weight behind the adoption of electric vehicles (EV). Despite the governments determined attempt to reduce carbon emissions, the introduction of Clean Air Zones (CAZ’s) into various UK cities has been delayed. Most recently, Leeds and Birmingham have experienced delays with their digital vehicle checking tools, which allow drivers to check the type of emissions their cars produce. Delays to the introduction of this software are likely to push back their plans to introduce Clean Air Zones.[5] United fight: The Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement was the initial catalyst that lead to many other legislation changes, ultimately helping strengthen the united fight against climate change. It saw more than 200 countries take part in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, resulting in an agreement that strengthened action for a more sustainable, low carbon future. The Paris Agreement states that all parties involved, including the UK, aim to limit temperature rises to no more than 2 degrees above pre-industrial times and preferably less than 1.5 degrees. A regular five-year review will also take place to monitor progress as well as increased funding to developing countries to help keep them in line with similar national targets. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-becomes-first-major-economy-to-pass-net-zero-emissions-law [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-growth-strategy/clean-growth-strategy-executive-summary [3] https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/69795/low-emission-road-zero-strategy/ [4] https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/fleet-industry-news/2018/07/09/government-launches-road-to-zero-strategy [5] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-48679008
With Brexit causing uncertainty in the construction industry over the future availability of labour, and its costs, the issue of the UKs ‘housing crisis’ isn’t likely to dampen down any time soon. Positive initiatives and efficient processes are needed to help the sector deliver the number of homes that Brits can pay for — which is where LPG energy could come into play. In this piece, LPG suppliers Flogas take a look at how LPG is assisting in the provision of affordable housing for UK buyers and why it’s vital that the sector and government gets behind it if they want to hit targets and meet housing demands. An overview of the UK and affordable housing Recent research and data into housing in the UK show that there are clearly issues that must be addressed. A government initiative to build 200,000 discounted homes to first-time buyers had not produced a single home by the end of 2017, according to a report by the Independent. Similarly, approximately 12% of chartered surveyors doubt that the government will be able to achieve its 300,000-new-homes-a-year target in 2018, with even Parliamentary Affairs Manager of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Lewis Johnston, stating that it was “clear more radical action is needed.” Currently, there is also conflict between the government and local councils regarding affordable housing in the UK. In a bid to boost availability, the government has claimed that councils which don’t build enough new homes will lose the right to determine the location of subsequent new houses. This ruling is part of a planning policy framework which details regulations regarding the number of homes that each council must construct — which considers localised aspects of an area including local house costs and average wages. Essentially, if a location has a particularly high level of unaffordability, that council will need to build a greater number of new, affordable homes. But in cities and towns that are dense with built-up areas, could this mean that councils will be forced to build on rural areas? Perhaps. Former Housing Secretary and current Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, revealed plans in March to create several new towns between Oxford and Cambridge. He commented: “Along that corridor, there’s an opportunity to build at least four or five garden towns and villages with thousands of homes.” According to the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA), garden villages are ideally constructed away from established settlements and created on a basis of industry and jobs, with an aim to create diverse, well-designed and affordable homes. Although this project is a potential solution to more affordable housing, the issue of powering and maintaining garden towns and villages in rural locations is a point that needs consideration. The role of LPG? There are approximately four million homes not connected to the mains gas grid in the UK. According to the Non Gas Map, which was created in collaboration with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; the reliance on the mains grid varies significantly across the UK. Certain locations — such as northern Scotland and central Wales — appear to show less dependence on being connected to the main network, while others, including north-east England and the Home Counties, have a greater percentage of homes that rely on energy provided by mains gas. One of the concerns of placing new housing projects in rural areas is the delivery of sufficient energy, both during the development and for the subsequent homeowners. However, the data above shows that there is an opportunity to construct homes in areas that aren’t connected to the mains network, granted that an equally-efficient alternative is implemented in its place. But how will this encourage affordable housing growth? LPG may offer those in affordable housing development and construction the chance to ease the pressure of building in inner cities and instead opt for open, rural spaces where there is greater space and opportunity. Currently, a small number of major commercial developers create the majority of the UK’s housing. By using LPG as an easy alternative to main network connection, we can widen the number of locations that a housing project can take place. Consequently, more small- and mid-size companies should have a greater chance of securing a plot for development in the sector and we may see a growth in affordable housing as a result. LPG also has a variety of advantages when it comes to affordable housing, one of which is the fact that gas bottles, cylinders and tanks make LPG easy to transport and simple to store during the construction process. Keeping production costs as low as possible is essential to all businesses — no firm wants to go over budget. However, the ease of supplying and stockpiling LPG may help developers keep a track of energy costs and ensure that mains grid issues, such as power cuts, won’t affect productivity — another potentially costly side-effect. It’s no secret that there’s a nationwide drive towards green practices and reducing our carbon footprints. In an industry like construction and housing, it’s easy to adopt less environmentally friendly products and practices. However, the demand to bring these down will only grow as the government strives to achieve its target of lowering carbon emissions by at least 80% of 1990 levels by 2050 — and not doing so may cost companies in the form of taxes and penalties. Fortunately, LPG is a relatively clean form of energy, releasing just 81% of the carbon dioxide that oil does and 70% of the carbon dioxide that coals emits. With tax relief offered to energy-efficient businesses, it’s helpful to be as eco-friendly as possible. If developers of affordable housing choose to utilise LPG, this could also work towards greater numbers of affordable housing projects. Evidently, there’s opportunity for affordable housing if developers take advantage of LPG. With demand increasing and only a few practical initiatives to ease the strain, such as garden villages, it seems as if they sector needs all the help
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
