http://www.triplepundit.com/2008/10/what-will-your-town-look-like-when-zero-carbon-building-is-the-norm/ Business, Better. Since 2005 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:33:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.triplepundit.com/2008/10/what-will-your-town-look-like-when-zero-carbon-building-is-the-norm/comment-page-1/#comment-40376 Martin Normanton Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:43:29 +0000 http://www.triplepundit.com/wordpress/2008/10/what-will-your-town-look-like-when-zero-carbon-building-is-the-norm/#comment-40376 To make a zero carbon house you need first to minimise its energy use ( the govt has got that bit right), then you need zero carbon energy source(s).In Abu Dhabi that is easy, solar thermal electricity (NOT PV) easily generated close by, though not on the site of an individul home. In the UK we have one comparably cheap resource in the form of windpower on windy hills, so the idea of large amounts of on site generation is laughable. PV is a non starter not just becaus of its high cost, but even more because its output is lowest in winter when elecricity demand is highest.Biomass beyond a certain point will compete with food production for land, so has a limited role. A carbon free energy system, which will also include nuclear and/or CCS, is quite possible, and absolutely necessary, but the pursuit of zero carbon homes is counterproductive unless the definition is extended to include homes powered by renewable energy sources tens or hundreds of miles away. To make a zero carbon house you need first to minimise its energy use ( the govt has got that bit right), then you need zero carbon energy source(s).In Abu Dhabi that is easy, solar thermal electricity (NOT PV) easily generated close by, though not on the site of an individul home. In the UK we have one comparably cheap resource in the form of windpower on windy hills, so the idea of large amounts of on site generation is laughable. PV is a non starter not just becaus of its high cost, but even more because its output is lowest in winter when elecricity demand is highest.Biomass beyond a certain point will compete with food production for land, so has a limited role. A carbon free energy system, which will also include nuclear and/or CCS, is quite possible, and absolutely necessary, but the pursuit of zero carbon homes is counterproductive unless the definition is extended to include homes powered by renewable energy sources tens or hundreds of miles away.

]]> http://www.triplepundit.com/2008/10/what-will-your-town-look-like-when-zero-carbon-building-is-the-norm/comment-page-1/#comment-26790 Martin Normanton Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:43:29 +0000 http://www.triplepundit.com/wordpress/2008/10/what-will-your-town-look-like-when-zero-carbon-building-is-the-norm/#comment-26790 To make a zero carbon house you need first to minimise its energy use ( the govt has got that bit right), then you need zero carbon energy source(s).In Abu Dhabi that is easy, solar thermal electricity (NOT PV) easily generated close by, though not on the site of an individul home. In the UK we have one comparably cheap resource in the form of windpower on windy hills, so the idea of large amounts of on site generation is laughable. PV is a non starter not just becaus of its high cost, but even more because its output is lowest in winter when elecricity demand is highest.Biomass beyond a certain point will compete with food production for land, so has a limited role. A carbon free energy system, which will also include nuclear and/or CCS, is quite possible, and absolutely necessary, but the pursuit of zero carbon homes is counterproductive unless the definition is extended to include homes powered by renewable energy sources tens or hundreds of miles away. To make a zero carbon house you need first to minimise its energy use ( the govt has got that bit right), then you need zero carbon energy source(s).In Abu Dhabi that is easy, solar thermal electricity (NOT PV) easily generated close by, though not on the site of an individul home. In the UK we have one comparably cheap resource in the form of windpower on windy hills, so the idea of large amounts of on site generation is laughable. PV is a non starter not just becaus of its high cost, but even more because its output is lowest in winter when elecricity demand is highest.Biomass beyond a certain point will compete with food production for land, so has a limited role. A carbon free energy system, which will also include nuclear and/or CCS, is quite possible, and absolutely necessary, but the pursuit of zero carbon homes is counterproductive unless the definition is extended to include homes powered by renewable energy sources tens or hundreds of miles away.

]]> http://www.triplepundit.com/2008/10/what-will-your-town-look-like-when-zero-carbon-building-is-the-norm/comment-page-1/#comment-9861 Uncle B Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:40:24 +0000 http://www.triplepundit.com/wordpress/2008/10/what-will-your-town-look-like-when-zero-carbon-building-is-the-norm/#comment-9861 A solar rototiller? A godsend to me in my quest for a "Zero upkeep Zero running cost" retirement/(GRD) great republican depression survival shelter! I have found solar fridges, solar yard lights, solar computers, solar cellphones, solar cookers, greenhouses galore, solar distilleries, wind chargers Li-ion storage batteries, solar supplied LED lights, low power microwave cookers with browning features to boot! Solar water pumps, solar dry-composters for humanure, super insulation, super-glazing, ground heat storage, passive solar building instructions, and more, but a solar powered rototiller for my small garden would take the cake! Beware, oh great corporate enslavers, you know not what ye build, or how I will use it to free myself from your eight to five snare! A solar rototiller? A godsend to me in my quest for a “Zero upkeep Zero running cost” retirement/(GRD) great republican depression survival shelter! I have found solar fridges, solar yard lights, solar computers, solar cellphones, solar cookers, greenhouses galore, solar distilleries, wind chargers Li-ion storage batteries, solar supplied LED lights, low power microwave cookers with browning features to boot! Solar water pumps, solar dry-composters for humanure, super insulation, super-glazing, ground heat storage, passive solar building instructions, and more, but a solar powered rototiller for my small garden would take the cake! Beware, oh great corporate enslavers, you know not what ye build, or how I will use it to free myself from your eight to five snare!

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