I should start this article with a quick confession – I’m a geek and a recovering gadget-aholic. I’m instantly drawn to anything that promises to make my life easier, and even more so if it’s a bit clever and eco-friendly, and ideally also free.

Read the rest of this entry »

As of April, the UK has finally introduced feed in tariffs (FiTs) for small-scale renewable energy systems. The use of these tariffs to grow the market for microgeneration systems is commonly associated with their successes in Germany and Spain, but even Iran beat the UK to it by implementing its own version in 2009. So how quickly is the UK Government catching up, and how effective will the new tariffs be?

Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s a good greenwash starter for 10.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could take a fossil fuel and burn it without releasing any of that nasty CO2 into the atmosphere? Even better, what if that fossil fuel was one we still have a lot of in the UK? And better still, what if we could encourage a few environmental NGOs to support the idea, even when many scientists and some senior members of big energy companies don’t think it will be commercially ready on time?

Welcome to the dreamworld of carbon capture and storage (or CCS for short). Only it’s not a dream, it’s very real, and the Scottish Government is pinning our energy future on it.

Read the rest of this entry »

With deposits on mortgages as much as 40 % these days, it’s becoming harder than ever for first time buyers to find an affordable starter home. Increasingly, parents are helping out with the lump sum, and it’s not all doom and gloom as there are a few properties out there for less than £100,000.
Read the rest of this entry »