London to combat climate change with renewables

LONDON, England, June 29, 2005 (Refocus Weekly)

The mayor of England’s largest city has established a Climate Change Agency to promote the use of renewable energies.

Ken Livingstone promised to create the agency following his election last year, in his Energy Strategy that commits to reduce the city’s emissions of CO2 by 20% by 2010, compared with 1990 emissions. The agency will partner with private firms which design, finance, build and operate low- and zero-carbon capacity.

“Climate change has now become a problem the world cannot ignore,” he says. “Large major-energy consuming cities like London have both a responsibility to reduce their carbon emissions and, by virtue of a high density of population, the greatest opportunity to take advantage of new energy systems and renewable energy.”

“Today's announcement shows that, in London, we will provide the strong political leadership to make this happen, as we led the world in tackling traffic congestion,” he adds. The agency “will play a key role in making London the most sustainable city in the world.”

Livingstone’s energy strategy set a target for a 60% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2050 (relative to 2000 levels), and he wants at least one zero-carbon development in every London borough by 2010. The capital should generate 665 GWh of electricity and 280 GW-thermal of heat, from 40,000 renewable energy schemes by 2010. That level would generate power for 100,000 homes and heat another 10,000 homes.

Seventy per cent of London’s CO2 emissions come from generating electricity and producing heat for buildings in the city.

The London Climate Change Agency will receive substantial support from the London Development Agency and companies such as BP, HSBC, Lafarge, Legal & General, Sir Robert McAlpine and Johnson Matthey. Support will also come from the Corporation of London, Carbon Trust, Energy Saving Trust and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

“We cannot switch all our energy over to renewable energy just yet, as the renewable energy produced today cannot meet all of London’s energy demand,” the energy strategy explains. “However, the decisions made today can move London step by step towards a greener future.”

The Climate Change Agency has been highlighted by London’s bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games as an example of the city’s determination to address climate change issues. The Agency would be a key partner in helping London 2012 to deliver a ‘Low Carbon Games.’

The agency was launched in Trafalgar Square with the backdrop of a photographic exhibition that shows both the impact of climate change on the earth and the solutions being implemented to tackle the global issue. It will be run by Allan Jones, who helped to install 10% of Britain’s solar PV in the 100,000-population borough of Woking, which now is home to the first fuel cell cogeneration system in Britain.

“London uses as much energy as some countries,” the strategy adds. “Each year, the capital uses as much energy as Greece and Portugal, and actually consumes more energy than Ireland.”

It urges residents to install renewable energy technology in homes or to switch to green power, and offers grants to install solar thermal collectors for heating water or solar PV panels to generate electricity. “As new office buildings go up across London, there is growing potential to generate some renewable energy in London. Our buildings could make use of solar power by using photovoltaic panels as part of the building’s exterior or installing solar water heating panels. In some cases, wind turbines could be added to the top of buildings.”

“I am particularly keen for London to take a lead in the application of renewable energy technologies,” says Livingstone. “Not only could these make a great contribution to reducing London’s impact on the environment, but they could also create significant new business opportunities and employment. Success in this field will require a similar kind of revolution that once led to the rapid uptake of domestic central heating.”

“I have recently had first-hand experience of the difficulties faced by individual householders wishing to install a solar water heating system,” he adds. “This should be an easy thing to do, but the industry is far from being ready to deliver simple solutions for individual households. This has got to change quickly, and I hope my Energy Strategy will provide the impetus to get things moving.”

“I am looking to developers to play their part to ensure that we capitalise on opportunities to incorporate renewable energy in future developments, says Livingstone. “What we need next is a major expansion of innovative economic developments, utilising to the full the wide range of renewable and energy efficient technologies currently being developed.”

To meet his 2010 goal of 665 GWh of green power and 280 GW-thermal from green heat, London “should aim to install at least 7,000 domestic photovoltaic installations, converting sunlight into electricity; 250 photovoltaic applications on commercial and public buildings; six large wind turbines; 500 small wind generators associated with public or private sector buildings; 25,000 domestic solar water heating schemes; 2,000 solar water heating schemes associated with swimming pools; and more anaerobic digestion plants with energy recovery and biomass-fuelled combined heat and power plants,” according to the strategy. “These capacities should then be at least tripled by 2020.”

Livingstone expects major developments to generate at least 10% of their energy needs from renewables and he will urge London’s boroughs to establish at least one showcase renewable energy project in their area. He will lead in purchasing green power that is generated outside the capital, such as increasing the use of green power for the underground subway system which consumes 3% of the city’s electricity.

He also wants the functional bodies of the Greater London Authority to power all their buildings from green power by 2005, and he will use his planning powers to promote “significant increases” in cogeneration capacity and community heating in London, and will support hydrogen fuel cells while opposing nuclear power.

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