News archive - Week ending 13th July 2007

Smart Meters Reveal Energy Waste

Almost 13,000 households in Scotland will be among those taking part in a national trial of smart meters enabling consumers to see exactly how much they are spending on electricity . About 10,000 Scottish and Southern Energy customers, mostly in Tayside, and a further 2640 people signed up to ScottishPower in South Lanarkshire are joining the pilot scheme.

Special display devices will show people exactly how much the electricity they use is costing them in real time. This will allow them to see the amount they could save by switching off various appliances. Additional readings will show carbon dioxide emissions to demonstrate the impact of energy use on the environment.

The new meters will also be able to send providers exact readings to end the current estimated billing system. The UK Government is providing £10m towards the programme which is being co-coordinated by Ofgem. The energy suppliers involved are providing matching cash amounts.

Street Bins Could Boost Recycling

Aberdeen City Council is looking at new ways to boost its recycling rates which lag behind those of many Scottish councils. They are considering schemes seen in countries like Holland and Germany where recycling containers are available on streets next to rubbish bins.

The city has kerbside collections for garden waste and items, like paper, card and plastic, but more than 20,000 tenements and high-rises are not covered. This year 140,947 tonnes of waste was collected in the city, and 110,964 buried; costing £1m in landfill tax. With a tax rise to £30 per tonne next year, bills of more than £3 million are possible. The Council has pledged to increase recycling to 40% over the next four years. It is also looking at food waste collections, which could divert an estimated 6,000 tonnes from landfill.

Eco Villages Planned for Scotland

'Eco villages' containing wooden houses on stilts, with solar panels and water collection devices could soon be appearing in Scotland. Several sites across west central Scotland are believed to have been earmarked for these environmentally friendly homes.

The new houses will cover around 50sqm and cost less than £100,000. Their designers hope they will help to ease the nationwide shortage of affordable homes. They are aimed at first-time buyers, young couples and single people. Their the live/work studio design is borrowed from southeast Asia. It will be possible to self-assemble for less than £20,000, while those leaving it to the experts will expect to pay £59,950, plus the cost of the land.

One Scottish eco-village site under consideration is in Old Kilpatrick, Dunbartonshire, and another in nearby Helensburgh, at Drumfork Farm. At present, first-time buyers in Helensburgh and other parts of Argyll and Bute face an average house price of £151,048.