News archive - Week ending 23rd November 2007

Highest Carbon Emitters Revealed

The Energy Saving Trust has combined its own figures on car emissions with Defra's figures on household emissions to produce a comprehensive study of the worst polluters across the UK.

The Orkney Islands have the highest level of CO2 emissions in Scotland; an average of 12.9 tonnes per household per year. However County Down, in Northern Ireland, is the highest polluter overall, with an average carbon emissions per household, including transport, of 14.5 tonnes a year. South Buckinghamshire is the worst English polluter with an average of 13.4 tonnes, while Powys is the worst performing Welsh authority where the figure is 11.8.

These regions have the highest level of CO2 emissions because their vehicle emissions are higher than the national average. They are rural areas with limited public transport so there is a high use of cars. CO2 per household is the lowest in the City of London, Glasgow, Blaenau Gwent and in Belfast.

The results of the survey will be used as a model to target councils and householders at street level and advise them on how to cut their energy use. The Chief Executive of the EST, Philip Sellwood, said: "This latest Green Barometer report isn't about singling out local authorities, as each area is unique and has its own challenges and opportunities. We provide help and advice to local authorities and we can now work with them to offer much more tailored energy advice. This wealth of information at our fingertips means householders are more likely to receive the information they need, to act to curb their carbon emissions.

Edinburgh Links Parking Charges to Vehicle Pollution

Motorists who drive the most polluting cars are to be charged more to park outside their Edinburgh homes. The City Council has unanimously approved proposals to revise parking charges in this way and officials will now prepare a report on what kind of scheme could be introduced. The change will benefit motorists who drive fuel efficient cars as they will be charged less for their residents' parking permits and parking charges.
Edinburgh is understood to be the first local authority in Scotland to consider such an initiative, although similar schemes have been introduced in Richmond and Woking in Surrey, and in London.

Recycling Food Waste

Falkirk Council, has been awarded £284,000 by the Executive for a trial waste food collection scheme involving 7500 local households. It is one of only six Councils in Scotland chosen to pilot food waste schemes.

Recent research has indicated that 650,000 tonnes of food waste ends up in Scotland's landfill sites every year. Three Councils will be operating separate "food only" collections and three will collect food waste "co-mingled" with green waste from domestic gardens. An advantage of food waste only collection is that it can be cost effectively, anaerobically digested (AD) to produce energy, leaving green waste to the simpler, low-tech open windrow composting process. However the option of co-mingled collection of food and green waste, whilst needing hi-tech treatment of a greater tonnage of waste, leads to efficiencies in collection as the same wheeled bin can be used for both waste materials.

£10m Renewable Energy Prize

Scotland is to offer one of the largest scientific prizes in the world in an effort to stimulate new research into renewable technology. The Government hopes the £10m Horizon Prize will attract international entries and stimulate a breakthrough in harnessing energy from the waters around the country.

Energy Minister Jim Mather said: "The Scottish Government will award one of the biggest international innovation prizes in history. The Saltire Prize will be an annual prize fund of £2m, with a £10m Horizon Prize attracting the cream of the world's scientists to make Scotland a leading centre for renewable energy. The potential for Scotland to increase sustainable economic growth while bringing major advances in clean energy are massive. Scotland can challenge scientists and businesses around the world to bring the vast potential of clean, green, alternative energy online years sooner than might otherwise happen. This will be the largest renewable energy innovation prize in the world. "

The Saltire Prize was originally intended to be worth £5m but with no guarantee of it being awarded every year. It will now become a £2m award granted every year, with £10m being set aside in the future to reward a tangible breakthrough, targeted at marine renewables. One key aspect of this technology is to design equipment that can survive the hostile and corrosive environment, while another possible area for the prize could be a breakthrough in storing the energy generated. The combined outlay on the two prizes will be £16m over three years, instead of the £15m which would have been earmarked for the Saltire Prize alone.