Calderdale Council has finalised its Calderdale Energy Future (CEF) Covenant, that members of the new CEF Panel will have to sign. Here it is:
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Calderdale Energy Future Covenant
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Category Archives: Energy
Biofuels/Agrofuels
Biofuel -also known as agrofuel- is one of those ideas that seemed great at first. Bio-diesel from soy oil or palm oil, and bio-ethanol from sugar cane, beet, wheat and corn sounded like good alternatives to the fossil fuels we use for transport and electricity generation.
But since we first starting hearing about biofuels, their drawbacks have become clear. In 2011, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics reported that:
“current UK and European policies encourage unethical practices”.
Call for members for new Calderdale Energy Future Panel
At the 27th June DCarb Upper Calder Valley meeting, Emma Appleton, Calderdale Council’s Environmental Officer, gave an update on Calderdale’s Energy Future (CEF) Strategy since it came into effect on 1st April this year.
Work has been going on figuring out how to resource the commitments in the Strategy. The role of the new Calderdale Energy Future Panel is now clear and Calderdale Council is calling for members.
The kind of members Calderdale Council’s looking for
Calderdale Council is looking to appoint ten CEF Panel members. They will come from community groups, businesses (both small & medium enterprises, and large businesses), universities etc.
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BEAT social raises £455 for insulating Blackshawhead Chapel
Around 50 people attended the Blackshawhead Environmental Action Team social last Saturday at the Newdy in Colden, and raised £455 for the insulation of the Chapel.
The Social also saw BEAT launch its community shares offer for Pennine Community Power, a Community Benefit Society that’s aiming to have a wind-turbine in operation in Blackshawhead by November this year.
Photo credit Craig/Bluplanet Photo
BEAT offered thanks to the people who donated prizes for the raffle, and to Newdy for feeding everyone.
Calderdale Council to set up new Energy Future panel & call for members
Who would you like to see on a new Calderdale Energy Future Panel?
Calderdale Council’s Partnership Support Team says that Calderdale Council is currently setting up a new Energy Future Panel, which is likely to replace the former Environment Partnership. The Calder Forward website will be updated with this information in due course. It will include a call for members of the new Calderdale Energy Future Panel
There’s some information about Calderdale Council Partnerships and the Environment Partnership here.
What’s Oil for Development scheme doing in the UN Sustainable Energy For All initiative?
The UN Sustainable Energy For All (SEFA) initiative looks like a massive exercise in greenwash. Chad Holliday, Chair of the Bank of America and Co-Chair of SEFA, describes it as “the greatest public-private partnership of all” – approaching $50 billion in commitments. A representative of the UN General-Secretariat says that “implicit in SEFA is that all options are open” – including all fossil fuel options.
Norway, a key funder of SEFA, is promoting its “Oil for Development” scheme, which proposes to exploit Africa’s great gas resources. And Bloomberg New Energy Finance has described nuclear power as “absolutely fantastic”
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How ethical are the companies in the official Rio+20 UK delegation?
For the first time at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the official UK delegation to Rio+20 includes business representatives. Presumably they are on the delegation because their companies – Aviva and Unilever – are ethical and use sustainable procurement and production methods.
The delegates from Unilever are Paul Polman, Chief Executive, and Migeul Pestana, Vice President, Global External Affairs. Aviva Investors has sent their Chief Executive, Paul Abberley and Dr Steve Waygood, Chief Responsible Investment Officer.
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Ask Craig Whittaker to sign Early Day Motion 47, calling for Energy Bill Revolution
Please email craig.whittaker.mp@parliament.uk and ask him to sign Early Day Motion 47. This calls for Parliament to pass the Energy Bill Revolution proposal for the UK government to use the revenue from carbon taxes to pay for insulating people’s homes. Over the next 15 years, the government will raise about £4billion/year from the two main carbon taxes – the European Emissions Trading Scheme and the Carbon Floor Price.
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Craig Whitakker MP won’t sign Early Day Motion 2769, for home insulation to be funded from carbon taxes
Craig Whitakker MP has replied to my request for him to sign Early Day Motion (EDM) 2769, which asks the UK government to end fuel poverty by funding energy efficiency measures for fuel-poor households, out of carbon tax revenues.
Mr Whitakker says he’s not signing EDM 2769 because he is “confident” that, between them, the Green Deal, the Renewable Heat Incentive and the new Warm Home Discount Scheme, “will address the challenges of fuel poverty and energy efficiency”.
In case you’d like to contact Craig Whittaker MP, his constituency and Westminster contact details are here.
BIg Switch and Coop Energy set to save customers £25 million on energy bills
Using shared buying power to drive a harder bargain with energy companies can work.
The Big Switch bid to get cheaper gas and electricity prices for households has accepted Cooperative Energy’s offer. This was the best offer from the various energy companies and looks set to save more than 280,000 households taking part a total of £25 million – with, on average, each household saving £123 a year.
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