A Welsh Energiewende … can Wales lead an energy revolution? Alan Simpson
Technology is transforming the politics of energy
Tomorrow’s towns and cities … will become the centrepiece of local power ‘systems’ Working to different market assumptions - - Consume less - Produce and distribute locally - Invest in energy efficiency and storage - prioritise renewables, and - own or manage their local energy Grid. • … just like 190 German localities already doing (including >70 local authorities and 9 community- owned grids).
Local power : the ‘off grid’ village Community-owned energy co-op Electricity: >30% less than retail prices Bio gas produced from animal wastes
Hamburg: ‘Community Power’ tomorrow’s energy security; as much about ethics as energy - local ‘Grid’ ownership and supply - clean before dirty - less before more - more about ‘systems’ than technologies a new politics of inter-dependency
Ownership of Germany’s 83GW of renewable electricity
Hamburg: The ‘Smart is Green’ building • passive house ‘plus’ … PV modules in balcony balustrades … solar thermal roof units … climbing plants/solar shade … PCM curtains and thermal store … heat pumps.
Munich’s ‘solar’ district heating: - the Ackermannbogen estate 26,600sq/m of solar thermal roof panels feeding a 5,700cu.m reservoir supplying 50% of the estate’s heating needs Backed up by heat pump and district heating connections
Changing the way we think Sonnenschiff - Freiberg’s ‘solar city’ …producing 4x the amount of energy it uses.
Installing solar … on everything that doesn’t move
Being creative: …joining up the dots …the power of ‘ poo ’
Storing and sharing Last year, Germany installed 15,000 local energy storage systems Tesla has launched its ‘ Powerwall ’ system across the US and Europe … and dozens of other manufacturers are in hot pursuit.
Back to the Future? Manchester, 1817: socially owned, local energy 1947: 50% of LA income came from their own utilities 2017: local energy networks smart grids storing, saving and sharing … changing everything.
Robin Hood Energy • local generation • clean energy • store & share • energy saving • local tariffs …fighting for the right of ‘local supply’
Dancing differently: … a tango, not a rave • partnerships • sharing the gains • mutual security • proactive planning • leading or owning? • an ‘accountable’ energy system.
Recommend
More recommend
