WESTON Collegeis at the forefront
of the fight for a greener future after being picked
to be part of a National Skills Academy (NSA) for Environmental
Technologies.
The
NSA, which brings together 14 FE colleges from across
the country, will deliver training in cutting-edge 'green'
technologies including photovoltaics (PV), solar thermal,
heat pumps and water harvesting and recycling. The courses
are being supported by employers across the building
services engineering sector and have been approved by
SummitSkills, the Sector Skills Council for building
services engineering. Additional technologies such as
biofuels and micro-CHP will be available in the near
future.
Weston College is already leading the
way in the South West in terms of its renewable energy
courses. A recent five-day course in Solar PV Panel
Installation at the College's Centre for Engineering
and Construction Excellence at its Locking Road campus
saw unprecedented demand that has resulted in further
courses being planned.
Peggy Tovey, Executive Director for Skills
and Funding, said: “The Hub will be based at our
Construction and Engineering Centre of Excellence at
our South West Skills Campus, Locking Road, which is
already seen as a ‘flagship’ for renewable
technologies. Through collaboration, training will span
the South West and as a result, will meet the Government’s
challenging agenda for re-skilling industry. We are
also proud of our close relationships with schools and
the community and aim to place the Hub at the heart
of our developments in terms of tackling climate change.”
Series 6 Episode 3: this programme
feaures an item on energy efficiency and how "smart
appliances" that monitor and report their power
consumption can reduce our energy requirements.
The item begins 8 mins 20 seconds into the programme,
and runs until 18 mins 32 seconds.
Do you want to support renewable energy? Do you think
wind power can help towards reducing climate change? Would
you like to get involved?
Embrace my planet is a movement of ordinary people who
are supporting renewable energy in the UK, enabling you
to make your opinions known to politicians and the media.
IET Press release 12 November 2010 The
Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is today
announcing a comprehensive study into the costs of building
new high voltage cables.
The IET,
in partnership with the energy consultancy KEMA, will
produce an independent report comparing the costs of laying
power transmission cables under the ground, in tunnels
or under the sea against the costs of building new overhead
lines.
The report, which is due for release in 2011, is intended
to provide an objective and independent basis for assessing
the overall costs of these different methods for transferring
power through Britain’s electricity transmission
system. It will also provide an indication of the environmental
impacts of the different technologies.
Welcoming the study, Charles Hendry, Minister
of State for Energy said: “Getting electricity transmission
right will be crucial to making sure that we get the new
energy infrastructure we need on stream and on time. Over
the coming years major network reinforcements will need
to be undertaken and it is essential that this is done
on the basis of informed discussion and the best available
knowledge, if this work is to carry public support."
With the new Hinkley Point power station construction
to start in a few years time, a public consultation has been set
up by National Grid on how the power will be transferred to the
Avonmouth substation. Full details are at www.nationalgrid.com/hinkleyconnection
As a representative from TENONS, Peter Barrington
attended one of the public consultation events to learn
more.
Existing pylons carry 132kV and are typically
26m high. The new pylons will carry 400kV and will be 46m
high.
Consultants for National Grid have drawn
up a map showing a number of possible routes. These include
the route already in existence as well as suggested new
routes.
Save
Our Valleyare a group of
local residents who have set up a campaign aimed primarily
at preventing National Grid from building 150 foot
high pylons in the valley between Nailsea and Wraxhall.
National Grid say 'After carrying out extensive
studies we have identified two potential route corridors, which
are stretches of land in which the overhead line could be sited.
We have no preference as to which corridor is chosen so the views
of local people will help us make the decision.’
Burying the cables underground could be an option
for some of the route to a depth of 1.5m below the ground, however,
a ground width of 20 to 40m is required which cannot be built
on. Under the Bristol Channel is significantly more expensive
and is untried technology for the capacity required for the Hinkley
connection.
Listening to people at the consultation, the preferred
option of many would be to replace the existing 132kV pylon route
with 400kV cables, with underground sections in sensitive areas
such as the Loxton valley and west of Nailsea.
Wednesday 20 October meeting: "The Story of Stuff"
Wikipedia says: "Consumerism is
a social and economic order that is based on the systematic
creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods or
services in ever greater amounts."
Our meeting asked "What actions
can I take to reduce my "consumer footprint?"
Here are some of our ideas:
Choose products with less packaging
I can look at the labels on products I
buy, and try to buy products that minimise food miles
“Buy one get one free”. But
do I really want two of them?
Buy second-hand if possible.
Grow your own, save packaging & food
miles. You’re unlikely to be able to be self-sufficient,
but it’ll help.
The higher the standard of living, the
more the environmental impact
Don’t own it. Borrow it or use freecycle.
Our society thinks too much of possessing
items that we only use occasionally, e.g. Hedge trimmers.
We ought to share more.
We are many individuals, all influencing
each other in many ways. Set an example!
If you can, repair it rather than throw
it away
Refuse, re-use, repair, recycle
Protest about excess packaging
Talk about all this to your children and
grandchildren
Win Some, Lose Some – The Impact of Severn Tidal Energy
Blakehay Theatre,
Saturday 20 March 2010
A second great opportunity to discover more
on the effects of the potential schemes to harness the power
of the Severn Estuary.
In October last year, one of the largest audiences to fill
the Blakehay Theatre here in Weston-super-Mare, heard some
of the nation’s experts explain a range of technologies
to capture tidal energy.
On 20th March a second presentation considered their potential
impact on the environment of the estuary, on local jobs
and our future.
Dowload the powerpoints from the speakers:
Don't have
powerpoint? Download
a free powerpoint viewer from Microsoft
10:10
Everyone's looking for something to
do about climate change. What's needed is something straightforward,
immediate and meaningful.
Join thousands of individuals and organisations
from across the country to unite behind one simple idea:
that by working together we can achieve a 10% cut in carbon
emissions during 2010. It's called 10:10, and everyone can
be a part of it.
Cutting 10% in one year is a bold target, but for
most of us it's an achievable one, and is in line with what scientists
say we need right now. By signing up to 10:10 we're not just promising
to reduce our own emissions
Be part of a national drive to hit this ambitious
goal country-wide. In our homes, in our workplaces, our schools
and our hospitals, our galleries and football clubs and universities,
we'll be backing each other up as we take the first steps on the
road to becoming a low-carbon society.
11 September 2010 Home
Energy DaySomerset
Hall Portishead, 10.00 am - 4pm
Exhibitions of renewable energy companies,
home insulation, grants, new feed-in tariff etc etc. Case
studies showing how to reduce energy use and reduce carbon
by 80% in a variety of homes. Focus in on practical
steps that can be taken now to reduce the energy use in
the home and to replace fossil fuels with renewables.
A new planning application has been submitted
for Bristol Airport, for major redevelopment.
You can look at the
file and comment if you want to, by using the following link to
the North Somerset Council website:
Safe & Warm Action Day: Wednesday
17 February 2010
Broadoak Mathematics and Computing College, Windwhistle
Road, WsM
10.00am – 2.00pm FREE
Electric blanket testing, Home Security/Safety,
Home Repairs & adaptations, Handyvan Service
Fire Safety, Reducing Fuel bills
Insulation and heating grants/ discounts
Benefit advice
Trading Standards advice, Digital switchover information
And for youngsters……
Meet a firefighter and look at a fire engine,
Visit the Police Community Contact Vehicle, meet
local Police Community Support Officers, take your own fingerprints,
find out about cycling safely, have fun on the skateboard &
bmx park, or be creative with Arts & Crafts.
Free coffee/tea, piece of cake and soup and roll
Please make an appointment to have your blanket tested
by calling Zena on 01934 634 633. We can collect and test your blanket
if you are unable to come along.
For more information call Kim Herivel - North
Somerset Council’s Home Energy Efficiency Officer 01934 426
686 kim.herivel@n-somerset.gov.uk
WESTON College
The
NSA, which brings together 14 FE colleges from across
the country, will deliver training in cutting-edge 'green'
technologies including photovoltaics (PV), solar thermal,
heat pumps and water harvesting and recycling. The courses
are being supported by employers across the building
services engineering sector and have been approved by
SummitSkills, the Sector Skills Council for building
services engineering. Additional technologies such as
biofuels and micro-CHP will be available in the near
future. 
