NATTA newsletter
- Belongs to the work: NATTA Newsletter
Full details
| Authors & editors | |
| Publisher | Network for Alternative Technology and Technology Assessment |
| Year of publication | 1981 #10 March/April |
| Languages | |
| Medium | Newsletters |
| Edition | 1 |
| Topics | Energy & power > Gas and biofuels |
| Tags | Africa |
| Scope & content | "[Interesting articles] NATTA news: Research work further advanced by arrival of 2 students on placement from Middlesex Polytechnics ‘Science & Society’ course. Graham Smith will be developing a computer information bank system for NATTA & ATG while Manouchehr Nhavi will be working up material on energy storage technology & policy. Alexi Clarke, NATTA’s co-ordinator is looking at paper recycling & its implications for insulation material & field of biomass. This Newsletter focuses on Windpower. Next to focus on energy storage systems. 1981- year of renewables? UK ISES World Solar Forum in August in Brighton, coupled with BWEA’s wind power conference & April workshop, BHRA’s wave & tidal power conference in Cambridge in September 1981 seems likely to become the year ‘renewables’ attain public visibility. AT diary of conferences throughout the year included. NATTA’s public AT awareness campaign, possibility of producing posters in London tube stations, weighing up cost for small posters could see around 50 posters costing approx. £500. Possibility of advertising in selected newspapers with a similar idea to posters. NATTA Feedback- letters including letter to Secretary of State for Energy, from Dave Elliot, on the proposal for an ‘energy conservation agency.’ AT Forum- Wind. “State of the Art of Windpower Developments in the US & Europe” by Derek Taylor, A.T Group, OU. Since 1973 US government has been providing money for research & development of wind energy systems. Installed 5 medium-scale & 1 large scale wind generators & spawned development of some 13 small-scale wind generators. About to install a cluster of three 250ft, 2500kW MOD 2 wind turbines in Washington State, designed by Boeing, based on a ‘soft’ tower concept rather than usual rigid tower and ‘teetered’ fixed pitch blades. US government also embarking on $1000m wind energy demonstration & commercialisation programme, aimed at installing 800,000kW of wind power capacity by 1988, including 100,000kW from small turbines by 1986. Including cost sharing schemes. Federal and state tax credit system for small-scale turbines set up. Denmark with it’s 5m population doing almost as much as USA in promoting wind energy- many successful wind generators including 24m diameter 200kW wind generator at Gedser in 1956/7. Operated successfully until 1967, when cheap oil caused it to be shut down, refurbished for test op. in 1977, closed in April 1979. Danish Ministry of Energy funding extensive wind energy programme including small-to-large scale aspects. Test site set up at Risø National Laboratory for small scale wind generator testing. DME testing a variety of prototypes. 1979 law Danish government must subsidise small windmills. Funding for windmill/ turbine by Tvind Schools to supply electricity & heat for school buildings. [Solar] NATTA’s Alternative to the Fast Breeder Reactor Project: As noted in previous newsletter, Cleland McVeigh volunteered to convene a group to work up material on alternatives to the FBR. Here he presents some background ideas based on a review of work already done in Sweden, and published a book entitled ‘Solar versus Nuclear,’ NATTA study would presumably review energy supply and demand forecasts, resource scenario’s and social, economic, and technological credibility of alternatives. The FBR debate: Solar Versus Nuclear. In June 1971 Swedish PM appointed a Working Party to deal with questions of future studies in Sweden. This book Solar Versus Nuclear, originally published in Sweden as ‘Sweden Beyond Oil- Nuclear Commitments and Solar Options,’ is the final report of the second completed future studies project. Book brings out some of more important challenges of the nuclear controversy, namely an analysis of the mechanisms of technological choice and the role of industry agencies and other groups of special interests and roles vis-à-vis the democratically elected and appointed bodies in local and central government. “Passive Solar Design” Is a cost-effective way of saving energy says a report recently completed for ETSU, with savings of 1000-2000kWh per year easily possible. Given a full commitment nationally we could, it says, be saving 5-10 mtce by 2025. 177 passive solar council houses have now been completed and occupied in Pennylands, Milton Keynes, and are showing a 30% energy saving. [Wind] Windplants growing- WINDTEC of Exeter are planning to erect their giant three bladed 45kW rated vertical axis wind mill later this yr. “CEGB going with the wind” The CEBG is to build a medium sized wind power generator of 5-200kW capacity at its Carmarthen Bay power station to gain experience in windmill operation. It should be operating next year. Board wants to go ahead with larger scale windmills of 1-4MW capacity and is surveying possible sites that it owns at Wigsley near Lincoln., Bradwell, Essex, & Richborough, Kent. “Electricity board turns to windmills for power.” David Fairhall reports on plans for a windmill farm in an attempt to exploit renewable source of energy. Bradwell, Essex, Richborough, Kent, & disused airfield in Wigsley, near Lincoln, are being investigated by the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) as sites for Britain’s first possible windmill farm. Several articles on biggest British wind project so far, to be sited in Orkney: “Orkney gets a windfall” (The Guardian) Orkeny moved into top league of aerogenerators with the announcement made by Energy Secretary, that a 5MW, 60m blade diameter machine is to be built at Burgar Hill. Follows earlier approval for a smaller wind powered generator rated at 250kW on the same site. Both will feed electricity into Orkney grid & save diesel fuel. “Windmill as high as Big Ben for Orkney” Windmill with its blades vertical will be almost as high as Big Ben’s clock tower, is planned to generate electricity in Orkney in 1983/4. £5.6m project is most ambitious renewable energy scheme yet to be given official support. “The Coming of Wind Power.”- Britain’s 1st big wind power generator will be built on top of a hill in the Orkneys, “Tilting at windmills to make nuclear power acceptable.”- Alternative Energy by David Fishlock, electricity authorities are coming round to the idea that it may be easier to win acceptance of nuclear energy if they make a serious attempt to develop some of the alternatives including wind & hydro, which have received much publicity in the ‘70s. [Water: wave etc.] 6-page review of wave energy in January edition of Offshore Engineer. Enclosed in the newsletter is a letter from Stephen Salter at Edinburgh University in response to the review article on renewables, reported in the last newsletter which appeared in New Civil Engineer. [Water: tidal etc.] Hydro: “Big Potential for Small Hydro in Wales” Electrical Review- field survey of small hydro-electric sites in Wales has shown there are over 560 sites in the Principality with a practical hydro electric power capacity greater than 25kW. In total these sites offer a capacity of about 70MW and an annual fuel saving of around 80,000 tonnes of oil equivalent. Survey was carried out for the Department of Energy by a team from Salford University, to identify those potential sources of hydro electric power in Wales, which were technically capable of development, to assess individual site characteristics and establish the power producing potential of each site. Survey was restricted to sites with a power-producing potential of more than 25kW. The researchers believe that if this limit was reduced to 10kW a further 300 sites would have been catalogued. [Biomass, geothermal, nuclear etc.] Nuclear: Report by House of Commons Select Committee on Energy published on February 18th (‘The Government’s statement on the new nuclear power programme,’ House of Commons Paper 114-1, takes the Dept. of Energy to task for not having a ‘clear idea’ of whether investing around £1,300m in a single nuclear plant, is a cost effective as spending a similar sum to promote energy conservation. Information Service on Energy, ISE, (offshoot of SCRAM) have produced an excellent study pack ‘Nuclear Energy Questions.’ This contains booklets & maps on nuclear power, uranium, mining, wast etc. Plus a useful simple guide to the Alternatives and energy choices, based on the theme that ‘we shouldn’t put all our eggs in one (nuclear) basket.’ [Local groups' activities etc.] Community energy- NATTA Community Action and Alternative Technology Campaign: Info on various local energy groups: Lews Energy Group in Sussex, South Brent group in Devon, another group has emerged in Oxford, and the Avon Valley Energy Alliance, Bath. Also, in Bath area there is Roger Kelly’s village energy project in Kilmarsdon near Radstock, Bath. Richard’s group organised a special conference on ‘the future Village & Appropriate Technology’ in March. Greentown project in Milton Keynes. Wales- Newport & Nevern Energy Group, Central Wales Energy Group, Energy Group of Wales. Dartington’s Devon Energy Project includes plans for a local energy auditing exercise with help from Rob Weller of the South West Energy Group at University of Exeter. Hope to publish a guidebook on Local Energy Auditing after they’ve gained more practical experience in Devon. ITDG setting up Local Energy Support Service. NATTA workbooks: 1st draft of NATTA’s next publication on CA-AT produced & available from NATTA on request. National and Local Energy Policies- " |
Copies held
Accession no. 231465
- Shelf location: JOURNALS-NAT
- Donor: David Elliott
