Category Archives: Energy and Climate Change

News and articles on climate change, vehicle pollution, and renewable energy.

12m drivers considering an electric car in next two years

September 17, 2020Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Uswitch estimates drivers will save a combined £4bn a year.

An estimated 12 million British drivers are considering buying an electric vehicle in the next two years, according to new research. The study of more than 2,000 UK adults by comparison site Uswitch found 30.7 percent of drivers expect to look into the prospect of an electric car over the next two years, while some are already convinced.

Just over one in 10 (11 percent) of respondents said they would be buying an electric vehicle (EV) in the next 24 months, suggesting electric power is about to become much more popular. According to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), electric cars have accounted for 4.7 percent of all new cars registered over the first seven months of this year.

But the figures suggest that is about to increase, and if all those considering an EV do make the switch to battery power, Uswitch estimates they could save a fortune. In fact, with an estimated average saving of £329 a year, the company thinks those drivers could save a combined total of £4 billion in fuel alone every year.

Overall, Uswitch’s research suggests petrol and diesel car owners spend an average of £74.86 a month on fuel. However, the study found electric car drivers were only adding an average of £30.90 a month to their bills by charging their vehicles. When adjusted for average mileage, the company reckons electric vehicle owners save £27.48 a month over their fossil fuel-powered peers.

And Uswitch says EV drivers could save even more if they think about how and when they charge. Simply by charging at home with a 7 kW wallbox, Uswitch says a 100-mile charge will be around £2 cheaper than charging at a motorway service station – although it will take longer. And by being on the best tariff, Uswitch says EV drivers could save up to £92 a year.

“Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, and 12 million drivers could soon be swapping their petrol or diesel car for a more environmentally friendly one,” said Sarah Broomfield, energy expert at Uswitch.com. “The good news for these drivers is that EVs come with an additional financial benefit too — they cost far less to fuel than a petrol or diesel car.

“However, charging costs can vary depending on your energy tariff. If you are still on your supplier’s standard variable tariff, charging your car could cost an additional £7.69 a month unless you switch to a more competitive fixed-term deal.”

It’s Time to Go Green!

If you would like to know more about Solar Panels and the PowerBanx range of home battery systems, and get a free instant quote, please complete our online form:

Government to set legally binding air quality targets

September 14, 2020Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

The Government is planning to set new air quality targets under its Environment Bill to help reduce public exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

The UK currently falls short of WHO recommended limits of PM 2.5s, which are produced by vehicle engines and known to damage the lungs and heart.

The Government said it is fully committed to tackling air pollution and that is independent of being a member of the EU.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) long-term targets will be supported by interim targets to ensure the UK stays on track with the Government’s five-year trajectory.

George Eustice, Environment Secretary, said: “The targets we set under our Environment Bill will be the driving force behind our bold action to protect and enhance our natural world – guaranteeing real and lasting progress on some of the biggest environmental issues facing us today.

“I hope these targets will provide some much-needed certainty to businesses and society, as we work together to build back better and greener.”

To set the targets, which will also apply to any future Governments, Defra said it will use “an evidence-led process in collaboration with independent experts and stakeholders to make sure these are strong, meaningful and environmental outcome focused”.

To hold the Government to account, the new environmental watchdog, the Office for Environmental Protection, will also report annually on the progress that has been made in improving the natural environment in accordance with these targets.

Once proposed targets are developed, businesses, communities and civil society will have an opportunity to share their views in response to a public consultation that is expected in early 2022.

Legislation to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and the UK’s presidency of COP26 in November 2021 will also keep the UK at the forefront of international work on air quality.

Whilst investment into alternative fuel power will have a greater long-term impact, TRL is calling for an increased focus on immediate short-term actions such as wider uptake of Clean Air Zones (CAZs) and Low Emission Zones (LEZs).

Multiple CAZ plans have been either put on hold, or cancelled as councils consider alternative options in the wake of Covid-19.

It’s Time to Go Green!

If you would like to know more about Solar Panels and the PowerBanx range of home battery systems, and get a free instant quote, please complete our online form:

First Drive In The 2021 Polestar 2 Electric Car

September 5, 2020Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and Comment, VolvoRepost

We’ve been promised an electric future, and slowly but surely, it’s starting to appear over the horizon.

Manufacturers have been able to develop technologies to quell range anxiety, and work with power providers to create robust charging infrastructure. Government support, most visibly in the form of tax credits to consumers, has helped to lower the effective retail price gap between electric and gas vehicles. Demand is building.

As with all trends in the automotive industry, economics drive the direction of change. Developing and selling EVs has not yet turned into a profitable activity, even if Tesla stock prices give a different impression. Established car makers have been forced to get creative to try to leverage their existing assets to build a new electrified future, and find themselves in competition with startups (like Tesla), who can sometimes be decidedly nimble and focused on the task.

Volvo recognized the need to move to electrification early, and has committed to hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles. At the same time, they wanted to get the startup advantage – a clean slate, fresh identity, and certain tax benefits, and the Polestar brand was born.

Polestar was founded in 1996 as a race engineering company, and became the official Volvo tuning partner in 2009. Volvo bought Polestar in 2015, and there have been “Polestar Engineered” trim levels and packages since then. Polestar became a separate company again in October 2017, now owned jointly by Geely (Volvo’s parent company) and Volvo, with the mission of becoming a “pure performance electrified brand.” Polestar’s home office is in Gothenburg, Sweden, and the Polestar production center is in Chengdu, China. Polestar 1 was the company’s first vehicle, a halo car with a total run of 1,500 units over three years beginning in 2019. The 2021 Polestar 2 is now arriving in the United States with the target of selling 2,000 units this year and tens of thousands next year.

By splitting off from Volvo (on paper, at least), Polestar is able to reset the counter on the US Government’s Federal Electric Vehicle Tax Credit. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s FuelEconomy.gov, “All-electric and plug-in hybrid cars purchased new in or after 2010 may be eligible for a federal income tax credit of up to $7,500. The credit amount will vary based on the capacity of the battery used to power the vehicle. State and/or local incentives may also apply.” This tax credit lasts until a manufacturer has sold 200,000 qualifying vehicles, and then quickly sunsets and expires in the subsequent four quarters. Volvo has been eating into its 200,000 credits with its plug-in hybrids. With a fresh start and its own VIN run, Polestar will get a running start at Federal and state credits, where available, giving it an advantage over the obvious target, Tesla.

None of this matters unless the Polestar 2 is any good.

It’s Time to Go Green!

If you would like to know more about Solar Panels and the PowerBanx range of home battery systems, and get a free instant quote, please complete our online form:

Car tax changes branded a success as updates lead to ‘resilient demand’ for these models

September 3, 2020Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

CAR TAX changes introduced in March 2020 have had a positive effect on electric car sales as uptake has soared, according to experts at analysts Cornwall Insight.

Car tax benefit in kind changes saw extra tax fees scrapped on models purchased under salary sacrifice schemes. Tax charges were cut from 16 percent to zero percent on electric vehicles purchased under the scheme which ensured drivers could secure top of the range models for less.

A recent survey of more than 500 businesses across the UK found that 30 percent were already using electric vehicles in their fleets.

A further 46 percent said they had plans to make the transition while 16 percent said they have had initial discussions.

Experts at Cornwall Insight said the car tax changes provided an “incentive for businesses” to offer electric vehicles to staff.

Katie Hickford, an analyst at Cornwall Insigh also revealed that changes to the plug-in grant had also had an impact on a slight rise in sales.

She revealed improvement in models and extra availability had led to “greater choice” for those looking to make a switch.

She said models were “more of an attractive proposition” now than before due to increased vehicle ranges.

Ms Hickford said: “Resilient demand for BEVs appears to be driven by four key factors.

“From April 6, changes to the benefit-in-kind company car tax means zero emission vehicles pay no tax in 2020-21, providing an incentive for businesses to transition their fleets.
“Also, there have been changes to the plug-in grant in the March 2020 Budget, meaning that hybrid cars with fewer than 70 zero emission miles are no longer eligible for funding.

It’s Time to Go Green!

If you would like to know more about Solar Panels and the PowerBanx range of home battery systems, and get a free instant quote, please complete our online form:

Tory MPs join calls for 2030 ICE ban as caucus makes green recovery recommendations

August 22, 2020Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Bring forward the ICE ban to 2030, a group of over 100 moderate Conservative MPs has recommended in a new collection of essays.

The caucus of MPs, dubbed One Nation, has published its latest collection of essays – its third in the series – looking at a green economic recovery to COVID-19.

Specifically, the call came from Ruth Edwards, MP for Rushcliffe, who wrote that a nearer end date “will provide the catalyst to ensure that the rollout of EVs gets the focus and investment it needs”.

This joins calls from SSE and the UK Electric Fleets Coalition for a 2030 ban, as well as a recommendation from the Net Zero All-Party Parliamentary Group for a 2032 ban.

Edwards’ call also echoes one made by the Conservative Environmental Network in July 2019, which recommended a ban of 2035. The government then unveiled its consultation on bringing the date forward to 2035 – or earlier if feasible – in February 2020, with the consultation closing on 31 July 2020.

Another recommendation made by the Conservative Environmental Network – that incentives are created to install ultra-rapid EV chargers at areas such as motorway service stations – also came to fruition in the form of the government’s Rapid Charging Fund.

An earlier ICE ban wasn’t Edwards only recommendation, however, as she also suggested that the government legislate to ensure new homes include personal EV smart charging points or, in cases where this is not possible, contribute to local authority on-street parking schemes.

A number of recommendations were made across the document, with Jerome Mayhew (Broadland), Gareth Davies (Grantham and Stamford), Selaine Saxby (North Devon), Fay Jones (Brecon and Radnorshire) and Anthony Browne (South Cambridgeshire) also contributing.
Highlights of the policy recommendations include

Create a domestic carbon tax, with a border carbon adjustment tariff process for all manufactured imports and exports.
Train for charge point installation and maintenance, and create green apprenticeships certified at NVQ Level-6 in related areas such as battery technology.
Fund a training programme for green workers, helping them to prequalify from sectors impacted by COVID-19, and support the training of local energy efficiency installers.
Commit to develop industrial Carbon Capture and Storage technology and adopt the target of capturing and storing 10MtCO2 by 2030.

It’s Time to Go Green!

If you would like to know more about Solar Panels and the PowerBanx range of home battery systems, and get a free instant quote, please complete our online form:

EVs Are Not A Problem For The Electric Grid, They Are The Solution

August 12, 2020Charging, Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

One of the stock arguments you will hear against the wide adoption of electric vehicles is about how the power supply grid is going to cope with all these high-voltage devices drawing current to recharge.

A home EV charging station will require somewhere between 2kW and 7kW when it is replenishing a car battery. If all EVs are plugged in at once, surely the grid will collapse and power stations will be overextended? Dogs and cats will live together, and mass hysteria will break out? But not only is this a complete misunderstanding of EV charging habits, it could be getting things completely the wrong way round. Here’s why.

First, let’s give the negative argument some thought. There were about 33 million passenger cars in the UK in 2019, according to the UK Department of Transport, and there were nearly 274 million registered cars in the USA in 2018, according to the Federal Highway Administration of the US Department of Transportation. If all of these are swapped for EVs with batteries with at least 50kWh, and you charge them all at once at 7kW, you could be asking the UK grid to supply 231GW of energy for at least seven hours, and the US grid 1.9TW. UK power stations supplied 86.9TWh in Q1 2020, which is an average of 39.8GW per hour. The USA had a capacity of 1.1TW at the end of 2019.

This is obviously never going to work. There’s not enough capacity on either grid. But of course, it never would have to. One of the big misconceptions about EVs is that you charge them every day like a phone. This also leads to gross miscalculations about how long the batteries will last, but let’s not get into that argument right now. A survey by Statista published in January 2020 stated that in 2017 UK motorists drove on average 4,500 miles per year for private use, and the trend since then has been down. That’s just 12 miles a day, and with lots of EVs now providing a 200-mile range on a single charge, on average you’ll be charging your EV twice a month. So, in reality, assuming an even distribution of charging, the UK grid could easily cope with everyone owning an EV and charging it twice a month on average. American drivers use their cars a lot more – 13,500 miles a year, according to the US Department of Transport. But that’s still only six charging cycles a month for an EV with a 200-mile range, which is well within current capacity.

It’s Time to Go Green!

If you would like to know more about Solar Panels and the PowerBanx range of home battery systems, and get a free instant quote, please complete our online form:

Could the coronavirus accelerate the green transition?

August 6, 2020Coronavirus, Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and Comment, PollutionRepost

Coronavirus continues to impact businesses across the globe causing uncertainty in all sectors of the economy. While lockdowns and travel restrictions have been relaxed in the UK, the drastically reduced air pollution experienced, albeit temporarily, has driven reappraisal of future mobility strategies while also highlighting a significant role and opportunity for the electric vehicle (EV) sector.

The post COVID-19 global economy will be different – bet on longer term winners

While the health threat of coronavirus will be ended by the development and distribution of a vaccine, it is increasingly clear the economic effects will be more lasting. Recovery will happen, but it will be patchy, certain sectors (travel, hospitality, office real estate) will be permanently transformed.

This altered economic landscape means short term attempts to go “back to normal” are ill advised. Instead, governments and investors will need to look at which areas have a longer-term future and back these to the hilt – and yes, this may be to the detriment of others.

In automotive terms, would anyone recommend measures to support the production of a new suite of diesel passenger vehicles while the global economy lag has depressed sales? This is the time to pivot to the development of the passenger vehicles that will be in demand once recovery is here in earnest – and those are electric.

It’s Time to Go Green!

If you would like to know more about Solar Panels and the PowerBanx range of home battery systems, and get a free instant quote, please complete our online form:

Climate change: Road plans will scupper CO2 targets, report says

July 23, 2020Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

The vast majority of emissions cuts from electric cars will be wiped out by new road-building, a report says.

The government says vehicle emissions per mile will fall as zero-emissions cars take over Britain’s roads.

But the report says the 80% of the CO2 savings from clean cars will be negated by the £27bn planned roads programme.

It adds that if ministers want a “green recovery” the cash would be better spent on public transport, walking, cycling, and remote-working hubs.

And they point out that the electric cars will continue to increase local air pollution through particles eroding from brakes and tyres.

The calculations have been made by an environmental consultancy, Transport for Quality of Life, using data collected by Highways England.

The paper estimates that a third of the predicted increase in emissions would come from construction – including energy for making steel, concrete and asphalt.

A third would be created by increased vehicle speeds on faster roads.

And a further third would be caused by extra traffic generated by new roads stimulating more car-dependent housing, retail parks and business parks.

It’s Time to Go Green!

If you would like to know more about Solar Panels and the PowerBanx range of home battery systems, and get a free instant quote, please complete our online form:

London in lockdown sees air quality improve by up to 50%

July 20, 2020Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and Comment, PollutionRepost

New research has found rush hour pollution levels have dropped considerably in London during the pandemic lockdown.

They fell up to a 50% during rush hour near Park Lane and double digit improvements in other commuter hotspots in London.

Borough High Street, at the base of London Bridge, saw a 37% reduction in the morning and 47% drop in the evening.

Cowcross Street, near Farringdon Train Station, saw a fall of 38% in the morning and 43% in the evening.

South Street, next to busy Park Lane, saw reductions of 32% and 50% for the morning and then the evening.

The research was carried out by Environmental Defence Fund Europe (EDFE) and Global Action Plan.

EDFE analysed pollution data from the Breathe London monitoring network during morning (8-11am) and evening (5-8pm) commuting hours in the first four weeks of lockdown.

These three sites were also in the top five of overall NO2 pollution reduction locations for the Breathe London network.

NO2 is a toxic pollutant produced when fossil fuels such as diesel, petrol or natural gas are burned.

In order to keep air pollution down, particularly during rush hour, Global Action Plan is calling on businesses to offer remote working to employees to ease pressure during peak travel times.

Additional research also shows that Londoners are more concerned about the air pollution since lockdown and are keen for it to stay low.

It’s Time to Go Green!

If you would like to know more about Solar Panels and the PowerBanx range of home battery systems, and get a free instant quote, please complete our online form:

Incentivising EVs suggested to reduce coronavirus impact

July 13, 2020Coronavirus, Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and Comment, PollutionRepost

Electric vehicle tax breaks, scrappage schemes and extended emissions zones have all been proposed to reduce the likelihood of a second wave of coronavirus in the All-Party Parliamentary Group Air Pollution’s (APPG Air Pollution) latest document; Air Quality Strategy to Reduce Coronavirus Infection.

The Air Quality Strategy document recognises the importance the global lockdown has played in transforming, “the way we have lived, worked and interacted with each other and, in that process, significantly reduced air pollution.”

The document states that there is a connection between cleaner air and a reduction of COVID-19 risk – emerging evidence suggests that short term exposure to air pollution increases the risk of coronavirus infection – underlining the importance of a comprehensive air quality strategy as we emerge from lockdown. This is in addition to premature death figures for Europe of 470,000 each year pre lockdown attributable to air pollution – including 64,000 in the UK, and with poor health related to air pollution estimated to cost £20bn each year in the UK alone.

Geraint Davies, chair of the APPG Air Pollution, said:

“Air pollution may also carry the virus further afield. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds the virus can remain infectious and airborne for hours and explores how pollution may transport coronavirus through the air. It is therefore essential that the government ensures pollution remains low.”

It’s Time to Go Green!

If you would like to know more about Solar Panels and the PowerBanx range of home battery systems, and get a free instant quote, please complete our online form: