ESB Workers Threaten the Public AGAIN!!!

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LOVE YOUR ESB MAN!
No!!!!

The ESB workers are at it again. The are against the Government White Paper and are threatening Black-outs.

These overpaid and under worked bunch have no concept of what the real world is like. They remind me of Telecom Eireann workers before that useless institution was finally scrapped. Do you remember when it took three years to get a phone? or when you sat with a stop watch in your hand while making a call to the USA coz it cost so much? or when it took a team of three phone workers a day to connect a single rural house to the phone lines? or when you had to be 'nice' to Telecome workers if you wanted the job done at all? It's bloody well the same sort of thing with ESB.

Recruit Electrical Workers in Eastern Europe and Close ESB

Oh it would make me sooooo happy to see the ESB scrapped completely and confined to history like Telecom Eireann. These people have held us to ransom too many times. They are inefficient, overpaid, arrogant, and just a big pain in the ass!

Grasp the nettle Irish Government Ministers and Close ESB PLEASE!


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ICTU want Nuclear Debate

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ICTU wants debate on nuclear power

The Irish trade unions congress, which represents hundreds of thousands of Irish workers, wants a national debate on nuclear power. Are they mad, confused or just foolish?

They are insisting that the controversial technology is a serious option for future energy needs as the world responds to climate change and population growth. David Begg the general secretary of the ICTU is reported as saying that “dramatic changes were needed in either the way we live our lives or how we generate power”

Take one look at the picture of the child above, and tell me just one child like this is worth having that poisonous power source in Ireland????

Biomass, and wind energy are the way to go. Clean, sustainable, and generating thousands of jobs.


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ESB Increased Charges Explained

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Explaining the Incease in Your ESB Bill

I received a little booklet with my latest ESB Bill which, both in Irish and in English, purported to "explain the prices".

I could find no explanation whatsoever. Just a load of bunk about how good the company are and how to "read" your inflated bill.

Here is an Explanation for the Increases

1. The ESB is one of the highest paid companies in Europe. They pay themselves way above the average.

2. The ESB is one of the most inefficient businesses in Europe. Just look at how long their workers take to do a job, and note also their couldn't care less attitude to work.

3. They have lousy customer service and a terrible attitude to the public. This arrogance comes form the fact that they have state secured jobs and secured pensions. Working is just an inconvenience to ESB employees.

4. They have a lousy green energy policy. 85% of power is from imported carbon fuels and ESB is also responsible for destroying our bogs - burning an irreplacable herritage.


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New Efficient
Bio-Fuel Manufacturing Method

Latest modification to bio-fuel production methods can produce more of the green fuel using less of biomass.

Researchers from the School of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University have designed a manufacturing process whereby hydrogen is added during a process called gasification. This method limits the carbon dioxide output and make the process more efficient. It has the potential to produce three times the volume of biofuel from the same quantity of biomass. With this process it is possibe to provide enough bio-fuel to supply the entire US transportation sector according to the inventors.

Biofuels can be made from plants such as willow mass, forrest thinnings, rape seed cake and other material derived from plants which could include manure, kitchen waste and human sewage. The processes currently in use are not considered efficient enough because they waste too much of the carbon dioxide produced from the biomass. Up to two thirds of the CO2 from the required biomass is released into the atmosphere in this process.

In the new process, the CO2 would be recycled into usable fuel by forcing it to react with hydrogen. The process is called H2CAR.

The hydrogen required by the process can be got from solar power or wind power.

But you know what? - Whats the point in mentioning this in Ireland!!!


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Recent Comment:

"trying to get some impartial advice re Kedco wood pellet boilers. are they reliable? is back burn an issue? are the savings real? we are building a 3500sq/f house with underfloor heating downstairs and radiators upstairs is a 30 kw kedco going to be enough? really ae we better just sticking with a good oil boiler? any info would be good!!"


Hi, I don't give any direct advice. The people who are paid to do that are SEI (Sustainable Energy Ireland). However, you will find that in fact they do not give this essential information either.

I have written fairly extensively on Kedco boilers in recent months. You might like to go into the archives of this blog and look up what was written there.

I have also written extensively on some of the other questions you have raised. Again, you might care to refer back to what I wrote. I have covered most of your queries in my blog.


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Are you being pissed off by the advert too??

I have responded several times to this advert, I hear you saying he should be so dim, I just see the offer and the fact it is green energy and I have a "Pavolovian" response, only to swear several times having followed another goose chase to find the offer is limited to business only.

I wish advert writers would cop on to the fact that pissing off potential customers is not a good strategy.


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Free Insulation for Pensioners
and Grants for Everyone

British Chancellor Gordon Brown said that grants will be available to have every home in the UK insulated in the next 10 years.

He also said that he would phase out incandescent light bulbs by 2011 and remove 'standby' functions from TVs and DVD players.

Mr Brown has already set up a scheme that gives pensioners free home insulation. Today, in the first sneak preview of his Budget, he said he would make enough money available to extend the plan to those on low incomes, pensioners and lone parents. Others will get discounts worth up to £160 a year.

And Ireland hasn't made a single move in the right direction yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



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Well Done EU

The EU has taken a decision to Ban the incandescent Bulb in the next two years. Hooray and congratulation!!!! to the the EU for this decision.

Wonder will we see any initiative on insulation. This could save a lot more energy if it were properly promoted and supported.



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Bank Gives Lower Rates on Loans
for Insulation and Green Energy Projects

Permanent TSB will give a special discount on the normal lending rate for personal loans used to make green upgrades to homes. They will discount loans by one percent.

The initiative is to support projects like extra insulation, double glazing, solar energy systems, 'green' boilers and heaters, heat pumps, wind turbines, and greenhouses. All of these would all qualify for the scheme according to Permanent TSB.

The bank has set aside an initial €10 million for the scheme and would expand it if it proves popular.

This new scheme marks one of the first commercial programmes targeting green housing development.

I for one say well done Permanent TSB. Wish the Irish Government would do as much for insulation.


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Wake up Irish Government!

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Is Appears the Irish People
are Awake to the Energy Crisis
BUT NOT so the Government!!!!!

New EU figures suggest that 88% of the Irish public believe the country's energy usage is having a negative impact on climate. Nearly 50% are very concerned about global warming. A huge 94% of the Irish people want minimum targets set for wind, tidal and solar energy. (And by heck - the Government are right in there with MINIMUM - minimum - minimum)

Just under 50% think the government should subsidise these energy strategies. Over 90% said they believed they would have to makes changes in their use of energy within the next decade.

The survey done by the European Commission revealed huge backing from Irish people for renewable power.

The survey results were announced by the Government when it unveiled its Bio-energy Action Plan.

You could be forgiven for being totally under-whelmed by the Government's daring and ground-braking action plan. (Sarcasm - in case you don't recognise it!)

The Plan now reads:
· By 2020 a 33% of electricity in Ireland will come from renewables.
· All peat fired electricity plants will be co-fired by 30% renewables 2015.
· 12% of residential and commercial heating will be by renewables by 2020,
· and a miserly 5% of heating by 2010.
· By 2009 all petrol and diesel will have 5.75% biofuel in the mix, cutting.

The highly paid government advisors are just not considering the energy savings to be made by encouraging proper insulation in homes and businesses, a once off investment. Nor are they considering the 10% electricity savings that CFL bulbs would make.

It would make you want to cry!!


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The Wizzards of Oz

The Australian city of Tamworth is having all its incandescent bulbs replaced by energy saving CFL bulbs.

Tamworth is a centre of some 37,000 people between Sydney and the Queensland border. Historically it was the first town in Australia to have electric street lighting. It is now the first town to embrace the new energy saving technology. Every bulb in the town will be replace by CFL bulbs.

Good on ya Oz.


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Australia could Ban-the-Bulb by 2009

Australia could be the first country to ban the sale of the old fashioned wasteful incandescent light bulbs in favor of energy-efficient CFL bulbs. Malcolm Turnbull, the Australian federal environment minister, has said he would work to get rid of incandescent bulbs by 2009 or 2010.

He said; "The most effective and immediate way we can reduce greenhouse-gas emissions is by using energy more efficiently,” "Electric lighting is a vital part of our lives; globally it generates emissions equal to 70 percent of those from all the world's passenger vehicles."

Australia has used similar means to phase out water-thirsty lavatory cisterns and high-pressure showerheads.




“The first step would be to work with manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and retailers to encourage them to phase out incandescent bulbs and make sure there were enough appropriate fluorescent bulbs available”. "Once the main players have removed those inefficient products, that investment in better quality and more efficient product will be protected by regulation" "The actual enforcement would be conducted by state and territory energy efficiency and consumer protection agencies."

Australia could possibly be the first country to implement such a plan. "It's a little thing but it's a massive change," said Mr Turnbull. Mr. Turnbull also said that he hoped the rest of the world would follow Australia's lead in banning the traditional bulbs.


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