Sustainable Wharfedale - energy

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A more environmentally friendly use of energy will be necessary in Sustainable Wharfedale. As well as helping to reduce climate change, these changes will be necessary as conventional energy generation from dwindling coal, oil and gas resources becomes more difficult and costly.

The Transition Network has detailed guidelines on going carbon neutral. We could be the first Transition Town in the region.

The first step is to reduce consumptiom. Apart from the usual insulation, efficiency improvements we could look at innovations like shared spaces for solitary daytime house occupants whether homeworking or retired.

For power firstly subscribe to a company like eco-tricity or Good Energy, then enable Wharfedale to make its own contribution to the national energy supply:

- Medium sized wind turbines at the top of Wharfedale hills and by the reservoir, also small wind turbines operated by houses/farms in exposed locations
- Small scale hydropower on the River Wharfe at Addingham, Burley, Otley and Pool, also micro hydropower from some streams for individual homes.
- Solar photovoltaic panels on all houses with south-facing roofs
- Biomass or gas-fired CHP (combined heat and power) in public buildings, e.g Ilkley swimming pool, using local wood from new forestry/coppicing projects on the lower slopes of Wharfedale hills
- Energy from an anaerobic digestion plant producing biogas from compostable waste and sewage
Biomass chp (maybe not chp) to any new development of a certain size. Biomass schools offering out of hours heat to others.

Appliances - make ilkley an A* area only
Provide information on appliances to allow people to make an educated choice
Provide standby busters for all to reduce energy consumption