Local Agenda 21 (LA21)

16. Energy

16.1 Most everyday activities necessitate some form of energy use and as technology advances the demand for energy increases. Approximately eighty percent of this energy comes from environmentally damaging fossil fuels; coal, oil and gas. The burning of fossil fuels is responsible for almost all of the emissions of carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide in the UK. Carbon dioxide is the main cause of global warming, as it traps the sun's heat and raises the temperature of the Earth causing dramatic weather changes. Sulphur dioxide mixes with rainwater to form acid rain, which kills trees and plants as well as river and pond life.

16.2 Most energy production, whatever the type takes place outside the Borough of Tameside, however occupants of Tameside can play a large part in reducing energy consumption and hence limit harmful emissions. It is possibly not enough to simply encourage the use of non-fossil fuels. If a sustainable situation is to occur, then we must use the energy we have more efficiently. Furthermore some would argue that certain forms of renewable energy such as wind and tidal power have adverse environmental effects.

16.3 It is also necessary to take into account fuel poverty when assessing how to improve energy efficiency in homes. This term is used to express the disproportionate amount of income that the poorer in society pay for fuel. As a result the poorest have most to gain from increased energy efficiency, but are least able to afford the improvements necessary.

For the purpose of LA21, energy has been considered under the following three headings.

Building Energy Use

16.4 The responsibility for reducing the use of energy in buildings includes everybody, whether in the home or in the workplace. Many initiatives have been started by the government such as the energy savings trust which funds energy efficiency and the Home Energy Conservation Act which aims to achieve a 30% reduction in home energy use by the year 2006. Competition between companies has resulted in cheaper gas and electricity prices. Whilst this is good for consumers it is important that they are not discouraged from saving energy.

Renewable Energy Use

16.5 The use of renewable fuels more than doubled between 1991 and 1995, most of this increase was due to hydro-electric dams, surprisingly only 1.8% of renewable energy in 1995 was wind power and 0.6% active solar power. Responsibility for increasing the amount of renewable energy in Tameside as well as the UK, lies with many people. The government actively promotes renewable energy via grants etc., the public lobby for more of it and large companies install and use this type of energy wherever possible.

Energy Used in Transportation

16.6 This topic is also covered in section 13 of this Action Plan. The fossil fuels burned for transportation have a more focused effect as car fumes are emitted locally, effecting our immediate environment as well as the global environment.All sectors in Tameside must contribute to this; businesses, the Council, householders and institutions such as colleges and hospitals.

Reducing Energy Use in Tameside

16.7 Many initiatives are currently underway in Tameside which are aimed at reducing the amount of fossil fuels used. A few examples of these are:

• Seminars - these are being held to promote and offer advice on energy efficiency to local businesses, schools and other building owners.
• Eco-Schools project - this involves a number of schools developing an environmental policy including an energy policy, which council officers are actively supporting.
• Making a Corporate Commitment is a government led initiative, which involves an organisation committing itself to reducing energy consumption. The Council in Tameside has signed up to 'Making a Corporate Commitment' and it is hoped that local businesses will follow suit.

The key to the "timescale" column is as follows: