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- Written by: J C Burke
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The Urban Heat Island Effect in London:
Implications for Energy Policy & the Case for Combined Cooling, Heat & Power via Bio-Methane
Executive Summary
"London faces a significant and worsening Urban Heat Island (UHI) challenge that current policy approaches are failing to address adequately." The city centre can be up to 10°C warmer than surrounding rural areas, with this differential intensifying at night when buildings release stored heat. This phenomenon directly increases cooling energy demand, creates a self-reinforcing feedback loop through air conditioning waste heat, and imposes substantial health and economic costs—estimated at £453-987 million annually from heat-related mortality alone.
Current policy prioritises carbon metrics over thermodynamic efficiency, inadvertently discouraging solutions that could address both objectives simultaneously. Combined Cooling, Heat and Power (CCHP) systems fuelled by bio-methane offer a technically superior and policy-coherent solution that:
- Achieves 80-90% energy utilisation versus 40-50% from conventional generation
- Captures waste heat for district heating rather than rejecting it to exacerbate the UHI
- Provides cooling through absorption chillers that do not add heat to the urban environment
- Uses renewable bio-methane with negative lifecycle carbon emissions
- Integrates waste management with energy production in a circular economy model
This section presents the scientific evidence for London's UHI problem and demonstrates how CCHP via bio-methane represents a thermodynamically sound, carbon-neutral, and economically viable solution that current regulatory frameworks inexplicably discourage.
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- Written by: J C Burke
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THE FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH ABOUT CHP:
1. CHP burns fuel ONCE to produce electricity AND useful heat SIMULTANEOUSLY
2. The Government's allocation method (1/3 heat, 2/3 electricity) is an ACCOUNTING CONVENTION
- It exists for emissions reporting and tax calculations
- It does NOT represent actual fuel division (which is impossible)
3. The REAL benefit is THERMODYNAMIC:
- CHP typically achieves 80-90% overall efficiency
- Separate generation (grid + boiler) achieves ~55-60% combined efficiency
- This means ~30-40% LESS PRIMARY FUEL for the same useful energy
4. For UK CHP in 2024:
- Total fuel input: ~60,000 GWh
- Total useful output: ~49,000 GWh (electricity + heat)
- Overall efficiency: ~82%
- Primary energy saved: ~20,000 GWh compared to separate generation
- CO2 avoided: ~3-4 million tonnes annually
5. RECOMMENDATION: Present CHP benefits as:
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- Written by: J C Burke
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The Efficiency Alternative:
Why Decentralized Energy Systems Beat the Renewable Subsidy Race
A Pre-Summit Analysis for the FT Energy Transition Summit 2025 - 29th and 30th October 2025
By Sun Earth Energy Ltd
As the Financial Times Energy Transition Summit convenes this coming week, CEOs, policymakers, and—critically—US investors will gather to discuss the "path to net zero." They'll hear familiar themes: massive renewable deployment, gigawatt-scale solar farms, offshore wind expansion, and the billions in subsidies needed to make it all "competitive."
But what if that entire framework is thermodynamically backwards?
The Uncomfortable Truth About Current Policy
At this year's FT Hydrogen Summit, a senior DESNZ official made a remarkable admission: the UK government's strategy involves deliberately making natural gas expensive to make alternatives like hydrogen appear "competitive."
This isn't market economics. This is industrial policy disguised as environmental necessity.
The same mechanism drives renewable energy policy:
- Add £65/MWh carbon pricing to gas generation
- Apply windfall taxes to North Sea production
- Provide 25% capital grants for solar/wind
- Guarantee prices through Contracts for Difference
- Socialize grid connection and balancing costs
Then declare renewables "cheaper than fossil fuels."
The Thermodynamic Case No One Makes
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FT Hydrogen Summit: Strategic Talking Points: Core Message Framework
"I'm not anti-hydrogen - I'm pro-sequencing. Biomethane CHP is the intelligent bridge to hydrogen fuel cells. Why waste 15-20 years when we can deploy 90% efficiency systems today and transition to H2 fuel cells when they're genuinely ready?"
Primary Elevator Pitch (60 seconds)
*"I'm here because I believe in hydrogen's future - but through fuel cells, not current electrolysis systems. The intelligent pathway is biomethane CHP as the immediate bridge solution. We're literally flaring waste biomethane while debating green hydrogen infrastructure.
My specialty is Combined Heat and Power systems using biomethane - 90% efficiency available today. I'm developing a £50m care home portfolio that proves this concept. In 15-20 years, when hydrogen fuel cells achieve 50-60% efficiency, we can transition. But meanwhile, we're capturing waste energy that's currently lost. The UK has successful CHP installations in Islington, Southampton, and Woking proving this bridge strategy works now."*
Key Statistical Ammunition
- Current hydrogen electrolysis: 25-35% efficiency vs Biomethane CHP: 80-90% efficiency
- Future hydrogen fuel cells: 50-60% efficiency (15-20 years) vs CHP available now: 80-90%
- UK transmission losses: 8-10% annually vs Local CHP: Zero transmission losses
- Hydrogen infrastructure cost: £100+ billion vs CHP leveraging existing gas grid + biomethane: Fraction of the cost
- Timeline: Green hydrogen commercial viability 2030+ vs Biomethane CHP deployment: Immediate
- Waste biomethane: Currently flared or released vs CHP utilization: Captures waste energy streams
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- Written by: ChatGPT! and comments by John Burke
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We asked ChatGPT the following question, its answer was good as it has access to a phenominal amount of relevant data! We also like the way it mentioned wasted heat from {centralised electricity production}
"What are the main benefits of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems in a city enviroment?
ChatGPT Answered
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems, also known as cogeneration, offer several benefits when implemented in a city environment. Here are some of the main advantages of using CHP systems:
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Increased energy efficiency: CHP systems use the heat generated during electricity production, which would otherwise be wasted, to provide heat to buildings. By capturing this wasted heat, CHP systems can achieve efficiency rates of up to 90%, compared to just 50% for conventional power plants.
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Reduced greenhouse gas emissions: Because CHP systems use less fuel to produce the same amount of energy, they emit fewer greenhouse gases than conventional power plants. In addition, by using locally generated energy, CHP systems can reduce the need for energy to be transported long distances, further reducing emissions.
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Improved energy security: CHP systems can provide a reliable source of electricity and heat to buildings, even during power outages or other disruptions to the grid. This can help to improve energy security in a city and reduce the risk of blackouts or other energy-related issues.
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Lower energy costs: By generating electricity and heat on-site, CHP systems can reduce a city's reliance on expensive grid electricity and imported fuels. This can lead to lower energy costs for businesses and residents, which can be especially beneficial in areas with high energy prices.
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Increased resiliency: CHP systems can help to increase the resiliency of a city's energy infrastructure, by providing backup power and heat during emergencies or other disruptions. This can help to reduce the impact of disasters and other events that may disrupt energy supplies.