Andy Clarke

I’m Andy Clarke and in my 41st year in the Energy Industry -when I started I called the bit I was in "The Gas Industry"! I described myself as "an Energy Manager without portfolio" or "The Best Available Energy Professional" -all of which translates as that ,after working for people like British Gas, MOD , Thales and Leicestershire County Council. Across the decades I’ve also picked up a lot of qualifications -BSc C.Eng MIGEM MEI CMVP AIEMA FEMA Chartered Energy Engineer plus qualifications in Marketing, Management and Business – if that gives any credibility? I, tweet as AndyCEnergy , am on Facebook and Linkedin and am working on my own website but I felt I wanted somewhere less formal to comment on the sometimes absurd world of sustainability and energy management -so here it is. Andy’s Energy Musings – and that is what I hope they are -often without a direct point to make they are thoughts around the subject with asides which I hope will lead to thought in their own right – Let me know if they interest you and maybe I’ll ramble round that subject in another blog. I hope I can provoke thought and entertain – If I don’t at least I tried! I’m currently Vice President the UK Association of Energy Engineers and Chair of the NE Branch of the Energy Institute but I clearly need to say that my comments are mine alone!

Andy's Energy Musings

New five pound note: the price of sustainability?

Sometimes sustainable decisions can have unfortunate consequences - is the new five pound note an example?

Energy

Do we really need an electricity grid?

Energy

Sending the wrong message: we don’t care how hot the room is

Energy

“I’m using a Biomass Boiler I’m one of the Environmental Good Guys”

Well possibly you're not. If you consider carefully there may be reasons why you are continuing to damage the ecosystem

Energy

What have we done to upset HMG?

Energy

‘Dieselgate’: Fiddling the system…

Volkswagen (VW) have been caught fiddling tests. Well they're not unique. A couple of examples from my own experience highlight where something similar has been attempted.

Energy

What if carbon dioxide isn’t causing climate change?

Energy

Bigger is better?

The adage is that Bigger is always Better. Well, it isn't true. Some examples of where the right size in't the biggest and being too big can be a wasteful exercise.

Energy

Heat Network Regulations

The Goverment passed legislation on Heat Networks before the General Election. It needs action before the end of the year and includes much more than you'd think . Do you need to comply?

Energy

Why not working 9 to 5 is damaging the Planet

The world has changed. We used to "clock on" at 9am and "clock off" at 5pm - now we work longer hours and our buildings are open for even longer. But have you considered the effect this has on energy use and carbon emissions?

Energy

Summertime (part 2)

Following on from Summertime (with another to come) this talks about small changes to your heating set up that will reduce Summer consumption.

Energy

Summertime

And the living ain't easy - what do you set your AC to and why?

Energy

Why aM & T?

How do you justify spending money on extra meters and automatic reading when it doesn't save money or energy directly. One anecdote that might help

Energy

Going Home for Christmas

At this time of year lots of buildings get effectively closed for the holiday season, however often the building owners don't respond properly and reduce the building to minimum energy consumption.

Energy

Is there an LED Fallacy?

Everyone seems to believe that LED lighting is the answer to energy conservation in lighting. But do the facts match the publicity?

Energy

Blue Flame Syndrome or sometimes it pays to be devious

Sometimes an energy manager has to be devious to succeed - one such example

Energy

How Sustainable is your Cuppa

We all need our cuppa, but how sustainable is yours? we're not talking about where the beans, coffee or even the cup comes from but the energy you use making it

Energy