Agenda item

a)    Joint Report of Assistant Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Regeneration and Economic Development

b)    Presentation by Professor Jon Gluyas, Dean of Knowledge Exchange, Dong/Ikon Chair of Geoenergy Carbon Capture and Storage, Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University

The committee considered the joint report of the Assistant Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Regeneration and Economic Development which provided members with background information prior to a presentation on low carbon energy providing detail of energy development in the Country and in the North East region; current position; issues and challenges and current and future opportunities (for copy of report see file of minutes).

The Chairman welcomed Professor Jon Gluyas, Dean of Knowledge Exchange, Dong/Ikon Chair of Geoenergy Carbon Capture and Storage, Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University who was in attendance to provide members with a presentation on low carbon energy potential in County Durham (for copy of slides see file of minutes).

During the presentation he provided details of the basic energy sources, high carbon/low carbon, embedded carbon, high carbon – mitigation strategy, energy density, UK energy consumption, UK changing energy picture, background in relation to the development of energy in the county and the North East region, current position, issues and challenges and current and future opportunities.

Councillor Hall referred to the use of heat from seawater and asked if there was potential within County Durham to capture this source of energy. Professor Gluyas responded that there are examples of projects involving heat extraction from seawater in Norway but none within the UK although there are projects involving heat being taken from rivers such as the Thames and Clyde. Professor Gluyas commented that in his opinion heat extraction from the sea is only a short step away.

Concerning energy security Councillor Hall commented that there is a drive to decrease energy use in the Country however this is not mirrored in current planning requirements, Government should ensure that planning regulations require the use of low carbon technologies in new builds, as planning has a direct impact on energy savings.

Councillor E Bell referred to a previous visit by the committee to the Dawdon Minewater Treatment Scheme site and commented that whilst minewater was being treated and heat extracted at this site, why was something similar not being done further up the coast at Whitburn.

Professor Gluyas responded that in the UK we waste a lot of energy, 40% of UK energy bills is for heating. Heat from Minewater is being investigated at Whitehaven and will be investigated as part of the Durham City District Heating feasibility study.  Work is underway in partnership with UKCoal, The Environment Agency, Northumbrian Water and Durham County Council, investigating the further use of minewater heat in Dawdon.  He concluded the heat from minewater should be investigated more but had no answer as to why it is not.

Councillor Adam referred to energy density and asked why the UK is not developing the use of hydrogen gas. Professor Gluyas responded that hydrogen presented an opportunity and that there are a number of options for generating hydrogen. The UK had used hydrogen in the past as ‘town gas’ was principally hydrogen however in the 1960’s a decision was taken by Government to use natural gas. There is no reason why hydrogen gas could not be produced and used in the future.

Councillor Holland referred to the building of carbon neutral housing estates and commented that currently it is not possible to build these estates with current Government planning guidance, there is a need for this to change with current energy security issues and the need to drive down usage.  Government needs to change current planning legislation and allow for carbon neutral housing estates to be built. Did Professor Gluyas think Government would change current planning legislation to allow the building of such housing estates. Professor Gluyas responded that there is a need for low carbon housing estates to be built and in order to do this there is a need for planning legislation to change.

Councillor Jewell indicated that there were very few wind sites remaining in County, was there potential for the business sector to use the low number of remaining sites for their financial benefit. Maggie Bosanquet, Sustainability and Climate Change Team Leader responded that the government had changed the legislation making it more restrictive as to where wind turbines can be located.

Councillor May referred to the Chinese using coal and asked if there would be the opportunity for the UK to once again use coal for heat. Professor Gluyas responded that China was significant smoke issues and that they are currently undertaking work to reduce the amount of coal emissions. In relation to the UK there was still a lot of coal in the earth and would anticipate at some point in the future going back to using coal as a source of energy.

The Chairman thanked Professor Gluyas for his very informative presentation.

Resolved: That the report and presentation be noted.