D-ENERGi are delighted to announce that they will be exhibiting at this years N.E.C Birmingham Care Show which is to take place on the 12th and 13th November. The Care Shows are designed to provide education, products and services for those owning, or running any organisation responsible for the care of older people.  This includes proprietors, directors and managers of care homes, nursing homes, domiciliary care agencies, sheltered accommodation, learning disability homes, local authorities, specialist care units and private hospitals. Zico Ahmed D-ENERGi Director stated “We find the Care Show is a fantastic opportunity to meet our  loyal customers and to explore and understand in  detail the markets in which we operate and supply,  me and members of the team are enthusiastically looking forward to this event!”

Fossil fuels as we most commonly know them are coal, oil and natural gas. Oil and natural gas are namely known for being located in underground reservoirs but they can also be found in other locations such as shale gas and tar sands. Previously these were considered to be too costly to excavate and make them commercially viable, it is only thanks to the advancements made over the last ten years in drilling technology that these can now be accessed and sold at a profit. As with many countries Britain is a source of shale gas but this is an as yet untapped resource and yet one that is understandably becoming more and more appealing to businesses and the government. The North Sea oil rig is one of the main contributors to the British Economy and quite often the economy rises and falls with the output of these oil fields; the economy shrank by 0.3% in the final quarter of 2012 because of declining gas and oil output. “Shale gas could be a new North Sea for Britain, creating tens of thousands of jobs, supporting our manufacturers and reducing gas imports.” The above statement was made by  Corin Taylor, Senior Economic Adviser and author of a new report from the IoD regarding the potential impact of fraking for shale gas on the British economy. Such statements will undoubtedly incite excitement in a government that is looking for an immediate solution to their fiscal woes. The report cited government figures that estimate 76% of the UK’s gas would be imported by 2030 the cost of which would be around £15.6bn. per year.  However, according to this report, if shale gas were to be aggressively pursued gas imports would be reduced to around 37% by 2030 at a total cost of around £7.5bn. per year. The above figures are clearly an encouraging incentive and shale gas has been somewhat of a revolutionary natural resource in countries that have found themselves with an abundance of it. The two most hotly discussed examples can be found in Northern America. The USA is hoping to be nearly entirely self sufficient regarding energy thanks to their vast reserves of shale gas and Canada is looking for a major boom to it’s economy thanks to their recently discovered tar sands, also known as oil sands. However, what on the surface appears to be the answer to all our looming fears over the future of global energy production could potentially force climate change into an irreversible state. The process by which shale gas is extracted is called ‘fraking’ and involves drilling a well to the depth at which the shale rock sits and then blasting the rock with water and chemicals. As the water and chemicals produce fissures in the rock natural gas is released and can subsequently be siphoned off and used as energy. One of the most commonly cited issues with frakking is that the chemicals used in the process can contaminate local water suppliers as only 50-70% of surplus water is recovered. However, these figures are regularly disputed and though there are examples of this, such as in Pennsylvania as outlined in this study, they appear to be isolated incidents and are yet to be corroborated by other communities located near frakking sites. There are obvious benefits to excavating the shale gas resources, the economic boost alone is incredibly appealing, but surely this can only be seen as a desperate attempt to hold onto a system that will ultimately fail us. These resources can only ever be finite, and whilst they are available to be used their use will ultimately push climate change to such a degree that there is no stopping it and certainly no returning from it. We should see the dwindling supply of fossil fuels as a reason to pursue something new, to invest in renewable energy solutions that could potentially reverse the devastating impact that carbon emissions have had.

Should you smell gas or suspect there has been a leak of other fumes such as carbon monoxide you should call the free 24 hour national emergency number on 0800 111 999 immediately. It is the responsibility of your gas distributor to make your property safe but the following will outline what precautions you should take after you have called 0800 111 999 and then what steps need to be taken after the engineer has visited.    Natural Gas If you are able to smell gas then please ensure you follow these steps: Call the national emergency number on 0800 111 999 Do not use your mobile phone to make this call if you are in the property where there is a suspected gas leak. If your only option is to use a mobile phone then make the call either outside or in a neighbouring property Open all doors and windows Never use matches, lighters or any other type of naked flame Do not smoke Do not switch any electrical appliances on or off, this includes doorbells and lights Ensure that the gas supply to any appliances has not been left on and that the pilot light on any boilers has not gone out If you know how to and feel comfortable doing it then turn off the gas supply at the meter   It is not your responsibility to fix any gas leaks at your property, this is the responsibility or your gas distributor and once you have reported the leak through the national emergency number they will visit your property free of charge. Make sure the engineer is a Gas Safe registered engineer and request to see the necessary documentation confirming this. If the leak is in a domestic property they may be able to make it safe by switching off the gas supply. Provided they are able to the gas engineer will fix the leak there and then, if not they will isolate the faulty appliance and switch the gas back on if it is safe to do so. Once the engineer has completed all the work they are able to they will leave all the relevant information concerning who to contact should any repairs need to be made. If the fault is with the distribution company and you are left without gas for more than 24 hours you will be entitled to compensation. You will need to contact your supplier should this apply to you.   Carbon Monoxide A carbon monoxide leak is just as dangerous as a natural gas leak, though it is not combustible like natural gas it is poisonous and restricts your bloods ability to transport oxygen around your body. However, it is much more difficult to notice as carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless but there are indicators to look out for: Flames on gas appliances burn orange or yellow instead of blue There is undue condensation on your windows There is visible soot or a scorched look on any gas appliances The pilot light on any of your boilers frequently goes out The easiest possible way is to invest in a carbon monoxide detector, the Gas Safe Register states the following on their website: “Gas Safe Register recommends the use of audible carbon monoxide alarms. It should be marked to EN 50291 and also have the British Standards’ Kitemark or another European approval organisation’s mark on it. CO alarms usually have a battery life of up to 5 years. Fit an alarm in each room with a gas appliance. Always follow the alarm manufacturer’s instructions on siting, testing and replacing the alarm. Do not use the ‘black spot’ detectors that change colour when carbon monoxide is present, they don’t make a sound. It is important to choose an alarm that will wake you up if you’re asleep, or you may not be aware of early CO symptoms until it is too late.”   If you suspect there is a carbon monoxide leak or your carbon monoxide alarm has alerted you to one then you must: Leave the property immediately Call national emergency number on 0800 111 999 If any from the property is displaying any of the following symptoms seek urgent medical attention as they may be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning: headaches dizziness nausea breathlessness collapse loss of consciousness Turn off any appliances and do not switch them back on until they have been checked Ensure that any and all repairs are completed by a Gas Safe registered engineer   Following these steps will help to ensure the safety of anyone at a property affected by either a natural gas leak or carbon monoxide leak. As a matter of precaution make sure the national emergency number is kept somewhere prominent in the property so that it can be found by anyone in the event of any kind of leak and that any residents or employees at the property are aware of the above.

  D-ENERGi team up with the Care Chanel! It will involve going out to interview D-ENERGi customers, and asking what experiences they found of the switching process to become a D-ENERGi customer, and more importantly operational savings made by the care home. Watch this space!!