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A City Off The Grid

Posted by: Nate Berg

22 April 2007 - 5:00am

A town in England has completely cut itself off from the national power grid, providing all its own energy with mini power stations and renewable energy. Some doubt the system's practicality, but others say it is the new standard for cities.

"Skeptics say that the glitches and expenses that customers in the town of Woking, England, have experienced show that switching everyone to locally generated energy is an impractical pipe dream. But proponents say traditional power stations waste vast amounts of heat, and that grids and unsightly pylons lose even more energy before it reaches end-users."

"To overcome these obstacles, officials in Woking took the radical step of creating an entirely new network of private wires and private pipes."

"The system links 18 mini-power stations, some running on natural gas and hydrogen, others on renewable energy like solar power. Locally generated heat from some of these stations then is piped to nearby homes and offices in a process called cogeneration, saving on heating bills. In some cases, the process is used for refrigeration and air-conditioning, creating further savings."

Full Story: Local energy generation system in Woking, England, draws admirers - and skeptics
Source: International Herald Tribune, April 20, 2007
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The impact of community design and amenities on community engagement is substantial. Respondents with a lower overall grade for their communities were also found to be less engaged in their communities, as measured by participation in social activities, relationships with neighbors, volunteer work, and civic participation such as voting.
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