Londons low emmision zone (LEZ)

[TaffyRon]

Buses, trucks and other vehicles not meeting emmision requirements are banned (unless they want to cough up) why not boats and how long before the lez applies to boats?

also is london a smokeless fuel coal area?

[junior]

also is london a smokeless fuel coal area?

I may be barking up the wrong tree, but I'm sure I've seen it stated before that even if you are in a smoke control area, boats are exempt so you can burn whatever you want.

[TaffyRon]

I may be barking up the wrong tree, but I'm sure I've seen it stated before that even if you are in a smoke control area, boats are exempt so you can burn whatever you want.

but ive just bought an emergency bag of "smokeless" coal for 13 quid as they say thats what they are allowed to have.

so I can burn go cart tyres on my epping stove in london?

[Zig Zag]

also is london a smokeless fuel coal area?

Where abouts it's a big place?

Smoke controled zones are set by the local councils. So you normally have to ring the environment department give them your address and there tell you.

As a ruel of thumb I was told by my local Council it's mainly places that are backing on or next to a large industrial aera or buildings as there are already creating a lot.

[magnetman]

I think junior is right

 

But.

 

There have definitely been murmurings about bringing boats under the regulations for smoke and noise pollution as well. I don't know the ins and outs but I imagine London Boaters (Farsebook?) might have info

 

Don't think you can burn go cart tyres anywhere legally can you? Maybe at sea

Edited October 31, 2014 by magnetman

[Jambo]

You've got to go quite far out to get out of a smoke control area in London but there are probably some bits inside the M25 which aren't covered, judging by this map.

 

I think the chances of bringing boats under the LEZ are very slim because the policy makers would weigh up the costs of complying and the impact on lifestyles / heritage etc with the benefits which it would have in terms of reduced emissions. With only about 1,000 boats moving once every two weeks or so the impact on air quality emissions which boat engines have is going to be very small up against the hundreds of thousands of diesel cars, taxis, buses and trucks moving about daily.

 

More likely to appear on the horizon will be local restrictions on the type of fuel that can be burnt in stoves imposed by councils rather than schemes like the LEZ. Islington is pushing hard in that direction at the moment. Defra also consulted on bringing canal boats into line with the Clean Air Act requirements at the end of 2013 but I don't know what the upshot of that is. I assume that they don't have plans to pursue that or we would have heard about it by now.

 

ETA: apologies it wasn't a consultation it was a call for evidence so that could still be on the horizon. Can't find any further information about next steps or indeed the responses to the call for evidence for some reason.

Edited October 31, 2014 by Jambo

[Southern Star]

How does smokeless coal compare to normal coal? Does it have a lower calorific value, is it harder to light etc?

[Jambo]

Never burnt normal coal but smokeless burns perfectly well I find so there's no need to burn normal coal in a smoke control area imo but I like to burn wood to keep the carbon footprint down. Of course anyone can burn wood in a smoke control area if they have a Defra approved stove but most boat stoves aren't Defra approved I suspect. In most cases the only difference between a Defra approved stove and one that isn't is a screw which keeps a vent open so it burns hotter and cleaner so it's more down to how you use the stove.

[magnetman]

Good info Jambo

 

as I see it the main advantage of house coal is it is cheaper rather than the calorific value.

 

I think CPL have calorific values on a website somewhere.

[cotswoldsman]

Think this might relevant

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bp2qedczh55ru4y/.facebook_1414744982058.jpg?dl=0

Edited October 31, 2014 by cotswoldsman

[Dave_P]

Good info Jambo

 

as I see it the main advantage of house coal is it is cheaper rather than the calorific value.

 

I think CPL have calorific values on a website somewhere.

It's cheaper by weight but, in most cases, more expensive in terms of the heat which you get from it, which is surely more important?

[TaffyRon]

I used to haul coal for cpl, they make the round stuff by crushing coal into dust then making it into round singles, doubles etc, normal coal leaves lumps of slag the cobbles leave dust, how some is smokeless and some isnt I dont know, no smoke with out fire.

as for calorific value I think potatoes are more nutritious

[peterboat]

I used to haul coal for cpl, they make the round stuff by crushing coal into dust then making it into round singles, doubles etc, normal coal leaves lumps of slag the cobbles leave dust, how some is smokeless and some isnt I dont know, no smoke with out fire.

as for calorific value I think potatoes are more nutritious

[Galeomma]

I used to haul coal for cpl, they make the round stuff by crushing coal into dust then making it into round singles, doubles etc, normal coal leaves lumps of slag the cobbles leave dust, how some is smokeless and some isnt I dont know, no smoke with out fire.

as for calorific value I think potatoes are more nutritious

Certainly more nutrious than a lump of coal, although first footers or whatever they are called might not agree.

[magnetman]

It's cheaper by weight but, in most cases, more expensive in terms of the heat which you get from it, which is surely more important?

Is it? I didn't realise that, I thought house coal was cheaper per kwh of heat than smokeless.

This website agrees with me

 

http://www.confusedaboutenergy.co.uk/index.php/domestic-fuels/fuel-prices

[TaffyRon]

Is it? I didn't realise that, I thought house coal was cheaper per kwh of heat than smokeless.This website agrees with me

http://www.confusedaboutenergy.co.uk/index.php/domestic-fuels/fuel-prices

only thing I can think of is that crushing the coal enables them to remove moisture which would cause smoke and then it would burn hotter

[FadeToScarlet]

I remember this coming up a few years ago, the upshot was, if it's a Smoke Control Area then the Clean Air Act is in force and boats are specifically exempt and can burn anything.

 

However, if it's NOT a smoke control area, then the Environmental protection act (or something like that) is in force and.boats aren't exempt.