The future of renewable energy is quickly becoming a reality in the UK. In December 2020, 40.2% of electricity was produced by renewable sources. This was calculated to be around 6% of the total UK energy usage in December 2020. However, in the second quarter of 2021, it fell to 37.3% due to the less favourable weather conditions such as lower wind speeds and fewer sunlight hours.
Renewable Energy Sources such as solar, wind, and tidal are very helpful in preventing and slowing down Global Warming. Unlike Renewable Energy, Fossil Fuel is damaging to our wildlife and environment. This can have a detrimental effect on our health. Therefore, by 2050, we aim to be powering electricity by 90% from Renewable Energy. The other 10% will be Natural Gases at 6% and Nuclear at 4%.
All Renewable Energy sources are sustainable which means that none of the energy sources will run out. This is a critical factor in planning for the future and saving our planets environment. As the years go on, the UK will aim to move closer and closer to 100% of electricity being Renewable Energy.
Solar Energy is powered by the sunlight. As we all know, sunlight will not run out for millions of years and is a freely available energy source anywhere on the planet. To give greater perspective of this, in one-hour, Solar Energy can produce more energy than the planets total energy requirements for the whole entire year!
However, depending on the time of the day and which season you may be in, energy production will vary on the strength of the solar exposure present. This is due to the lack of sunlight at night and the lack of sunlight and solar power received in the winter months as the days become shorter.
Another factor to consider when you are thinking about converting to solar power is your geographical location, due to the earth rotating around the sun. Solar energy will have a higher result in the Southeast than it will in the Northeast.
Wind Energy farms are growing increasingly popular within the UK. With Wind Turbines spread across the UK, they are making an ever-increasing contribution to the National Grid.
Wind turbines are used to drive generators to harness electricity to provide us power and energy from Renewable sources. However, if you are considering to source wind energy from a wind turbine, you need to consider if your property is suitable for a Domestic Wind Turbine.
Tidal is another source of Renewable Energy sources which can prevent detrimental effects to the planet. This is another form of Hydro-Energy which uses tidal currents twice a day to drive turbine generators.
Tidal flow may not be constant, it can still be highly predictable and can compensate for periods even when the tide is low.
This is powered by the tidal current turning a turbine which is connected to a generator which in turn rotates the shaft which is connected to the generator which generates the electricity.
Unlike Renewable Energy sources, Fossil fuel is not infinite and there is always a possibility that in years to come, we could one day run out of these sources.
Not only can they run out, but they release Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere which has a large role in the degenerating Global warming, Climate Changing and damage to the Ozone Layer. Whilst it is damaging our atmosphere slowly, we must act now to save our planet in years to come for our generation.
Due to the population rising every year, the demand for necessities will continue to rise. Energy being a big factor in this demand. So, by converting to Renewable Energy sources now, we can continue to power our homes, businesses, and the communities around us without destroying the planet with Climate Change.
The Future of Renewable Energy: A UK Milestone
In June 2020, the UK managed to hit a Milestone by completing two months running on complete Renewable Energy. This alone is one step closer to relying on renewable sources to generate all our energy to power the globe.
If you are considering making the switch to use renewable energy sources, you may want to know the advantages of this in a domestic setting like your own home. By switching, you are cutting your electricity bills.
Where it may be an expensive investment to start with, switching to renewable energy sources whichever works for your environment will work out in the long run. You can in turn become less reliant on the National Grid and your energy bills can be significantly reduced.
Another great bonus of switching is that you will be paid for the electricity you generate. This is under the Smart Energy Guarantee (SEG) which was a government-backed project that began on January 1, 2020.
Under the SEG, some power suppliers are required to compensate small-scale generators for low-carbon electricity that they export back to the National Grid if certain requirements are met.
Last, but certainly not least. By switching, you are reducing your carbon footprint greatly. It is to be believed that a standard solar photovoltaic system can reduce up to 2 tonne of carbon a year! This is because they produce minimal associated air pollution emissions.
Only Geothermal and Biomass produce a small amount of air pollution. However, this is still much less than coal and natural gas fired power plants can produce whilst producing energy.
The future of Renewable Energy in years to come is looking very promising and positive for the planet. By 2050 it is looking feasible that the world could potentially be run on 100% Renewable Energy.
This can help in so many ways and reduce dependence on imported fuel which in turn can also save money. Clean energy is the future we are getting closer and closer to each day.
If one by one we can convert and make a difference in how we sustain our energy, we can save the planet from Climate Change and help create a safer and healthier environment.
