Renewable Energy and Electricity
Posted on August 7, 2009 – 9:56 am by davesabri@googlemail.com
Around two thirds of the UK’s electricity is generated by coal and gas fueled power stations. These plants pump millions of tons of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. These gases are known to cause climate change.
Most of the remaining electricity in the UK is generated by nuclear power stations, with the associated problems with the disposal of contaminated waste. With the increasing scarcity and rising prices of fossil fuels like coal and gas, environmentalists fear that even more nuclear power stations will be built, and so the race is on to find more environmentally friendly sources of energy.
Green electricity is electricity that comes from sources which have only minimal impacts on the environment. Constant sources of energy like the wind, sun and waves are known as renewable energy. Renewable energy sources can be used to produce green electricity.
Wind turbines are increasingly popular in the UK, and some of the energy for the national grid comes from wind turbines. The turbines are quieter and more efficient since improvements have been made to the design. Some people think they spoil the landscape, and the placement of some so called windfarms in areas of natural beauty has caused controversy.
A possible solution is to build windfarms out at sea. If this is ever possible, and of course affordable, wind could become the main source of the UK’s electricity in the future.
Solar power is an energy source that we could use to generate electricity, even in the UK. Currently, solar panels are so expensive they are not widely used, but as demand increases and more are produced, the prices will hopefully come down. Solar power could one day be the world’s number one source of electricity. A big advantage of solar panels is that they can be used even in remote locations which are not on the national grid.
The energy of rivers can be harnessed by power turbines which generate electricity. There are already a few large hydroelectric plants in the UK, and there is potential for many more low impact, small scale hydroelectric turbines in lots of places in Britain.
The holy grail of green electricity in the UK is wave power. Researchers are trying to find ways to harness the abundant energy that is in the waves all around our coastline. Wave power would be a fantastic source of green electricity in the future if a cost effective way of producing electricity could be implemented.
As consumers’ interest in green electricity grows, energy providers are looking for ways to make energy production more environmentally friendly. Even big providers like British Gas, who supply massive amounts of electricity, are offering carbon neutral dual fuel deals. This means that the carbon dioxide generated in producing your electricity is offset by British Gas’s investment in projects to develop green electricity. Choosing carbon neutral products like this is a great way to support green electricity production and prevent climate change.
Switch to British Gas electricity and save up to 40% on your energy. Officially the cheapest electric providers on average the United Kingdom.
