Renewable energy in the United Kingdom
Encyclopedia
From the mid 1990s renewable energy
began to contribute to the electricity generated in the United Kingdom
, adding to a small hydroelectricity
generating capacity. Renewable energy sources provided for 6.7 per cent of the electricity generated in the United Kingdom in 2009, rising to 9.6% in the second quarter of 2011.
A March 2006 report by the British Wind Energy Association
forecast that onshore windfarms should be able to supply nearly 5% of the national electricity requirements by 2010 (6 GW).
The development of offshore windfarms in the UK is more recent, with only 4 operational at the end of 2005 generating only 213.80 MW, though others are in the pipeline. The installed capacity of all wind farms in the UK passed the 2 GW milestone in February 2007, but there remains considerable scope for growth. The world leader in wind power
is the United States
, which had installed 28.6 GW by the end of April, 2009.
location of the UK, the country has great potential for generating electricity from wave power
and tidal power
.
To date, wave and tidal power have received very little money for development and consequently have not yet been exploited on a significant commercial basis due to doubts over their economic viability in the UK. Funding for the UK's first wave farm
was announced by the Scottish Executive
in February 2007. It will be the world's largest, with a capacity of 3 MW generated by four Pelamis
machines and a cost of over 4 million pounds
.
Gas from sewage
and landfill
(biogas
) has already been exploited in some areas. In 2004 it provided 129.3 GW·h (up 690% from 1990 levels), and was the UK's leading renewable energy source, representing 39.4% of all renewable energy produced (including hydro).
Other biofuel
s can provide a close-to-carbon-neutral energy source, if locally grown. In South America
and Asia
, the production of biofuels for export has in some cases resulted in significant ecological damage, including the clearing of rainforest
. In 2004 biofuels provided 105.9 GW·h, 38% of it wood
. This represented an increase of 500% from 1990.
, where 3.0 GWp had been installed by the end of 2006 (90% of all European capacity).
, were abandoned as fuel prices fell. Only one scheme is operational, in Southampton
. In 2004 it was announced that a further scheme would be built to heat the UK's first geothermal energy model village
near Eastgate
, County Durham
.
technologies are seen as having considerable potential by the Government. However the microgeneration strategy they launched in March 2006 was seen as a disappointment by many commentators. Microgeneration involves the local production of electricity by homes and businesses from low-energy sources including small scale wind turbines, ground source heat pumps and solar electricity installations. The Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006
is expected to boost the number of microgeneration installations, however funding for grants under the Low Carbon Building Programme
is proving insufficient to meet demand with funds for March 2007 being spent in 75 minutes.
As of 1 April 2010 FiTs (Feed-in-Tariffs, aka "Clean Energy Cashback") are being introduced which support microgeneration.
s, pioneered by Woking
Borough Council, provide an integrated approach to using cogeneration, renewables and other technologies to provide sustainable energy supplies to an urban community. It is expected that the same approach will be developed in other towns and cities, including London
. Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company
based in Inverness
are active in developing community-owned and led initiatives in Scotland
.
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
began to contribute to the electricity generated in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, adding to a small hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
generating capacity. Renewable energy sources provided for 6.7 per cent of the electricity generated in the United Kingdom in 2009, rising to 9.6% in the second quarter of 2011.
Wind
A March 2006 report by the British Wind Energy Association
British Wind Energy Association
'RenewableUK', formerly known as the 'British Wind Energy Association' , is the trade association for wind power, wave power and tidal power industries in the United Kingdom...
forecast that onshore windfarms should be able to supply nearly 5% of the national electricity requirements by 2010 (6 GW).
The development of offshore windfarms in the UK is more recent, with only 4 operational at the end of 2005 generating only 213.80 MW, though others are in the pipeline. The installed capacity of all wind farms in the UK passed the 2 GW milestone in February 2007, but there remains considerable scope for growth. The world leader in wind power
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
is the United States
Wind power in the United States
As of the third quarter of 2011, the cumulative installed capacity of wind power in the United States was 43,461 megawatts , making it second in the world, behind China. In 2010 wind power accounted for 2.3% of the electricity generated in the United States...
, which had installed 28.6 GW by the end of April, 2009.
Wave and tide power
Due to the islandIsland
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
location of the UK, the country has great potential for generating electricity from wave power
Wave power
Wave power is the transport of energy by ocean surface waves, and the capture of that energy to do useful work — for example, electricity generation, water desalination, or the pumping of water...
and tidal power
Tidal power
Tidal power, also called tidal energy, is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into useful forms of power - mainly electricity....
.
To date, wave and tidal power have received very little money for development and consequently have not yet been exploited on a significant commercial basis due to doubts over their economic viability in the UK. Funding for the UK's first wave farm
Wave farm
A wave farm or wave power farm is a collection of machines in the same location and used for the generation of wave power electricity.-Portugal:...
was announced by the Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
in February 2007. It will be the world's largest, with a capacity of 3 MW generated by four Pelamis
Pelamis wave energy converter
The Pelamis Wave Energy Converter is a technology that uses the motion of ocean surface waves to create electricity. The machine is made up of connected sections which flex and bend as waves pass; it is this motion which is used to generate electricity....
machines and a cost of over 4 million pounds
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
.
Biofuels
| Technology | 2011 estimate | 2040 central projection |
|---|---|---|
| River hydro (best locations) | 6.9 | 5 |
| Onshore wind | 8.3 | 5.5 |
| Nuclear | 9.6 | 6 |
| CCGT with carbon capture Carbon capture and storage Carbon capture and storage , alternatively referred to as carbon capture and sequestration, is a technology to prevent large quantities of from being released into the atmosphere from the use of fossil fuel in power generation and other industries. It is often regarded as a means of mitigating... |
10.0 | 10 |
| Wood CFBC Fluidized bed combustion Fluidized bed combustion is a combustion technology used in power plants. Fluidized beds suspend solid fuels on upward-blowing jets of air during the combustion process. The result is a turbulent mixing of gas and solids. The tumbling action, much like a bubbling fluid, provides more effective... |
10.3 | 7.5 |
| Geothermal | 15.9 | 9 |
| Offshore wind | 16.9 | 8.5 |
| Energy crops | 17.1 | 11 |
| Tidal stream | 29.3 | 13 |
| Solar PV | 34.3 | 8 |
| Tidal barrage | 51.8 | 22 |
Gas from sewage
Sewage
Sewage is water-carried waste, in solution or suspension, that is intended to be removed from a community. Also known as wastewater, it is more than 99% water and is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical condition, chemical constituents and the bacteriological organisms that it contains...
and landfill
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
(biogas
Biogas
Biogas typically refers to a gas produced by the biological breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Organic waste such as dead plant and animal material, animal dung, and kitchen waste can be converted into a gaseous fuel called biogas...
) has already been exploited in some areas. In 2004 it provided 129.3 GW·h (up 690% from 1990 levels), and was the UK's leading renewable energy source, representing 39.4% of all renewable energy produced (including hydro).
Other biofuel
Biofuel
Biofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases...
s can provide a close-to-carbon-neutral energy source, if locally grown. In South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, the production of biofuels for export has in some cases resulted in significant ecological damage, including the clearing of rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
. In 2004 biofuels provided 105.9 GW·h, 38% of it wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
. This represented an increase of 500% from 1990.
Solar
In some countries the installation of solar electricity has already received considerable Government support. At the end of 2006 the UK's installed capacity of 13 MWp (Megawatts peak) represented just 0.3% of the European total of 3.4 GWp. By way of comparison, due to their plans to phase out nuclear energy there is a growing (though heavily subsidised) capacity in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where 3.0 GWp had been installed by the end of 2006 (90% of all European capacity).
Geothermal power
Investigations into the exploitation of Geothermal power in the United Kingdom, prompted by the 1973 oil crisis1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
, were abandoned as fuel prices fell. Only one scheme is operational, in Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
. In 2004 it was announced that a further scheme would be built to heat the UK's first geothermal energy model village
Model village
A model village is a type of mostly self-contained community, in most cases built from the late eighteenth century onwards by industrialists to house their workers...
near Eastgate
Eastgate, County Durham
Eastgate is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated in Weardale, a few miles west of Stanhope.Eastgate originally marked the eastern border of the private hunting park of the Prince Bishops of Durham. This was second in extent only to the royal hunting park of the New Forest in Hampshire...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
.
Microgeneration
MicrogenerationMicrogeneration
Microgeneration is the small-scale generation of heat and power by individuals, small businesses and communities to meet their own needs, as alternatives or supplements to traditional centralized grid-connected power...
technologies are seen as having considerable potential by the Government. However the microgeneration strategy they launched in March 2006 was seen as a disappointment by many commentators. Microgeneration involves the local production of electricity by homes and businesses from low-energy sources including small scale wind turbines, ground source heat pumps and solar electricity installations. The Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006
Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006
The Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which aims to boost the number of heat and electricity microgeneration installations in the United Kingdom, so helping to cut carbon emissions and reduce fuel poverty.The Act was piloted through...
is expected to boost the number of microgeneration installations, however funding for grants under the Low Carbon Building Programme
Low Carbon Building Programme
The Low Carbon Building Programme was a Government programme in the United Kingdom administered by BERR which ran from 1 April 2006 until its closure to new applications on 24 May 2010...
is proving insufficient to meet demand with funds for March 2007 being spent in 75 minutes.
As of 1 April 2010 FiTs (Feed-in-Tariffs, aka "Clean Energy Cashback") are being introduced which support microgeneration.
Community energy systems
Sustainable community energy systemSustainable community energy system
A sustainable community energy system is an integrated approach to supplying a local community with its energy requirements from renewable energy or high-efficiency co-generation energy sources...
s, pioneered by Woking
Woking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....
Borough Council, provide an integrated approach to using cogeneration, renewables and other technologies to provide sustainable energy supplies to an urban community. It is expected that the same approach will be developed in other towns and cities, including London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company
Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company
Community Energy Scotland is an independent Scottish charity established in 2008 that provides advice and financial support for renewable energy projects developed by community groups in Scotland...
based in Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
are active in developing community-owned and led initiatives in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
See also
- Energy in the United Kingdom
- Renewable energy in ScotlandRenewable energy in ScotlandThe production of renewable energy in Scotland is an issue that has come to the fore in technical, economic, and political terms during the opening years of the 21st century. The natural resource base for renewables is extraordinary by European, and even global standards...
- Renewable energy in the European UnionRenewable energy in the European UnionThe countries of the European Union are currently the number two global leaders in the development and application of renewable energy. Promoting the use of renewable energy sources is important both to the reduction of the EU's dependence on foreign energy imports, and in meeting targets to combat...
- Feed-in tariffFeed-in TariffA feed-in tariff is a policy mechanism designed to accelerate investment in renewable energy technologies. It achieves this by offering long-term contracts to renewable energy producers, typically based on the cost of generation of each technology...
- Department of Energy and Climate ChangeDepartment of Energy and Climate ChangeThe Department of Energy and Climate Change is a British government department created on 3 October 2008 by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to take over some of the functions of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs...
(DECC)
External links
- Sustainable Energy at DEFRA
- The UK Renewable Energy Strategy (official government policy)
- Planning Policy Statement 22 (PPS22) on renewable energy
- UK Renewables Policy.
- Small-scale Wind Power in the UK
- Britain's Old Industries See Renewable BoostBoost-Science, technology and mathematics:* Automotive:** Boost, positive manifold pressure in cars, see Turbocharger#Pressure increase.*** a loose term for turbo or supercharger** A slang term meaning to start a vehicle, see jump start...
. - Britain To Launch Innovative Feed-in Tariff Program in 2010
- Map of UK renewable power installations