Home
Let your house make a energy & many for you!
Welcome
Renewables are energy forms which are essentially inexhaustible, unlike fossil fuel sources which are finite. It's energy from any source that is naturally replenished when used. Often called 'renewables', 'green energy', 'micro generation' or 'sustainable energy', the main types of renewable energy are:
- Hydropower - generated by using electricity generators to extract energy from moving water.
- Solar Power - energy derived from the sun through the form of solar radiation.
- Wind Power - the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, wind mills for mechanical power and wind pumps for pumping water or drainage,
- Geothermal Power - power extracted from heat stored in the earth.
- Biomass - biological material from living, or recently living organisms, such as wood, waste, (hydrogen) gas, and alcohol fuels. Biomass is commonly plant matter grown to generate electricity or produce heat.
Why renewables?
The earth's fossil fuel supplies (oil, gas, coal) are limited and will be depleted over time. As this process continues, remaining reserves will become increasingly difficult to access. It is also a widely held belief that the gases released when fossil fuels are burned to produce energy are contributing towards changes in our climate and rises in global temperatures.
It's now clear that man-made greenhouse gases are causing climate change. The rate of change which began as significant, has become alarming and is simply unsustainable in the long-term. It's a problem we all share, because every single country will be affected. Together, today, we must take action to adapt to it and stop it -- or, at least, slow it down.
We're causing it.
So let's do something about it.
Renewable energy is our future...
Over 40% of current Co2 emissions are caused by the choices we make as individuals. To help tackle climate change, everyone needs to try and reduce their carbon footprint. There are many simple ways you can do this, from switching off electrical appliances when they are not being used to insulating your home properly and walking instead of driving one short trip a week. By using increasing amounts of renewable energy (as well as by conserving as much energy as possible), we are acting sustainably and helping to protect our environment.
IMPORTANT FACTS
-
Even across relatively small areas like the UK, climate change is expected to cause marked regional differences in temperature and rainfall by the end of the 21st century.
-
In central England, temperatures have increased by 1oC since the 1970's.
-
Total summer rainfall has decreased in most parts of the UK.
-
Sea-surface temperature around the UK has risen by about 0.7oC over the past three decades.
-
The UK has experienced 9 of the 10 warmest years on record since 1990.
-
Sea levels around the UK have risen 10cm since 1900.
-
UK's geography and climate provides enormous potential for the development of renewable energy sources. Despite a relatively low level of sunshine hours, solar panels can work effectively as they are capable of producing hot water and electricity even in cloudy weather.
-
UK Co2 reduction targets require that 15% of all energy is to be generated from a renewable source by 2020 (for Scotland it's even more - 17%).
-
The UK Government goal for renewable energy production is to produce 20%of electricity in the UK by the year 2020. The 2002 Energy Review set a target of 10% to be in place by 2010/2011. The target was increased to 15%by 2015 and most recently the 2006 Energy Review set a further target of 20% by 2020. For Scotland, the Scottish Executive has a target of generating 17% to 18% of electricity from renewables by 2010, rising to 40%by 2020.
-
The Government has introduced a Feed-In-Tariff, which guarentees owners of the technology payments for up to 25 years (to improve the market and make renewable technology a more attractive option). The Feed-In-Tariffs (FITs) scheme for photovoltaic (PV) is designed so that - where power is produced and used on-site - there are three benefits. Firstly, the consumer saves money on the electricity they would have purchased. Secondly, they receive the generation tariff, paid whether the power is used on-site or exported to the grid. Thirdly, they receive an export bonus set at 3.1p/kWh.
-
From October 2011 the UK Government is planning to introduce new grants for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).
MAIN REASONS TO INVEST IN RENEWABLE ENERGY
-
Become more energy self-sufficient and substantially reduce your running costs
-
Enhance the value of your property
-
Receive an income for the electricity or heat you generate using renewable energy
-
Harness nature's energy and reduce your carbon footprint
-
Improve your indoor climate with the latest renewable heating technology