Renewable Energy Resources

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Recommended: Fossil fuel vs renewable energy sources in UK

The UK has a constantly increasing energy demand; rising population in the UK and, since industrial revolution in 19th century, technological advances have rendered older “fuel-less” technologies obsolete. Where the UK sources its own energy from is becoming increasingly significant as indigenous energy reserves diminish, not to mention the implications of “peak oil” of worldwide resources.

Figure 1 UK Energy Demand Variation 1970-2001 (DTI, 2001)

Figure 2 UK Energy Mix 1990-2006 (Dukes, 2008)

Figure 1 displays the variation of the UK energy supply a period of 16 years. In these years, the use of coal has significantly dropped. Closure of many UK based coal mines and an EU commitment for reduced Green House Gas (GHG) emissions has discouraged UK demand for coal as a primary energy source. Since the total energy demand has continued to increase, replacement energy sources have been required. The largest increase in primary energy source has been from natural gas. Meanwhile the proportion energy from Nuclear power, Oil and other sources of energy have remained relatively constant throughout the 16 years of energy consumption; suggesting that little development exists within these areas. We acknowledge this to be untrue, with the development of wind farms, solar energy and geothermal, but relative to increasing demand the contribution from renewable sources has been extremely difficult with fossil fuels and gas remaining the cheaper fuel to meet the UK energy demands.

Current renewable sources in detail:

European Summit on 09 March 2007 UK signed the legally-binding commitments for an EU member and states to achieve the overall 20% by 2020 targets were announced.

Country 2005 Actual 2020 Target

GBR 1.3% 15%...

... middle of paper ...

...d geothermal would result in both a substantial contribution to UK energy demand and requirements for fossil fuels thereby inducing a reduction in GHG emissions.

References:

Works Cited

energy demand and requirements for fossil fuels thereby inducing a reduction in GHG emissions.

References:

Dept. of Trade and Industry, 2001, Energy Consumption in the UK

DECC, 2008, Digest of United Kingdom energy statistics (DUKES)

Bernedes, 2003, The contribution of biomass in the future global energy supply: a review of 17 studies

Hoogwijk, 2000, A review of assessments on the future global contribution of biomass energy

UKREC, 2010, The UK bio-energy resource base to 2050: estimates, assumptions, and uncertainties

Palmer, 2010, Hydro Power Projections Report

TSEC-BIOSYS, 2006-2009, A whole systems approach to bioenergy demand and supply in the UK

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