What Sources of Renewable Energy have been Implemented within the UK - Assignment Example

 What Sources of Renewable Energy have been Implemented within the UK? Introduction: It is believed that major changes in climatic conditions in the world, including global warming along with inexonerable rises in oil prices, have contributed to raising the bar on mounting government support and initiatives in the increase in levels of investments, moving away from fossil fuels with limited replenishment capacities and moving towards renewable and sustainable energy alternatives designed to offer clean and viable options. “All the technologies RenewableUK represents are covered, including Onshore Wind, Offshore Wind, Small Wind Systems, and Wave & Tidal energy.” (Annual conference and Examination, 2010). Renewable energy technologies are viewed as essential contributors to sustainable energy development alternatives as they generally add to the safety of global energy, through the process of alleviating dependence on fossil fuel resources, thus reducing unhealthy influences of harmful greenhouse gases. In the connection, it cannot be helped mentioning that the South West parts of England have been in the forefront of creating and sustaining renewable energy sources during the last few decades or so. “The region is beginning to capture some of that potential. It was a pioneer in wind energy with the first ever commercial wind farm being established in Cornwall in 1991. In addition to a number of wind farms and several small hydro sites the South West has a growing number of renewable energy plants based on biomass, waste, ground source heat and solar energy.” (Regional Renewable Energy Strategy for the South West of England 2003-2010, 2003). Besides wind energy, other unconventional and innovative renewable energy sources are also being explored. The fundamental action that is being undertaken is to institute a regional office for renewable energy, and in accordance with this requirement, a Regional Centre for renewable energy needs, with incipient funds coming from the South West RDA have established Regen SW to take up this onerous task. This would definitely serve as a catalyst agent and help in the implementation of the plans and programmes with regard to distribution of alternative renewable energy resources in this region. Besides, the main purpose of these large projects are to help the local population and industry become self sustaining in their energy needs, especially in the not-to- distant future, wherein energy needs and demand fulfillment would be major constraints that need to be carefully assessed and regulated. Solar power : The use of solar power is becoming very popular in the UK, especially because of the ecological and environmental detriment caused by fossil fuels through release of CO2 emissions, combined with increasingly prohibitively high petroleum energy prices. Perhaps one of the major advantages of solar fuelling is that consumers could use this as alternative to conventional energy like electricity and gas, and could sell the excess energy generated to Government. “The General Permitted Development Order (GPDO), or the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Domestic Microgeneration) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2009 grants rights to carry out certain limited forms of development on the home, without the need to apply for planning permission.” (Getting Planning Permission, 2010). Offshore Wind energy. UK seems to be gaining lead over its nearest competitor, Denmark in the area of offshore wind energy. Currently, the Burba Bank (90MW) is under commissioning and offshore construction works on another three sites are under way. Robin Rigg (180MW), Rhyl Flats (90 MW) and Lynn and Inner dowsing (194MW) are in the offing.” (UK. Offshore wind: Moving up a gear, 2007). Upon completion of these projects, it is believed that the offshore wind energy progress of the United Kingdom would be indeed formidable and would compete well with other countries who have invested in this form of renewable energy sources. Onshore Wind Renewable projects in the UK: Coming next to onshore wind renewable projects, it is seen as below; that one of the major players, “SSE is committed to becoming a major participant in the offshore wind market. Our current projects and our success in securing development rights from The Crown Estate underline this, and our investments in research show that we are at the forefront in the creation of the right technology. We believe that this agreement with Converteam is a further significant step towards achieving our ambitious business objectives.” (Converteam and SSE develop offshore wind technologies, 2010). Perhaps one of the major attractions of onshore wind renewals projects is that these are attractive investment proposals in the UK being clean and healthy fuel generation and also these hold tremendous potential in the future renewal investment plans in the UK. Many government, quasi government agencies and private entrepreneurs are actively engaged in the positive harnessing of Onshore Wind Renewable projects in this country and it is believed that this would bear good fruits in future. Although these projects are still in its infancy in this country, there is every reason to believe that in future these would pay rich dividends, considering the fact that the government is determined to use every alternative energy possibilities to find alternative for costly and highly prohibitive and environmental damaging fossil fuels and pollutive gases. Wave and tidal energy resources : “It is believes that UK tidal energy company, Marine Current Turbines (MCT), aims to install a 5 MW tidal energy farm in Scotland by 2013.The tidal farm would be in Kyle Rhea, a strait of water between the Isle of Skye and the Scottish mainland.The development of the project is subject to securing a lease agreement from The Crown Estate, securing planning approval from Marine Scotland (part of the Scottish Government) and raising the finance for the project.” (MCT aims for tidal energy farm in Scotland by 2013, 2010). It is seen that wave and tidal resources are a major investment proposal in the context of UK renewable resources and the government is affording every opportunity to come to grips with the current energy crisis that needs to be resolved as soon as possible. Fossil fuels cannot last forever and fast depleting reserves and mines need to be replenished with a cleaner, healthier and more economical power source, which is what wave and tidal resources are providing. It is believed that the Sea Gen, the UK turbine world’s only commercially operational tidal turbine, feeding 10MW h per tide into the UK grid” (Sea Gen- the World’s only commercially operational tidal turbine: feeding 10Mwh per tide into the UK grid, 2010). It could provide power to at least 1500 homes and is controlled through underground turbines which are very versatile. The main deterring aspects regarding investments in wave and tidal resources are with regard to heavy initial investments and long gestation period, thus creating resource scarcity for many companies, especially when they have other competitive renewable resources also like solar and wind energy. The modern practice is to take up projects that have comparatively low gestation and pay back periods and build investments that could be profitability and constructively used in other ventures too. If too much time and energy is spent, it may affect other ongoing projects too, since time is of essence in such long term projects with high quantum investments and demand for competitive performance under stringent monitoring of all parameters, significant or otherwise. Small Wind Systems: UK has perhaps been the first country to have strong and impelmentable standards in the domain of small wind systems. Through implementation in small and medium industries it is believed that this wind system is self paying and also brigs about dramatic savings in The main benefits would be in terms of “environment, economic and employment.” (Small Wind Systems, 2010). However, it is believed that in future the small wind systems could definitely provide more potential and add to the environmental protection and safeguard of the country. But when the question arises whether this could substitute for the conventional energy being used at the present, this could be indeed not possible at the current times but it is earnestly believed that by year 2020 alternatives could be possibly made that could substitute for the conventional petroleum fuels and electricity used for generating energy. It is also believed that a combination of wind energy could take over from where the conventional energy resources have left and this could indeed be more fortitutous in terms of clean, healthy and unpolluted sources of energy needs for industry, commercial and domestic purposes. Geothermal energy: In Southampton (UK) there is a district heating scheme based on geothermal energy. Hot water is pumped up from about 1,800 metres below ground. The water is about 700 Degrees C and is used to provide heat energy to neighborhood. Some of the major advantages of this is that it is totally renewable and could work on low costs. However one has to be selective with regard to use of geothermal energy since it could contain pollutes substances that could harm the users near the surface. Sometimes the hot water that is pumped to the surface contains pollutants such as sulphur and it can only be used where the earth crust is not very solid and hot springs are nearby. Conclusions : Overall, it is seen that there are many new and innovative solutions for renewable energy courses in the United Kingdom. However, aspects like investment costs, maintenance costs and benefits that could be derived are major aspects that need to be seen, it is important that cost benefits ratios and investment outlays are made well in advance in order to make good and productive use of such renewable and unconventional sources of energy. Reference List Annual conference and Examination, 2010. [Online] Renewable UK. Available at: http://www.renewable-uk.com/events/annual-conference/index.html [Accessed 9 December 2010]. Converteam and SSE develop offshore wind technologies, 2010. [Online] Focus.com. Available at: http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/14481/converteam-and-sse-develop-offshore-wind-technologies/ [Accessed 9 December 2010]. Getting Planning Permission, 2010. [Online] Energy Saving trust. Available at: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy/Getting-planning- permission [Accessed 9 December 2010]. MCT aims for tidal energy farm in Scotland by 2013, 2010. [Online] Focus.com. Available at: http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/14355/mct-aims-for-tidal-energy-farm-in-scotland-by-2013/ [Accessed 9 December 2010]. Regional Renewable Energy Strategy for the South West of England 2003-2010, 2003. [Online] regensw. Available at: www.wavehub.co.uk/about_wave_hub/idoc [Accessed 9 December 2010]. Sea Gen- the World’s only Commercially operational tidal turbine: feeding 10Mwh per tide into the UK grid, 2010. [Online] Marine Current Turbines. Available at: http://www.marineturbines.com/ [Accessed 9 December 2010]. Small Wind Systems, 2010. [Online] renewable UK. Available at: http://www.renewable-uk.com/events/small-wind-conference/pdfs/Grimes_DAY1.pdf[Accessed 9 December 2010]. UK. Offshore wind: Moving up a gear, 2007. [Online] BWEA. Available at: http://w.bwea.com/pdf/offshore/movingup.pdf [Accessed 9 December 2010]. Read More