Many of us may not have the means to generate our own electricity, but that does not mean that we cannot use green energy. There are many electricity companies that offer green energy tariffs.
Most electricity in the UK is generated from fossil fuels such as coal and oil which generate large amounts of greenhouse gases. Green electricity in contrast is generated from alternative power sources such as wind, solar, tidal, hydro, biomass, landfill and waste.
Wind energy can be used to turn turbines and thus generate electricity. At the moment the percentage of UK energy generated by wind power is small, but it is growing. Most wind turbines are located on shore, but in the future they may be located out at sea.
Despite the fact that many people believe that we don’t get much sunshine in the UK, solar power and solar energy is being used to provide power for remote and urban areas across the UK. The majority of solar modules use waste silicon from the computer chip industry.
Water turbines provide 1% of the UK’s electricity. There is not much capacity to build more large scale hydroelectric plants, but there is potential for small micro schemes.
Tidal power has the potential to supply up to 20% of the UK’s energy requirements. Tidal power could be harnessed by building barrages across estuaries. As the tide ebbs and flows the water flows through tunnels in the barrage and turns a turbine which in turn generates electricity. However, building such barrages would affect the tides and this could mean that sewage would not be cleared properly and wading birds that feed on exposed mud flats could be displaced.
Biomass refers to either plants grown for fuel or waste agricultural products. Burning biomass produces greenhouse gases, but this is compensated for by the CO2 absorbed by the plants as they grow.
Landfill sites give off methane gas which is a potent greenhouse gas. The gas can be burned and used to drive gas turbines which in turn produce electricity. This again gives off greenhouse gases, but they are less damaging than methane.
The UK produces enormous amounts of waste and this is a problem with landfill sites rapidly running out of space. Recycling most of it is the best option, but burning it to produce electricity is the next best option. Environmentalists, however, are opposed to this solution as they fear that dioxins and other poisons will be released as a result of the incineration of waste.
When buying green energy you have two options. The first option is green tariffs. Under this scheme the energy company commits to sourcing an equal amount to part or all of the electricity you consume from existing renewable sources. Green funds on the other hand provide funding for the development of renewable energy sources. Your existing energy supply is unchanged, but your money will help create a mix of energy sources in the future. Bear in mind that the Government policy is to increase the amount of electricity generated from renewable sources. When signing up to a green energy tariff it is important to ask if the renewable energy that you are buying is additional to this requirement, or part of it.
Picture courtesy of vaxomatic
Electric cars have been around for a few years, but with the rising interest in alternative power sources, improving technology and tax breaks they are increasing in popularity. The cars are powered by an electric motor which is in turn powered by an array of battery packs that act as an energy store. Recharging the batteries is a simple process; you just connect the vehicle to a mains power supply. Usually overnight charging is required to fully charge the batteries. Some modern electric cars are equipped with a regenerative brake system. This allows the car’s speed to be reduced by using some of its kinetic energy to top up the batteries. Other models have a petrol engine that is not used to drive the wheels, but is used instead to charge the battery. This would get over the interim problem of having too few recharging points. It also extends the range of the car to 575 km and of course for short journeys the battery could be recharged by plugging it into the mains, ensuring that it runs completely on electricity for such journeys.