How much of the United Kingdom's energy needs could be covered by Essay

How much of the United Kingdom's energy needs could be covered by renewable energy sources in 25 years - Essay Example Renewable energy is energy that relies on sources and natural energy flow from the environment, which never run out because of continuous replenishment. UK has the world’s largest resources for renewable energy such as wind, tides, waves, and therefore, it is in a good position when it comes to natural energy resources. Shifting to renewable energy is not only essential for stopping fossil energy imports, but it will also create an avenue for exporting natural based energy to other countries with limited supply of natural energy. In addition, increasing focus on environmentally friendly energy also prompts UK to switch to renewable energy sources. This aims at limiting the effects of climate change, and protecting environment from degradation, thus, preserving it for the generations to come. The success of venturing into renewable energy depends on environmental economic and political factors. Overview of Renewable Energy Sources in the United Kingdom Renewable energy currentl y supplies a significant of part of the UK’s energy demands. ... be because renewable energy sources are expensive, for example, the Energy Minister himself, George Eustice, recently made a comment saying solar and wind power subsidies are too high to benefit consumers (Mason, 2013). This among other challenges is preventing renewable energy sources become the primary source of energy production. Plans are underway to attain a 30 percent target of renewable energy by 2020 in the United Kingdom, which is quite achievable given the advancements in technology and rich sources of renewable energy. Below are the primary sources of renewable energy in the United Kingdom and there sources of application. Wind Power Wind power is energy generated using wind turbines fixed in the windy regions especially the countryside. The amount of wind power therefore depends on the availability of acceptable sites. Currently, winds turbines are set up in several places including Wales, Scotland, Yorkshire, and Cornwall. The primary application of wind power is the gen eration of wind related electricity, in which it currently provides for 20% of electricity requirements in the country. In 2010, there were a number of significant wind related projects in the UK with Sands, Gunfleet, Thanet and Robin Rigg, which are offshore wind farms. As a result, this saw a 1.1 GW power capacity from the new wind, which is a 3% increase compared to 2009 data (Gifford, 2012). Furthermore, offshore installations increased to 230% with 653 MW though with 503W it reduced by 38%. Similarly, 2013 has seen great improvements recording 10GW by mid-2013, and UK being the eighth largest producer of wind power in the world, there is great expectation of growth with respect to its wind power capacity (DUKES, 2013). Furthermore, current estimates stands at 2 GW increase in wind