Episode 21: A Guide to UK Renewable Energy

The Green Room: What happens when you put two energy experts in a room and ask them how the UK makes its renewable energy? In our latest episode we dig deep into the numbers and recent trends, and take you through all of the UK’s biggest renewable energy sources. We check out their benefits and drawbacks, and how the government plans to increase our renewable energy generation in the coming years.
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WIND
Wind power is, in many ways, the bedrock of UK renewable power. On a very basic level a wind turbine comprises of rotor blades positioned at the top of very high towers. They spin as wind hits them, which produces electricity. Recent decades have seen anti-wind turbine sentiments abate significantly, and they’re currently our biggest source of renewable electricity, accounting for 18% of UK energy.
BIOENERGY
Bioenergy is a bit of a blanket term that essentially covers any gas, electricity or transport fuel generated from organic matter. That means plants, timber, agricultural & food waste, and even sewage. The really big advantage of bioenergy is that it is a lot more flexible than most renewable energies.
SOLAR
Solar power has long been one of the big hitters in the renewables world, at least partly because it does so well in global technology hotspots like California and China. In terms of our reliance on solar panels, it’s low compared wind and bioenergy, sitting just below 4% in 2018, but we’re certainly no slouch - we are still in the top 10 global producers of solar energy.
HYDRO
There are a few different types of hydroelectric power generators, but in essence, hydroelectric uses flowing water to spin a turbine, generating electricity. It’s a little difficult, because it requires specific natural features to take advantage of, but we do have several hydroelectric plants in the UK. There are more hydro projects planned for the future, but they come with a hefty price tag which may make them difficult to complete.
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Read more:
Where Does UK Renewable Energy Come From? - www.thegreenag...
Introduction to Solar PV - www.thegreenag...
Introduction to Wind Turbines - www.thegreenag...
Introduction to Hydroelectric Power - www.thegreenag...
Electricity generation mix by quarter and fuel source - www.ofgem.gov....
Energy policy now and the direction it’s headed - www.gov.uk/gov...
Dinorwig Hydroeletic Power Station - www.electricmo...
Shotwick Solar Park - www.comptongro...

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Algae farms are being combined with desert reclamation, as there's plenty of sunshine in those areas & especially with deserts near the coast, plenty of water

[@martin36369]

Research exists that shows if single trees are taken from different areas, say by airship, rather than lots from the same area, they recover far quicker

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There are also a number of cellulose waste generators in America

[@martin36369]

Bio-fuels don't necessarily require the cutting down of forests, Japan has a number of seaweed plantations, & I think that alga plantations could be combined with desert reclamation to reduce carbon dioxide levels

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Look up the materials genome project

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Single bore geothermal is an interesting technology

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"Enhanced Conductors" are part of an efficient energy future, Graphene is just the beginning

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super-capacitors will be used rather than batteries to store energy

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Muon catalyst fusion, static field confinement, sono-fusion, aneutronics

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Temperature differentials in the oceans

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Thermo-electrics are better than photovoltaic cells

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Reversed electrodialysis

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Permaculture

[@martin36369]

Sorry, but I really think when people talk about "Alternative energy", they display a form of cognitive myopia, in that they always talk about the "usual suspects", wind, water, solar, biomass maybe geothermal, & ignore those many hundreds of systems that don't fit into these convenient categories.