A recent study by Greenpeace suggests Britain could be leading the way with renewable energy by 2030, potentially producing 85% of its power via wind and solar technology.
Some believe that our reliance on fossil fuels is the only way we can continue to consume the energy we do right now, but Greenpeace are trying to disprove that theory. By using more wind and solar technology, the non-governmental organization suggests that we can shift our fossil fuel focus and live a greener, more energy efficient lifestyle.
Greenpeace have predicted that wind power will be one of the most important renewable energy sources over the next 15 years, with energy usage estimated to rise to 77 gigawatts (GW) – that’s a 492% increase from the current 13GW Britain currently uses. Not only that, there is an estimated rise in solar energy from 5GW to 28GW. Such predictions, if achievable, would help our country become a beacon of renewable technology solutions and provide a sustainable way to live.
Of course, such changes would require a change in government policies and this is going to be key. The Department of Energy and Climate Change currently has an annual budget of £1.5billion; money that could be invested in driving forward more energy efficient technologies such as wind and solar power. Educating the domestic and commercial markets on the benefits of renewables could have a profound impact on how we use energy in our day to day lives. Through the encouragement of homes and buildings using their own ground source heat pumps, there will be a natural shift away from gas-fired boilers and this will have long-term benefits.
It’s also worth noting that the study by Greenpeace suggests that the 2030 renewables target could be achieved by still using fossil fuels via combined gas-fired heat and power projects. So by simply changing our high reliance on fossil fuels and combining renewable energy solutions, the next 15 years could successfully pave the way for future generations.
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