Renewable Energy Overview

What is Renewable Energy?

• Energy from sources that won't run out.
• Replenished faster than consumed.
• Uses natural sources like sun, wind, and tides.
• Can also come from organic material (e.g., plant matter, animal waste).
• Self-replenishing based on Earth's weather patterns and ecosystems.
• Unlike fossil fuels, does not require intensive drilling or mining.

Types of Renewable Energy

Wind Power

• Uses wind to rotate turbine blades connected to a generator.
• Offshore wind farms more efficient due to stronger sea winds.
• Onshore turbines easier to construct.

Solar Power

• Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity via a photoelectric effect.
• Involves a reaction within silicon layers of the panel.

Hydroelectric Power

• Water from reservoirs flows through turbines to generate electricity.
• Efficiency depends on water volume and height difference between source and outflow.

Bioenergy

• Generated from organic matter or biomass (e.g., plants, food waste, sewage).
• Biomass can be dry (e.g., wood pellets) or wet (e.g., food waste producing biogas).
• Burning biomass creates steam that drives turbines to generate electricity.

Geothermal Energy

• Taps into underground steam/hot water reservoirs.
• Requires drilling wells up to a mile deep.
• Heat is used to drive turbines connected to generators.

Importance of Renewable Energy

• Central to addressing climate change.
• Fossil fuels have been the primary source since the Industrial Revolution.
• Burning fossil fuels contributes to greenhouse gases like CO2 and methane.
• Contributes to global temperature increases and extreme weather events.
• Net zero goal: carbon emissions removed equal to those added.

Sustainability of Renewable Energy

• Solar, wind, and hydroelectric produce zero emissions when generating electricity.
• Infrastructure production (steel) contributes to emissions.
• Bioenergy emits carbon when burned but absorbs an equivalent amount during its lifecycle.
• Deforestation for solar farms is a concern.
• Still cleaner than fossil fuels but improvements needed for full sustainability.

Economic and Consumer Impact

• Costs of solar and wind are decreasing annually.
• Potential savings on electricity bills with at-home infrastructure like solar panels.
• Global savings possible if switching to renewables by 2050.

Current and Future Outlook

• As of mid-2022, 40% of the UK's electricity from renewables.
• More investment needed in renewables to meet emissions targets.
• Goal: ensure a cleaner, more sustainable future for the planet.