Call us today on
Email us onIt’s always great to see that progress is being made when it comes to renewable energy in the UK, and the latest figures released by the National Grid have revealed that 2017 was the greenest year on record for the country’s electricity generation.
A total of 13 clean energy records were also broken in 2017, helped by the rise of renewable energy in the nation.
One of the most significant of these was providing electricity for a full day without the use of coal power – the first time this has happened in the UK since the industrial revolution.
Meanwhile, in June, wind, nuclear and solar power generated more electricity than gas and coal combined, with the UK now boasting the fourth cleanest power system in Europe.
Gareth Redmond-King, head of energy and climate at WWF, commented that the UK has never been “cleaner or greener”, adding that 2018 is set to be an even better year from this perspective.
He told the Independent: “This is the success of supporting renewables in electricity. The government has subsidised onshore wind, offshore wind, solar, hydro, the lot, and that has led to the cost of it falling.”
But while these achievements should be praised, Dr Andrew Crossland, from the Durham Energy Institute and MyGridGB, told the BBC that the government should be looking at how to reduce its reliance on gas, as well as cutting back on coal power.
Otherwise the country risks missing its carbon emissions targets, he stressed, adding that there needs to be “refreshed government support for low-carbon alternatives”.
If you’re looking for ways of utilising renewable energy in Cumbria, contact us today to find out what steps you can take to become greener.