SUMMARY OF REPORT CONTENTS
UK
Renewable Energy Generation Product
Sector
Mix 2008 - % by Generation (GWh)
Energy generation from renewable sources in the UK
has quite a long history with a considerable number of
hydro-electric generation stations installed in the 1950’s &
1960’s with a smaller percentage first commissioned in the
1930’s. However, recent legislative obligations have boosted the
use of renewable energy in the UK over the last decade, driven
primarily by wind power.
Renewables generation output has increased by 53%
2004-08 but with 2008 figures
representing only 5.6% of the total UK generation
of 385,560 GWh. The major growth area for renewables 2004-08 has
been for offshore wind generation with the opening of a
number of larger-scale developments on the East, Welsh and North
Sea coasts in recent years. Onshore wind generation has
also increased generation by around 233% over the period but the
smaller scale schemes and some planning difficulties encountered
by wind farm developers have meant that this sector has been
overshadowed by the offshore wind sector.
For the electricity generation sector, there is a
target of 30% generation from renewable sources by 2020, which
translates to in excess of 115,500 GWh based on 2008 figures.
This target indicates the need to quadruple generation from
renewable sources over the next decade and will mean significant
investment in the renewables sector in terms of both larger-scale
power stations but also smaller scale community, business based
and micro-generation.
Key factors which are likely to play a part in the
significant growth currently expected for the renewables sector
include: -
-
Increasing regulatory requirements for increased energy
generation from renewable sources.
-
Government financial initiatives to increase take up of
renewable power generation and conversely financial penalties
for failure to achieve required targets.
-
Encouragement of investment in and wider use of emerging
technologies and processes to ensure renewable energies become
more competitive.
-
Concerns regarding the longer term security of the UK’s energy
supply and also the ability to economically source fossil fuel
raw materials for power generation.
-
Growing pressures to tackle climate change and other aspects of
power generation currently viewed as not environmentally
friendly.
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