Green Electricity

By Author: Dave Sabri
Total Articles: 29
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Over sixty per cent of the UK's electricity comes from coal and gas fueled power stations. As a by product millions of tons of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are known to contribute to climate change.

The rest of the electricity used in the UK comes mostly from nuclear power stations. These do not pollute the atmosphere, but there are hazardous waste products that are difficult to dispose of safely. With the decreasing stocks and rising prices of fossil fuels like gas an oil, environmentalists fear that even more nuclear power stations will be built, and so the race is on to find safer, more sustainable ways to generate electricity.

Green electricity is electricity that comes from sources which have only minimal impacts on the environment. Constant sources of energy like the wind, sun and waves are known as renewable energy. Renewable energy sources can be used to produce green electricity.

Wind turbines are growing in popularity in the UK, and produce some of the electricity for the national grid. As wind turbine technology improves, the turbines ...
... are quieter and more efficient. Some people dislike the way they look, and the locations of some so called windfarms have caused controversy.

There is a potential solution to the perceived disfigurement of our countryside which is to build windfarms out at sea. If this can be made to be cost effective, wind could become the UK's solution to future electricity supplies.

Solar power is an energy source that we could use to generate electricity, even in the UK. Currently, solar panels are so expensive they are not widely used, but as demand increases and more are produced, the prices will hopefully come down. Solar power could one day be the world's number one source of electricity. A big advantage of solar panels is that they can be used even in remote locations which are not on the national grid.

The energy of rivers can be harnessed to power turbines which generate electricity. There are already a few large hydroelectric plants in the UK, and there is potential for many more low impact, small scale hydroelectric turbines in lots of places in the UK.

The holy grail of green electricity in the UK is wave power. Researchers are trying to find ways to harness the abundant energy that is in the waves all around our coastline. Wave power would be a fantastic source of green electricity in the future if a cost effective way of producing electricity could be implemented.

As consumers' interest in green electricity grows, energy providers are looking for ways to make energy production more environmentally friendly. Even big providers like British Gas, who supply massive amounts of electricity, are offering carbon neutral dual fuel deals. This means that the carbon dioxide created as a by product of your electricity is offset by British Gas's investment in projects to develop green electricity. Choosing carbon neutral products like this is a great way to support green electricity production and prevent climate change.

Switch to British Gas electricity and save up to 40% on your energy. Officially the cheapest electric providers on average the United Kingdom.