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The United Kingdom (UK) is one of the countries at the forefront of combating climate change and promoting sustainable development. It has set a target to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050 and one of the key areas where it is focusing its efforts is in the renewable energy sector.
The primary target of the UK is for all new homes to be built to zero-carbon standards by 2025 and for all existing buildings to be retrofitted to improve energy efficiency by 2030.
In addition to sustainable building targets, the country has also set targets with respect to renewable energy where the aim is to generate 40% of its electricity using renewable energy sources such as sunlight and wind by 2030.
The main purpose of this shift towards renewable energy sources and overall energy efficiency is to reduce carbon emissions and support sustainable development. It will also help create new jobs and encourage growth in the building sector among many other benefits both to the users as well as the economy and environment as a whole.
Read on to find out more about solar energy and battery storage and how they are helping support sustainable development in the UK:
Sustainable energy is any type of energy source that remains viable forever and cannot be depleted. It meets the demand for energy without any risk of running out and does not need to be renewed or replenished.
One of the highlighting features of sustainable energy is that it doesn’t harm the environment and helps reduce carbon footprint, which is a huge challenge faced by the world in these current times.
It meets the current energy needs without compromising the livelihood or the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It also doesn’t cost as much and is typically free, although it does include a setup and installation cost.
Some common examples of sustainable energy sources are solar, wind, and water, all of which are easily and widely available almost everywhere.
In today’s world where climate change and environmental consciousness are gaining more importance, solar energy has come to the forefront as a leading source of clean and renewable energy.
Harnessed through advanced technologies that continue to become more efficient with each passing day, solar energy is a great sustainable power source that offers numerous benefits including reduced carbon emissions, cost savings, and energy independence.
Solar energy is light and heat from the sun that is harnessed using photovoltaic (PV) panels or concentrated solar power (CSP) and converted into usable forms of power. An attractive alternative to traditional energy sources, solar energy has the potential to revolutionise the way electricity is generated and minimise the environmental impact that fossil fuels have on the planet.
The widespread adoption of solar power can help promote energy efficiency and reduce the amount of energy needed to power residential, commercial, and industrial properties. It plays a pivotal role in promoting and supporting sustainable development and has applications in a variety of sectors including residential, commercial, agriculture, and transportation.
Solar panels installed on rooftops in homes allow homeowners to generate their own clean and green energy, alleviating their dependence on the grid and minimising their energy costs.
Businesses and other commercial properties can benefit immensely from the use of solar energy by reducing their expenses and showing their commitment and responsibility towards sustainability.
Solar energy also plays a pivotal role in agriculture by providing a reliable and environment-friendly solution for farmers for their irrigation systems, allowing them to efficiently manage water usage and reduce operational costs.
Solar energy has also become a big player in the transportation industry, especially since the advent of Electric Vehicles (EVs), since it can be used to power electric cars and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Solar energy is a form of renewable energy that has gained immense popularity over the years as a means of achieving sustainable development. Its adoption in homes, businesses, and other sectors has helped minimise carbon emissions and make the world a better and cleaner place for current as well as future generations.
Although the UK is not a particularly sunny country, it still receives enough sunlight to make solar energy a viable energy source. This, coupled with the significant decrease in solar panel costs over the years has made them more accessible for homeowners as well as for the community as a whole.
Here are all the advantages of switching to solar energy and how it supports sustainable development:
The switch from fossil fuels to solar energy can play a significant role in supporting sustainable development by helping reduce carbon emissions.
Carbon emissions are one of the biggest contributing factors to climate change, which is one of the biggest issues faced by our planet in recent times.
Fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas produce high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other pollutants when they are burned, resulting in severe health and environmental issues.
Solar energy, on the other hand, is free, renewable, and a green source of energy that generates electricity without producing and releasing any harmful substances in the air.
What this means is that by switching to solar energy, you can reduce your carbon emissions and air pollution and help mitigate the effects of climate change.
Traditional electricity production from fossil fuels can use thousands of litres of water every year for cooling generators, processing and refining fuel, and fuel transportation through pipes.
According to a recent study, to produce 1000 kWh of electricity, a coal-fired power plant uses 530 litres of water. 38 litres of water is required to generate the same amount of energy by extracting enough natural gas.
In contrast, generating power through solar panels requires no water at all, which is great when it comes to reducing the environmental impact of energy generation and conserving our current water reserves.
Oil spills are a major environmental hazard that poses a serious threat to marine life and coastal communities. Most of these accidents occur during the transportation of oil for energy generation and other uses.
According to research, more than half of the oil spilled in UK waters by offshore oil and gas operations in the past decade has made its way into marine protected areas (MPAs). If that isn’t a cause for concern, we don’t know what is.
By reducing our dependence on oil by switching to renewable energy sources such as solar energy, we can minimise the production and transportation of oil which would ultimately lead to a decreased risk of oil spills from tankers.
Solar energy can support sustainable development in many ways, one of which is by safeguarding our oceans, beaches, and marine life by lifting our dependence on oil and its related hazards.
Your electricity bill depends on how much electricity you consume and the rate at which your utility company charges for the electricity. When you are reliant on the grid for electricity, there’s not much you can do to lower your bills except minimise your energy consumption by being smarter about how you use your electrical appliances and installations.
However, when using solar panels for powering your homes and businesses, you have much more control in terms of the costs and can slash the energy rate by a great margin.
Apart from the cost of installing solar panels, there is no substantial cost when it comes to energy generation using solar power and you can enjoy virtually free energy for a lifetime!
Many regions also offer net metering programs where you can feed the excess energy generated by your solar panels back to the grid in exchange for credits on your electricity bill or money. You can also invest in energy-efficient appliances such as LED lights and better insulation and heating to lower your energy bills even further.
Another great advantage of using solar energy is that since it is a decentralised form of energy generation, it can be generated and used locally without the need for huge power plants and transmission lines. This reduces the strain on the grid for energy production and gives the users complete energy independence.
Solar energy minimises reliance on the grid and also reduces the risk of power outages. By generating your own electricity using solar panels, you have more control over energy generation and consumption.
As the world becomes more aware and responsible for reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to renewable energy sources, the use of solar panels and battery storage is becoming even more common.
While solar panels are a great way to harness the sun’s energy to generate clean and green electricity for a variety of applications, solar batteries, also called rechargeable batteries, can be added to your solar power system to store excess energy generated by the solar panels to be used later.
This excess energy can be used to power properties at times when solar panels do not work, such as during the night and cloudy days, as well as during power outages.
Solar batteries are a relatively new technology that has taken the market by storm. Their main purpose is to help you use more of the solar energy that your solar panels are generating.
Usually, when you install a solar panel system, you set up net metering that allows you to return the excess energy produced by your solar panels back to the grid. You can also pull energy from the grid when you require more electricity than your solar panels are producing.
With a solar panel plus battery storage system, you can use the excess energy produced by your solar panels to charge the battery storage system instead of exporting it to the grid. This allows you to draw electricity from the solar batteries instead of the grid at times when your panels aren’t producing electricity, such as after the sun has gone down.
Solar power systems typically use two types of batteries: lead-acid and lithium-ion. There are other types of batteries available, but these two are the most commonly used.
Lead-acid batteries are a more affordable option but have a shorter lifespan compared to the other types. Lithium-ion, on the other hand, is a costlier alternative but has high energy density and a long lifespan, making it a popular battery storage solution for residential as well as commercial solar panel systems.
Combining solar panels with battery storage offers numerous benefits in terms of supporting sustainable development. From minimising reliance on fossil fuels that pollute the environment to increasing energy independence and flexibility, they are a promising solution for a cleaner and greener environment and help with a smoother transition to a more environment-friendly future in terms of energy generation.
Fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas are finite in nature and not only contribute to climate change but are also becoming increasingly expensive. One of the biggest benefits of combining solar panels and battery storage is reducing our dependence on these fossil fuels and relying more on renewable energy sources that help mitigate the effects of climate change.
By using battery storage solutions, homes, businesses, and communities as a whole can increase their energy independence, which is particularly beneficial for rural areas or places that have unreliable energy infrastructure.
It also offers more flexibility in terms of energy usage and can help reduce the load on the energy grid during peak times, which can help immensely in cost savings. It can also provide a source of backup during power outages.
Solar panels and battery storage are a much more sustainable solution for energy generation, especially when compared to traditional energy generation using fossil fuels. The great thing about them is that they can be installed for individual use in homes, residential, and commercial properties, and can also be installed on a large scale for the community in the form of solar farms.
Those who have the means and the right requirements (such as a roof) to install solar panels and battery storage on their private property can easily do so and enjoy their own clean and green energy for years to come.
Those who do not can invest in a shared solar facility, aka a solar farm, constructed in a single location. Instead of purchasing dedicated solar panels for their property, participants can be a part of a community solar system that centralises the sourcing of solar energy and encourages sustainability on a large scale.
Calder Electrical Services provides a wide range of solutions to help you play your part in making the world a more sustainable place.
If you wish to have solar panels installed on your residential or commercial property, our experts can conduct a site visit to determine your requirements and propose the best location to install them.
We also offer solar battery storage installation so that you can minimise any wastage of the energy you create. This will help lower your energy bills and make you more independent from the grid.
Contact us here or call us on 0800 612 3001 to talk to our experts right away!
Photo by Moritz Kindler on Unsplash
