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LONDON, England, July 5, 2006 (Refocus Weekly)
Generation of green power in Britain rose 16%
last year over 2004, according to annual data from the government
energy department.
Britain generated 16,919 GWh from renewables 2005, 2,748 GWh more
than the year before, says the Department of Trade & Industry in
‘Energy Trends.’ Renewables provided 4.2% of total generation, up
from 3.6% in 2004.
Electricity from co-firing of biomass with fossil fuels grew by 150%
to generate 1,511 GWh more electricity and account for much of the
increase. Other important contributors to growth were onshore wind
turbines, which increased 44% to generate an additional 769 GWh in
2005, landfill gas with 287 GWh, offshore wind and small-scale
hydroelectric projects which gave 200 GWh each.
Most of the green power generated last year fell under the
Renewables Obligation, with 4% of power sales coming from RO
certificates, up from 3.1% in 2004. Britain has monitored the share
of renewables for 17 years and current policies, such as the
Renewables Obligation or capital grants for offshore wind and energy
crops, are designed to help Britain source 12% of its electricity
from renewables by 2010.
The technologies include active solar heating; photovoltaics;
onshore and offshore wind; wave; large and small-scale hydro;
biofuels; and geothermal heat pumps. Since 2004, non-biodegradable
wastes have not been included in data for green power.
Since the Non Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO) Orders ended in 2000,
the UK’s renewables policy has consisted of four key strands: a
Renewables Obligation on all electricity suppliers to supply a
specific proportion of electricity from eligible renewables;
exemption of green power from the Climate Change Levy; an expanded
support program for new and renewable energy including capital
grants and an expanded research and development program; and
development of a regional strategic approach to planning and targets
for renewables.
The European Union’s Renewables Directive came into force in October
2001, and proposes that member states adopt national targets for
renewables that will reach the overall EU target of 12% of energy
(22.1% of electricity) from renewables by 2010. The UK share of this
target is 10% of electricity consumption by 2010.
Only 26.5% of green power was from large-scale hydro last year,
compared with 33% in 2004. Generation from non-hydro renewables was
30% higher than 2004, having almost doubled in three years.
Green heat sources in Britain produced the equivalent of 485,000
tonnes of oil last year, and are half the level they were nine years
ago due to tighter emission controls discouraging on-site burning of
biofuels, especially wood waste. When green heat is added to green
power, renewables account for 1.9% of the UK’s total primary energy
requirements, up from 1.7% in 2004 and 1.4% in 2003.
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