The world depends heavily on a steady supply of oil, natural gas and also coal for its energy requirements. Unfortunately these resources are dwindling rapidly; besides they are non-renewable and necessitate expensive explorations. Oil prices are furthermore dependent on specific factors and political strife creates an energy crisis and rising oil prices. Renewable energy is not vulnerable against political happenings but can be locally generated. The sun, wind, rivers, lakes, seas, or even the heat deep inside the earth is renewable sources of energy. Cutting edge technology has begun to harness these vast sources of power through conversion of these into electricity, transport fuels, as well as heating of UK’s homes and water. They will likely replace conventional fuels.
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy, a much sort after renewable energy in Essex, is about producing power from the earth’s heat. In spite of the fact that these renewable energy plants have something common with conventional power-producing stations by employing turbines and also other standard electricity producing equipment, they use pipes which are buried deep down in the earth. Geothermal heat pump systems comprise of a heat pump, duct-work as well as a heat exchanger. The pump expels heat from the exchanger, pumping it into the indoor air delivery system.
In UK there is large resource of geothermal energy at shallow depths. The upper ten to 15 meters of the ground is heated through solar radiation and acts as a heat store. This heat can be used by ground source heat pumps that can significantly lower heating bills and lessen the associated carbon footprint. The heat from the sun is directed downwards into the ground.
At a depth of around fifteen metres ground temperatures aren’t affected by seasonal air temperature variations and have a tendency, to stay stable all year around, at about the mean yearly air temperature (Nine to 13 degree C in the UK). Therefore, the ground at this depth is cooler than the air in summer and hotter than the air in winter. This temperature difference is put to good use, by ground source heat pumps which are utilised for heating or cooling of homes and commercial premises.
Wind Energy
It has been utilised in the past as sailboats and windmills. Presently in the modern times it is being utilised to produce power. Wind energy is directly influenced by the geography of the land. The tops of smooth, rounded slopes, open fields, shorelines, or mountain crevices that channel the wind are the best places for wind farms. A good example is, use of renewable energy in Essex in the form of a wind farm under construction in the shallow waters twelve-miles off the coasts of Essex and Kent. After completion this wind farm with 217 turbines will make enough electricity to power a quarter of London’s homes.
Renewable energy is providing an increasing percentage of electricity generation in UK. Renewable power generators and wind power deliver a big share of electricity in the country. The cost of installing renewable energy plants is offset by their low maintenance and savings on the explorations of dwindling oil, natural gas, and coal resources.
