Energy is such an essential part of our daily life because it powers almost everything we do. But we often don’t consider where and how we get this energy. 

Fossils contribute to a large portion of the world’s energy consumption. However, this source comes with a wide of problems. 

To combat this issue, many countries are turning towards renewable energy sources. If you’re unsure about switching, here are the benefits of using renewable energy sources. 

What Is Renewable Energy?

Renewable energy comes from sources that can be quickly replenished. These energy sources include wind, solar, geothermal and hydroelectric power. 

Renewable energy sources are often called clean or green energy, but these types have some minor differences. Clean energy sources do not release pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. In comparison, green energy comes from natural sources. 

While there is some cross-over between these energy types, not all renewable are clean or green. However, it’s worth noting that renewables are a much more sustainable option compared to fossil fuels.   

The Use of Fossil Fuels

As mentioned before, fossil fuels are a common energy source used to power everything worldwide. 

While a large-scale shift towards renewable has recently occurred, many countries still rely heavily on fossil fuels. These fuels comprise crude oil, coal and natural gas, but they are limited and have a severe negative impact on the planet. 

Many industries burn fossil fuels because it’s cheaper; however, the burning releases harmful pollutants and gasses into the air deteriorating its’ quality and the environment. Due to these reasons, switching to renewable energy is crucial. 

What Are The Benefits of Using Renewable Energy Sources?

Renewable energy is increasingly getting popular worldwide. Here’s a look at some great benefits of switching to this energy source. 

It Won’t Run Out

One of the best things about renewable energy is that it’s inexhaustible. Renewable technologies take energy directly from the environment to create power. Since these sources naturally form in the environment, we will have a steady energy supply. 

Such sources include sunshine, tidal waves, wind and biomass. This quality is not found in fossil fuels, which are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain, driving energy costs and deteriorating the environment.   

Less Global Warming Impact

Human activity overwhelms our environment with carbon dioxide and other harmful gas emissions. These gases create a layer around the earth, trapping heat and leading to various harmful environmental impacts such as rising sea levels, species extinction, etc. 

In the UK, burning fossil fuels to make electricity is the most significant contributor towards carbon emissions. Due to this reason, it’s crucial to phase out fossil fuels with renewable energy sources to lessen the impact of global warming. 

Less Maintenance

Generally, renewable energy technologies require less maintenance than traditional fuel systems. This is because renewable systems such as wind turbines and solar panels have few or no moving parts and don’t rely on combustible, flammable fuel to operate. Less maintenance means more money saved in the long run. 

Better Public Health

Fossil fuels not only harm the environment, but they’re also detrimental to human health. The water and air pollution emitted through coal plants is directly linked with neurological damage, breathing problems, heart attacks, cancer and several other serious problems. 

Solar, wind and hydroelectric plants are not associated with air pollution emissions. However, Biomass and geothermal systems produce some air pollutants, but these are emitted at a far lower rate than coal-fired power plants. On the other hand, renewable energy systems don’t have public health risks. 

In addition, solar and wind energy farms require no water to operate, so they don’t put a strain on water resources or pollute it. 

Renewable Energy Can Save Money

Using renewable energy is a great way to save money in the long run. Not only does this energy help you down on maintenance costs, but you also reduce operating costs. Renewables such as solar, wind or steam don’t require additional costs for refuelling.      

If you switch to renewable energy to power your home, you can save a lot on operating costs. If you use more energy in the summer or winter, renewable will help you reduce costs without affecting your convenience. 

Renewable Energy Leads To More Jobs

Renewable energy farms are more labour-intensive than mechanised fossil fuel plants, making more jobs available. This demand also creates more green jobs which pay better and have a lower risk of automation. 

With a higher employment rate, people will have better financial opportunities while enjoying low energy costs. 

What Are The Different Types of Renewable Energy?

As mentioned before, renewable energy comes in various forms. Here are the four common types of renewable energy sources. 

Solar Energy

Many people are opting for solar energy as their choice of renewable energy. You can often see solar panels on homes and businesses all over the UK. 

Solar panels create energy from the sun’s power. These panels are made up of smaller cells containing several semiconductor layers. 

When the daylight hits the conductor, they create an electric current that flows through an electrical system. If you add a battery alongside this, you can even use this energy at night.  

Solar energy is so popular because it can produce a vast amount of energy that is enough to power the entire planet. Furthermore, this energy is clean because it doesn’t produce greenhouse gasses or air pollutants. 

Wind Power

Wind farms are another popular source of renewable energy generation. Many countries, including the UK, have implemented onshore or offshore wind turbines to capture wind energy and convert it into electrical power.

Hydroelectric Energy

Water is another excellent source of renewable electricity. This energy is generated through a hydroelectric power plant that carries the water through a turbine. The great thing about hydroelectric technology is that it keeps evolving. 

Currently, experts have developed a wave turbine that uses breaking waves to create power. These plants are also crucial for protecting shorelines from coastal erosion.   

Biomass Power

Biomass power uses organic waste from plants and animals to create bioenergy. This is one of the oldest methods of generating energy that uses energy stored in living matter. 

Steam is produced during bioenergy production, which powers a generator through a turbine creating electricity. 

Despite being carbon-neutral, biomass energy from animals produces trace amounts of pollution. This process creates methane which is a central greenhouse gas. 

One of the best ways to ground this is by relying on wood and plant matter. Many biomass systems use locally sourced wood waste that typically goes to a landfill to generate energy. 

Important Renewable Energy Statistics 

With governments advancing towards a net zero future, there has been an increased push to adopt renewable energy sources. Rising climate change corners have rapidly increased this desire to implement renewable energy sources. 

The current push towards this energy is at an all-time high due to several factors. Here are some vital statistics that shine a light on the push for renewable energy. 

The Rise of Renewable Energy Worldwide

The current global projections for renewable energy sources indicate a 30% increase since 2006. This figure is expected to jump even higher by 2030. With these statistics, we can track the awareness and demand for renewable energy sources. 

Since 2006 there have been low levels of interest generated this type of energy; however, in 2015, there was a boom in demand for renewable energy. 

Since then, the need for renewable energy sources has been steadily increasing. With this demand, people can expect better access to renewable energy sources. 

In 2020, renewable accounted for 29% of the electricity generated globally, with the majority coming from hydropower (16.8%). In total, a record-breaking amount of 256 GW of renewable power capacity was added globally in 2020. 

As mentioned before, the demand for renewable energy sources is on an upward trend; therefore, we can expect more renewables to become readily available in the future.  

Solar Takes The Lead 

While there are multiple renewable energy sources, solar and wind lead in this category. Between 2006 and 2030, the demand for solar energy is expected to grow 30 times more. 

On the other hand, the demand for wind power is projected to be four times higher than in 2006. While the number might not seem significant, they indicate a sharp increase in interest in wind and solar energy sources. 

When compared to demand rates in 2006, there has been a sharp increase in the need for such energy sources. This proves hugely beneficial for the fight towards climate change and the need for clean energy sources. 

Renewable Energy Interest In the UK

In the UK, government legislatures aim for a net zero future by 2050. To reach this goal, the government is setting target providers so that all electricity comes from 100% zero-carbon generation by 2035.  

One of the best ways to make a real change towards reducing carbon emissions is by making large-scale changes to the energy infrastructure. 

With governments adopting renewable energy as one of the main power sources, people should expect better access to this power in the future. 

With more and more people moving towards renewable energy sources, we can expect a significant decrease in climate change. 

In the UK, 2020 marked a significant year for renewable energy. This year, the country’s electricity predominantly comes from renewable energy sources, with 43% of the power coming from a combination of solar, wind, bioenergy and hydroelectric sources. 

With this statistic, we can see that the UK is making great progress on their goal towards a net zero future. 43% of the power coming from renewable signifies a promising path towards a 100% zero carbon future.   

In terms of numbers, the UK is close to producing its trillionth kilowatt hour of renewable energy since 1970. Even though it took 47 years (between 1970 to 2017) to produce the first half of the trillion, it will take only six years to produce the second of the trillion by 2023. 

The speed at which the UK is advancing towards more renewable energy is incredibly promising for the future. At the current rate, we can expect complete energy generation through renewables in the near future. This comparison between the years allows us to track the advancement towards cleaner energy sources. 

How Is Energy Efficiency Related to Renewable Energy?

While we’re on the topic of renewable energy, it’s also important to discuss energy efficiency. One of the main reasons why many people switch to renewable is to use their energy more efficiently. 

The best way to practice this is by using smart products. Smart appliances are intuitive and use energy in the best way possible. You can enjoy comfort and peace of mind by pairing them with a renewable energy source, such as solar or wind. Some excellent benefits of these products include:

• Less environmental harm as they produce little to no carbon emissions.
• Cuts down excess costs on your energy bills
• Exercise better control over your device through scheduling, timers, etc. 

What Home Appliances Work Well With Renewable Energy?

Once you’ve switched to renewable energy, you want to get appliances that will maximise their potential. Energy efficient home products are a great way to enjoy low costs without compromising quality. 

Here are some essential home appliances that pair well with renewable energy sources. 

Energy Efficient Lighting

Lighting is an essential appliance in any building; therefore, investing in energy efficient luminaries is important. Inefficient lighting can significantly drive up your energy costs and lead to frequent replacement.  

For standard bulbs, always go for LED options. At Meteor, you can find the Kosnic range of LED bulbs that use state-of-the-art technology that uses energy efficiently. These luminaries have a long lifespan cutting down maintenance and replacement costs.  

Alternatively, you can also opt for smart bulbs. Smart lighting is a great way to illuminate your space without worrying about utility costs. Check out the Aurora range at Meteor for some of the best smart lighting options. 

Aurora smart lights have several advanced features that help you customise your lighting according to your needs. Aurora smart bulbs will fit all your lighting needs, whether you want to create a cosy environment or need lighting for work purposes.

Smart Heaters

Inefficient heaters reduce your energy savings and are extremely detrimental to the environment. 

In an average UK household, half of the energy bills are spent on heating and hot water. An efficient heating system can help you significantly reduce your energy bills, and it can also help you heat up your home better.  

At Meteor Electrical, you can find ATC Electrical’s iLifestyle heaters that use smart capabilities for added control and energy efficiency. These modern heating solutions use wifi controllability to give you access to multiple advanced settings and features. 

With smart wifi heaters, you can control all temperature-related aspects of your home just as you would with a regular heater. Some great functions of a smart heater include energy consumption tracking and data, customisable heating schedules, and timers for operation. 

With this added functionality and precise control, smart wifi heaters are an excellent option for commercial and residential properties.   

Energy Saving Plugs

Switching your standard appliances with energy efficient ones can often be costly. Consider smart plugs if you are looking for a quick and efficient solution. 

Smart plugs are a great way to turn ordinary appliances smart. Simply plug in your appliance and set it up with the corresponding app to use this feature. 

At Meteor, you can find the Knightsbridge smart plugs with a convenient size making installation easy. This innovative plug is made of high-quality materials, so you can keep using appliances without worrying about any damage.