Renewable Energy

CPRE East Midlands renewable energy expert Brian Newsome blows away the cobwebs on our understanding of what renewable energy is all about.

The lowdown on renewable energy

Renewable energy is generated from natural resources - such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat - which are renewable (naturally replenished). Renewable energy technologies include solar power, wind power, hydroelectricity, micro hydro, biomass and biofuels.

Renewable energy is a key part of the UK's climate change strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 2007 the UK agreed with other Member States to an EU-wide target of 20% renewable energy by 2020 - including a binding 10% target for the transport sector.

The European Commission has proposed that the UK share of this target would be to achieve 15% of the UK's energy from renewables by 2020 which is equivalent to almost a ten-fold increase in renewable energy consumption from current levels. This will require substantial investment in renewable energy sources.

The draft Regional Plan set indicative targets for renewable energy for the region. These suggest that renewable energy sources can increase from the current 2% of current capacity to 24% by 2026. The bulk of this increase comes from micro-generation wind and Photovoltaics (PV).

These targets were to be be reviewed as part of the "mini-review" due to commence October 2008.

You can also read CPRE's policy on energy, including renewables (2006) and the UK government's Renewable Energy Strategy consultation.

There are Government grants for renewables. Grants must be used to pay for the supply and installation of renewable energy schemes at permanent buildings in the UK. Organisations can apply for 30-50% of the cost of installation. Funds should be available till mid-2009, depending on the rate of applications.

Our Leicestershire branch has written a balanced article about the context for and against wind farms.

CPRE will vigorously oppose proposals for major wind turbine development in and adjacent to areas of outstanding natural beauty and national parks where these would be damaging to the landscape.

We will consider all cases on their merits and stand up for the wider countryside outside designated areas. CPRE will support wind development proposals where they are appropriately located.

You can read CPRE's onshore wind turbine policy and a report from CPRE's seminar exploring the issues around wind turbines and the planning process.

Micro Hydro Power

Small-scale micro hydro power is both an efficient and a reliable form of energy, most of the time.

There are a number of operational schemes in the East Midlands. Local CPRE group, Friends of the Peak District have a small hydro project to investigate potential sites for micro hydro power schemes in the Peak District.

Possible futures for Renewable Energy
• Hopefully a mix of fuels will continue to be used for UK electricity production. Coal, as a 'cheap' fuel, causes high levels of CO2 emissions. The development of 'carbon capture' technology is still unproved.
• Diversity (as recognised long ago, in the days of Nationalisation) of fuel sources continues to be important to maximise security of supply.
• Any new nuclear plant will be ready for use too late to affect supply in the short term.
• Increased use of modern gas turbine plant can reduce overall CO2 emission.
• Research into renewable forms of energy generation should expand to include all forms available, including hydro and geothermal.
• Energy storage will become important. New methods are being developed.
• Any localised schemes (wind/solar/micro-hydro) are difficult in the UK.

Brian Newsome
13 October 2008

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Centre of Renewable Energy (CORE)

Strawsons Energy, a subsidiary of family-run business G.D. Strawson, has opened its doors to the Centre of Renewable Energy (CORE), with the help of emda funding.

It is estimated that CORE will create 21 new jobs over the next four years. Three companies have already moved in, making full use of the commercial opportunities offered by the centre.

Patrick Mercer OBE, MP for Newark, officially opened the facility in East Drayton, North Nottinghamshire, in September 2009. Hearing from key individuals involved in the project, launch attendees also got a tour of the business and conference centre, which provides carbon neutral managed workspaces and meeting facilities.

The tour provided an opportunity to see how the building's use of sustainable energy technologies is enabling CORE to produce more heat, cooling, electricity and power than it uses during its day to day operations. As a result, CORE is already exporting electricity back into the national grid.

Strawsons was the first business in the region to receive a Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) grant for £140,000 to help build the £826,000 CORE facility. The comnpany has also gone into partnership with EDF Energy to grow and supply a new biomass crop for use at the nearby Cottam Power Station.

Reproduced and edited from the Winter 2009 edition of emda news.

Fiona Cowan
10 February 2010 Back to top