Renewable Energy:

What is it?

Renewables or renewable energy to be precise is energy that occurs from the earths resources which renew naturally as opposed to fossil type fuels.

Sunlight, Wind, Rain, Tide and Geothermal (Ground & Air) are all inexhaustible examples of renewables.

It is all about conserving the Earths natural resources so we can also add Rainwater Harvesting, Heat Recovery and Mechanical Ventilation to the list and these are technologies also available from 1^st Light Energy.

Mankind has used the power of nature for centuries particularly Wind and Water and the heat that comes from the Earth.

It is a fact that without Sunlight, Humans, Animals and Plants would not survive and these naturally occurring resources in the not too distant future will provide all the energy we will ever need.

Why are Renewables so important?

Sadly, due to the pollution which began with the industrial revolution and exacerbated by the emergence of third world countries with an unquenchable thirst for Oil, mankind is presented with 2 very serious problems:

 1)      Climate Change –  Global Warming

 Fact or Fiction?

Whatever view you hold personally about the effects of Climate Change brought about by Global Warming, you can’t deny its existence.

Most Scientists agree there is a direct correlation between Climatic changes and the amount of CO2 emissions of which transport is a large contributor and typifies the net effect of burning fossil fuels over a prolonged period.

Coupled with worldwide industrial output which is incresing on a daily basis with third world countries industrialising rapidly, it is little wonder the Earths ecosystems are being compromised.

For evidence, we need look no further than the following examples:

• Rising land and sea temperatures
• Rising sea levels
• Arctic ice shrinkage
• Reduced snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere
• Extreme weather events
• Glacial erosion]

And  perhaps closer to home, Snowdrops in December

Our world is changing forever and not in a good way and we must all change our thinking about how we lead our lives because the choices we make now will shape the world we leave to those that follow.

2)      Peak Oil – Or when the Oil runs out!

Fact or Fiction?

Its not so much about Oil running out as it being harder and more costly to produce and eventually you get to a stage (as with Coal here in the UK) where the numbers just don’t add up anymore.

As the worldwide demand for Oil, increases to a level that exceeds production by a significant margin or ‘Peak Oil’ (predicted to be 2025), Oil dependent economies will be devastated by any shortfall in supply over demand of as little as 15%.

For proof of what happens when energy production drops, we need look no further than America in the 1970’s when Gas production dropped by just 5%, prices rocketed by 400% imagine what would have happened if the producers were unable to make up that shortfall.

Providing renewable technology is embraced worldwide, there is a chance that the effects of Peak Oil and Climate change can be reversed or at least postponed.

We do not own the Earth but are merely the custodians for the generations to come and how we address the issues of Climate Change and Peak Oil over the next 30 years is how they will judge us

Climate Change and Peak Oil has been described by the Scientific community as the greatest challenge ever to life on Earth and is one of the many reasons why even Governments are supporting the renewables initiative by driving through legislation and incentives via Grants, Enhanced Capital Allowances and the soon to be announced Renewable Heat Incentive.

Solar Thermal and Wind energy are growing at a rate of 30% per annum and it is widely predicted that in the very near future, energy users who rely solely on fossil fuels will be subsidising those who produce their own energy from renewables via a kind of fuel tax.