Sustainable Energy Types

The world craves sustainable energy, but the cost is crippling.

Pollution threatens our air, oceans, and climate, but amidst the shadows, hope shines for sustainable energy.

Forget grimy rigs and belching smokestacks. Imagine the sun powering homes, the wind whispering electricity, and even ocean waves generating clean power.

This isn’t a distant dream; it’s the reality of solar panels, wind turbines, and a vibrant tapestry of renewable sources.

From geothermal heat deep within the Earth to the humble scraps we compost, nature’s bounty beckons.

Join us as we explore this electrifying revolution, meet the pioneers forging a new path, and discover how you can be a part of it.

Embrace the sunshine, harness the wind, and power up a future that’s kind to our planet and ourselves.

Most Common Types of Sustainable Energy

Dive deeper with us – the journey to sustainable energy starts now!

Solar energy

Solar energy is harnessed from the sun’s rays using photovoltaic cells.

These cells convert sunlight directly into electricity. Solar energy is a versatile and rapidly growing source of renewable energy.

It can be used to generate electricity for homes, businesses, and even entire cities (cnet, 2023).

Somehow recent estimated turnover of the solar photovoltaic industry in the UK is 2,661 million GBP in the year 2021 (Statista, Survey Results 2014 – 2021).

On a global capacity scale, the largest solar power plants worldwide in May 2023, were (Statista, 2023):

Goldmud Solar Park – China
Bhadha Solar Park – India
Pavagada Solar Park – India
Benban Solar Park – Egypt
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park – UAE
Tengger Desert Solar Park – China
Noor Abu Dhabi – UAE
Jichuan Solar Park – China
Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park – India

Wind energy

Wind energy is captured using wind turbines, which convert the kinetic energy of the wind into electricity. Such turbines can be placed on land or at sea.

The UK government counts offshore wind as an essential origin of sustainable energy for the country’s future. As part of the 10-Point-Plan, the aim is to generate 40GW by 2030, furthermore implementing the use of floating offshore wind (Gov UK, 2020).

Furthermore, Shell underlines the government plans to support “a green industrial revolution”, with the perspective of 60,000 additional jobs in the UK Offshore Wind Sector (Shell, 2023).

Due to a storm called Pia, more than 50% of the energy created in the UK is sourced from wind turbines (The Guardian, 2023).

Wind energy is a reliable and cost-effective source of renewable energy for the UK (Greenpeace, 2023), particularly in areas with strong and consistent winds (Wind Systems, 2023). Greenpeace also notes that there are challenges associated with wind power generation. Notably, the plants need a lot of space, however, they can just be an add-on to farmland or in the sea.

Hydropower

Nowadays, we can also harness Hydropower by the power of moving water. Dams, which are usually on rivers, create a reservoir of water that can be used to drive turbines and generate electricity. Hydropower is a mature and well-established source of renewable energy. However, it can also have negative environmental impacts such as disrupting river ecosystems (American Geosciences Institute, 2023).

Since its invention in the late 1800s, water turbines have progressed continuously over time (BHA, 2023).

Hydropower Energy Generation Statistics

A few Hyropower Europe 2022 data points are below drawn from published web content by the International Hydropower Association (iha, 2023)

569 TWh generated by hydropower
258 GW installed hydropower capacity
2,712 MW hydropower capacity added

In 2022, the European Commission initiated a research program called ETIP Hydropower Europe. This program offers strategic recommendations based on consensus with the European Commission. The program end date is the 31st of August 2025 and accounts for a total cost of 962,645,94 EUR. The recommendations will include market analysis, financial requirements for research and development, biodiversity preservation, and ecological continuity. By completing this initiative, the industry will have a voice and representation in Europe.

Usage of Hydroelectricity in the UK (Gov UK, 2013):

The hydroelectric power production is classified into three primary categories:

hydropower plant with a large-scale capacity that generates more than 5 megawatts (MW)
hydroelectric plant with a small-scale capacity of less than 5 megawatts
Hydropower plant with a micro-scale capacity that generates less than 50 kW

There are great benefits in association with Hydroelectricity such as affordable heating and heated water. Furthermore, it is a low-cost choice for residences off the grid. Finally, hydropower also offers the highlight to reduce an individual’s carbon footprint (Energy Saving Trust, 2023).

Energy company, RWE, has currently twenty-one (21) active hydropower plants. The business also claimed 78 MW of captured clean energy in the UK (RWE, 2023).

Geothermal energy

Companies generate this type of energy from the heat they can find within the Earth’s crust. Geothermal power plants use this heat to generate electricity or to heat buildings directly. Geothermal energy is a reliable and baseload source of renewable energy, but it is only available in certain locations where the Earth’s heat is close to the surface (WTS Energy, 2023).

In contrast to solar or wind energy, geothermal energy is a locally accessible, constant source of energy. Furthermore, it is scalable and has a very small spatial footprint, (e.g. district heating or heating individual residences). Another important resource for energy security and reducing reliance on imported gas is geothermal energy (British Geological Survey, 2023).

Biomass energy

Biomass energy comes from organic materials such as wood, crops, and manure. These materials will need to burn directly to generate heat or electricity, to convert into biofuels such as ethanol or biodiesel. Biomass energy is a renewable source of energy, but it can also contribute to deforestation and air pollution if not managed sustainably (MDPI, 2023).

Among 77 various types of Energy Plants, RWE uses ‘only’ one Biomass site actively operating (RWE, 2023).

Ocean energy

Waves, tides, and currents of the ocean can generate Ocean energy. Wave and tidal energy devices, in addition to generate electricity, while ocean currents contribute to drive turbines. Ocean energy is a promising source of renewable energy, but it is still in the early stages of development (ONREL, 2022).

Nuclear energy

To create Nuclear energy, atoms require a split within in a nuclear reactor. This process releases a large amount of heat, that in return can assist in generating electricity. Nuclear energy is a low-carbon source of energy, but it can also produce radioactive waste and offers a high risk of accidents (youmatter.world, 2019).