Five (very good) Reasons For Home Made Renewable Energy in Britain
The case for homemade renewable energy (micro-generation) seems to get stronger and stronger. A new report commissioned by the British Government provides a series of compelling reasons to put a wind-turbine in your garden, solar panels on your roof, and a combined heat and power boiler in your basement.
Lauded as “one of the most professionally conducted and robust pieces of consumer research into the micro-generation market”, the principle reasons for Britain to make a big push for micro-generation outlined by the report are:
1. It can make a difference
Encouraging householders to produce their own sustainable energy could cut the UK’s CO2 emissions by 30m tonnes in the next two decades. This is equivalent to the energy output of 5 large nuclear power stations, equal to taking half of the goods delivery trucks off Britain’s roads.
2. It’s easily attainable
The right financial incentives could see home energy installations increase from around 100,000 today, to a massive 9 million installations by 2020 - the introduction of grants, low interest loans and feed-in tariffs in other nations (such as Germany) has shown that large numbers of consumers are willing to invest in home renewable energy solutions.
3. There are self sustaining benefits
Legally binding government targets will encourage investment in the market, increasing the efficiency and cost effectiveness of renewable technology.
4. It encourages energy conservation too
When households can see how much power they generate, as well as how much they use, they become more aware of what energy consumption means - lights are switched off, mobile phone chargers are unplugged and people become truly energy conscious.
5. Everybody’s happy
Individuals can take an active role in the battle against climate change - instead of feeling frustrated by inaction
Despite debatable claims from energy executives that the large scale adoption of renewable energy in Britain will call for even more fossil fuel power generation as a backup, it seems that the case for renewable energy has never been better.
How many good (or bad) reasons for micro-generation can you come up with?
With thanks to The Daily Telegraph
More on home renewable energy from EcoWorldly and Green Options
Image credit: thingermijig at Flickr under a Creative Commons license
@terrab: I value your observations. Thanks.
Funny, I didn’t see the increasing scarcity of carbon based fuel supplies on the list.
Hey, if the Feds start subsidizing it (how about a %50 credit up to 10K spread over 4 years, instead of $2,000) I’ll get a 2 or 3KW system up by the end of the month. Trouble is, because I get a lot of heavily subsidized nuclear power, the + .04/kwh I’d net selling it back won’t yield enough savings to repay my investment for over 10 years. And adding batteries is of dubious environmental benefit for the value they add.
Increase the subsidy and offer some low interest loans (let’s say %4) and half my 22 home street would have them up pretty quickly.
To Skylar: it all depends on how much you are playing per KWH now. Sure, it’s too expensive for me at under a dime, but if I were paying .33 like some Californians it’d be a no-brainer.
And George, rates are higher during the day, when demand is the highest. I think you got some bad information.
A decentralized power system made up of personal solar power or wind turbine systems that are then grouped into a super grid is the future it seems. In the U.S., you can get a personal wind turbine for a $13,000 price tag via Southwest Wind Power, Flagstaff AZ, (plus congress should pass a tax subsidy for wind power an individual generates any day now). The energy your home generates can also be sold back to the grid, 7 states already offer subsidies. There are related systems that will grow with this markets, like the home storage battery from Grid Point. Dealers, Installers.
Energy Transmission supplier ABB says these types of systems are going to be built it’s just a matter of who’s gonna do it, and operating by 2012.
Carbon offsets could be used to help fund this transition to provide cash incentive/subsidy for home owners who otherwise would not find current solutions affordable.
@weee: You make a good point. Sad, but probably true.
@Skylar: Yes, it is expensive – TODAY. See points 2 & 3.
@Warren Raftshol: Your reading the wrong blog my friend. The flat earth blog is this way ->
@George Fragos: This is a very valid point in many locals right now, however many governments are addressing this through smarter feed-in tariffs, as suggested by the British Government’s report.
@wooo: Good for you, although I’d suggest that you try getting a life.
@Someone & @Ken Simmonds: you are right to question to current economics, which is what the report does. It’s conclusion is that today it doesn’t necessarily make sense, but with a few simple legislative changes this could all be very different.
@terrab: Exactly!
@steve: You are right – I could add a number 6, but I kind of took that as a given..
@Dan Isaacs: That’s exactly what has been seen to date in Germany vs in the UK. The Germans have as a result made massive progress on solar installations.
@Christopher Keys: Yep, you clearly get it.
regardles of expense. i’m not gonna be the one arguing the fact when all we have to live on in a tiny bit of rock. if i can get a subsidy from the government to offset the price, i’ll invest in it. not doing ya bit on a subject like this is not something to be sniffed at.
China and India will determine oil prices in the future. We (the rest of the oil consuming world) will either pay up or shut up! Micro-generation beats the hell out of the alternative, doing without!
Hopefully everyone starts this sooner than later. It’s easier than most people think to start using renewable energy at home.