Humanity’s discovery of fossil fuels has led to an enormous shift in manufacturing that sired the electricity generation sectors and the industrial revolution. With the advancements in automation and production lines changing rapidly, the UK owed this drastic transposition to its judicious use of fossil fuels and its derived products.
However, the rise in benefits of these non-renewable resources was equalled by its negative impacts on the environment. As London is coming face to face with the reality of this energy crisis, many private firms like Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners are trying to incorporate techniques that use renewable sources like solar, wind, and tidal energy to lay a sustainable foundation of the economy.
The Fate Of Non-Renewables In The Future
Some may argue that non-renewables have done exceedingly well to bring a country up to its developmental stages. However, the hazardous effects of that development can not be ignored and need to be addressed. Countries must look for more environmentally friendly power sources to reduce global consumption to lower levels. The same policy is, however, easier said than implemented in the UK, a country with a majority of its industries and services still running on fossil fuel-based infrastructure. This means that if there is to be a change, it has to come at a technologically viable pace and, at the same time, ought to be commercially profitable if governments are serious about their goals of going green.
Fortunately, many global leaders and other prominent individuals that constitute millionaires, billionaires, and leaders of various industries have tried to break even into the renewable energy sectors in London and other big cities around the world. Some were highly successful, and a few were not, but the basic ambitions remained the same. This drive for finding environmentally friendly sources of power was backed by many leading investors in London, like the Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners that funded companies and startups focusing on green fuels and the likes.
In 2020, electricity generation in the UK using renewable methods surpassed those powered by fossil fuels, with wind energy leading the graph. In regards to the city of London enacting policies to become a 100 percent renewable-based economy, there can be no doubt that renewables will play an important role in reshaping the UK infrastructure shortly.
What Are The UK’s Current Obstacles In Implementing A Functioning Renewable Energy Economy?
Although such progress is commendable, there are still many obstacles to the country’s complete transition towards a renewable energy economy.
- Inconsistency: The most notable flaw for renewable sources can be attributed to its inconsistency. Unlike fossil fuels that are available throughout the year 24/7, the same can’t be said for renewables and their production. The sun doesn’t shine with the same intensity every time, reducing the efficiency of solar-generated power. The same goes for the winds and the tides, both limited by geography and seasons.
- Lack of a constant source for electricity generation: The ever-changing factors mentioned above also pose another threat: A lack of control over power transmission. These fluctuations make it difficult for power stations to transmit electricity to vital areas and urban sectors and keep up with the demand.
- Financing: Another obstacle would be financing renewable infrastructure and doing away with the non-renewables, wasting many potential resources and materials. Without constant demand, the renewable sectors will function at a loss which can be detrimental to the UK’s economy.
Although these are critical matters to look into, having a functioning renewable energy infrastructure is undoubtedly one of the most important goals of the UK to meet the global climate crisis and the depleting energy sources head-on.