Understanding Renewable Energy in the UK
The advantages of renewable energy have always been recognised by many, more so, when in November 2008, the UK made history by passing the Climate Change Act. This was the first time a country made a global legally binding climate change mitigation target set. The Act is committed to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions in the country by 80% by 2050 in comparison to the 1990 levels. By 2019, the UK became the first major economy to commit to a “net-zero” target, and have adopted a system of carbon budgets to help meet its objectives.
With this in mind, there has been a continuous demand for renewable energy in most businesses because not only does it provide sustainable and energy-efficient sources, it also has its commercial advantages.
The graph above shows that compared to last year, there has definitely been a rise in the use of renewable energy. According to Gov.UK, there has been an increase of 47.0% in 2020 Q1 in comparison to 2019 Q1’s 35.9%. This is mostly because of the wind and solar energy, which combined will produce a record high of 32.2%. The UK energy statistics also stated that this year, the low carbon generation reached a new record high of 62.1% with fossil fuel setting a new record low at 35.4%. These numbers show that renewable energy is fast becoming the preferred energy source in the UK.
What are the Types of Energy Renewable Sources?
To learn the advantages of renewable energy, you must first know its sources:
- Solar Panels
- Solar Thermal
- Commercial Wind Energy
- mCHP Boilers
- Heat Recovery and Ventilation
- Heat Pumps
- Rainwater Harvesting
Those are the sources you should take note of. To know more about them in-depth, you can check out EnergyBillKill’s guide here!
5 Business Benefits of Renewable Energy
#1 Save Money
One of the business benefits of renewable energy is that you can expect to save a lot more compared to using resource energy like oil or natural gas. This is because those are the kind of resources that are harder to come across. But, with renewable energy such as solar energy or wind energy, you'll have an opportunity to cut energy bills since you'll have an abundance of resources. This also means you won't have to pay to refuel. Moreover, the maintenance needed for renewable sources is lower. Compared to traditional fuel sources, generating technologies like solar panels have less or no moving parts, which means fewer maintenance costs.
Another business benefit of renewable energy is the Smart Export Guarantee that helps businesses sell excess electricity with solar panels to the grid. In this way, you can gain additional profit by just switching to renewable energy.
#2 Help the Environment
Most of us are aware of the pressing issue of global warming and climate change, which is why with the help of renewable energy, we can help lessen the damage and save our planet from getting more exposed to the dangers of fossil fuels. This is because coal and natural gas are some of the biggest contributors to global warming. Moreover, renewable energy sources emit little to no greenhouse gases or pollutants at all, which results in a smaller carbon footprint.
#3 Social Responsibility and Better PR
For most businesses, you would want to show your customers and community that you care about them. This does not just mean providing quality products, but as well as making smart business decisions that prove you prioritise their interests first. For this reason, going green and offering the advantages of renewable energy to them is one of the best ways that you can show your community that you care about the environment and their welfare. This will also, in turn, result in a public-relations boost that will solidify your business’s role in the community.
#4 Create Jobs and Improve Economy
Did you know that renewable energy such as hydroelectric energy or geothermal energy requires more workforce compared to fossil fuels? This means that by choosing to use renewable energy, you will be providing a greater demand that will encourage the creation of more of these jobs. And when the economy is thriving, businesses will benefit as well.
#5 New Marketing Approaches
If you are looking for better ways to attract clients and customers, you should give renewable energy sources a chance. Most people in the market these days, especially the Millennials, are being more conscious of their purchasing choices. With issues like climate change and global warming on the rise, many are seeing the appeal of purchasing from green and sustainable companies. Thus, by switching to renewable, you’ll have a wider scope of audience.
Switch to Renewable Energy
Looking at all the business benefits of renewable energy that was mentioned, now might be the time for you to switch to renewable energy sources. There are a lot more advantages to transitioning to renewables than drawbacks. As a business, you will be choosing a cost-effective solution and promoting a cleaner, healthier environment for future generations.
For easier switching, get our help at EnergyBillKill. By opening an account with us, or downloading our app ( available for Android and iOS users), you will have access to our different energy suppliers and getting their prices and rates in a matter of minutes. Through our comparison tool, you’ll know which energy companies with renewable sources will be suitable for you.