A report appeared in the International Journal of Technology Marketing, indicates that the UK is trailing after the other European countries in use of renewable energy sources for the generation of electricity. It also indicates that the entry of a few important companies in geothermal, solar and wind sectors in international markets may possibly stave off the risks related with unpredictable government policies and financial supports.
According to Ted Sarmiento of the UK-located Leeds Metropolitan University, and Frank Muehlmann VEND Consulting and Alexander Brem of Erlangen-Nuremberg-located Friedrich-Alexander University, who worked along with Ted, the UK as a country is at a vital stage in the growth of its renewable energy. Some of the natural and renewable energy sources such as geothermal, bio-energy, hydroelectric, wave, wind and solar are the available choices that will enable the country to circumvent the climate impact issues related to burning of fossil fuel or the perceived impacts in the use of nuclear energy. The report suggests that drafting of the needed energy policies and market growth will enable the UK to minimize rise of energy prices to assist the industry as well as normal consumers, to achieve its fixed targets on climate change and to promise energy security.
The energy proposals of the European Commission published in 2008, insists that the UK realizes 15% of its energy use from renewable energy sources by the year 2020, while the country has fixed its goal to achieve 20% during the period. Though, a reasonably rapid growth has been seen in the renewable energy sector, most of those who are engaged in the sector believe that the country will fail to achieve its promised targets by the year 2020 without making key changes in its energy strategy. According to the report, though its study has found wind power as a viable option for the renewable power generation in the UK through its interactions with companies and the market, the existing government policies are found to be not conducive for growth in the wind power segment.
According to the report, the demand for energy is increasing globally, which was around 1 TW at the start of the 20th century has increased to the present level of 11 TW and is anticipated to reach the level of 28 TW by the year 2050. The three fold increase in population is cited as the main reason along with the industrialization processes that have taken place in countries such as South America, India and China and growth in the usage of consumer electronic goods. Though the statistics collected by the researchers predicts a dynamic growth in geothermal, solar and wind energy segments, it anticipates a slackening in bio-energy and hydroelectric power generation due to various issues related to their power generation.