Shrinking the Footprint - Generate your own renewable energy

Generate your own renewable energy

Renewable energy is derived from inexhaustible sources such as wind, the sun, sea, or replaceable sources such as waste products and crops. Using sources of renewable energy should be viewed as a long-term method to tackle climate change but will play an increasingly important part in helping reduce carbon emissions by 2050. As with offsetting, it is important to address all energy saving measures first, before considering renewable energy generation.

small wind turbine Renewable energy is no less reliable than energy generated from more traditional sources and using it does not mean that you have to change your lifestyle or your appliances. Using renewable energy can be as simple as using the sun for drying clothes or can mean taking advantage of more sophisticated renewable technologies, such as photovoltaic (PV) cell systems, which use the sun's heat and light to generate energy, wind turbines or ground source heat pumps which extract energy from underground. Information on the range of technologies available in the UK, the benefits of renewable energy and the availability of grant aid may be found in the renewable energy section of the Energy Saving Trust website (www.est.org.uk).

A point to note is that current micro-generation technology is still relatively new and can be expensive even when grant aid is available. A recent report from the Energy Saving Trust indicated for example that domestic-scale photovoltaic (PV) cells are unlikely to produce equivalent cost energy before 2030, even taking grant aid and possible sales of surplus energy to the national grid into account. In short, where there is a limited "green budget" there may be more cost efficient ways to reduce carbon emissions.

This does not mean that these technologies should be ignored. A wind turbine in a churchyard or PV cell installation on a church roof can make an iconic statement and be a visible symbol of the Church’s commitment to adapting to climate change. In certain circumstances, other renewable technologies can make good financial as well as environmental sense, but each case needs to be considered on its own merits with the benefit of professional advice.

		Search the site: HOME Creating the 40% Church The StF Path Become energy efficient Switch to green energy Generate your own renewable energy Offset carbon emissions Cutting the Carbon Measuring our Footprint Climate change - what's it all about? Church of England Environmental Statements Links & Resources Press Releases Contact Us
Generate your own renewable energy Renewable energy is derived from inexhaustible sources such as wind, the sun, sea, or replaceable sources such as waste products and crops. Using sources of renewable energy should be viewed as a long-term method to tackle climate change but will play an increasingly important part in helping reduce carbon emissions by 2050. As with offsetting, it is important to address all energy saving measures first, before considering renewable energy generation. Renewable energy is no less reliable than energy generated from more traditional sources and using it does not mean that you have to change your lifestyle or your appliances. Using renewable energy can be as simple as using the sun for drying clothes or can mean taking advantage of more sophisticated renewable technologies, such as photovoltaic (PV) cell systems, which use the sun's heat and light to generate energy, wind turbines or ground source heat pumps which extract energy from underground. Information on the range of technologies available in the UK, the benefits of renewable energy and the availability of grant aid may be found in the renewable energy section of the Energy Saving Trust website (www.est.org.uk). A point to note is that current micro-generation technology is still relatively new and can be expensive even when grant aid is available. A recent report from the Energy Saving Trust indicated for example that domestic-scale photovoltaic (PV) cells are unlikely to produce equivalent cost energy before 2030, even taking grant aid and possible sales of surplus energy to the national grid into account. In short, where there is a limited "green budget" there may be more cost efficient ways to reduce carbon emissions. This does not mean that these technologies should be ignored. A wind turbine in a churchyard or PV cell installation on a church roof can make an iconic statement and be a visible symbol of the Church’s commitment to adapting to climate change. In certain circumstances, other renewable technologies can make good financial as well as environmental sense, but each case needs to be considered on its own merits with the benefit of professional advice.