It’s time to switch on to renewable energy

Fossil fuels are fast running out, and we all have a part to play in the transition to a greener energy system

Traditional energy resources are running out. Fact. Renewable energy sources are widely seen as one of the solutions to fossil fuel depletion, and a smart energy system will play a key role in harnessing their full potential.

Put simply, a smart grid is a digitalised network which will enable a smoother transition to a low-carbon economy, helping Britain to meet its carbon reduction targets. It is a modern way of running our energy networks and will help us get the most from variable power sources like wind and solar.

Smart meters, currently being offered by energy suppliers to households across Great Britain at no extra cost, are a crucial step to a smart energy grid.

Not only do they offer individual benefits to customers, such as accurate bills, but they will also help the smart grid to solve lots of our energy problems, including better matching supply and demand.

The 20th century was the age of fossil fuels where we embraced petroleum and saw substantial social and infrastructure changes. Cart tracks and lanes gave way to roads and motorways. Out-of-town supermarkets and industrial parks later sprang into being, cementing our reliance upon the car.

It’s now accepted that in order to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, we need to look to the next generation of power. This is renewable energy which is mainly generated from wind, or solar and geothermal sources, the first two being the fastest-growing in the suite of alternative energy sources.

The reality is that these sources of renewable energy can often be located at remote sites, such as the North Sea or Irish Sea for wind farms, and when we need to get the power to London, Liverpool or Livingston, for instance, there needs to be a smart energy infrastructure in place to power the country when and where it needs it.

With these sources contributing increasing amounts of power to the national grid, integrating them into the grid operations is posing increasing challenges.

By storing energy, grid operators will be able to reduce strain on the system when production of wind and solar power dips. Crucially, it will allow them to store excess power from renewable sources until it is needed. That’s why it is called a smart grid: it adapts according to the needs of the British public and the availability of power at the time of demand.

The beauty of being able to store energy is that the smart grid will be capable of smoothing out the variability of supply to ensure a consistent and reliable energy source to your home when you need it.

Smoothing supply

And there’s another benefit to having a smart grid. Studies have shown that taking supply from different locations also smooths out fluctuations in wind power. So if a wind farm off the west coast of Scotland is in the middle of a strong breeze while those off the south coast are in a sea like a mill pond (or vice versa), the grid balances the two.

Smart thinking

A recent report from Smart Energy GB shows that smart meters have become

“an important motivator when it comes to behaviour change and reducing energy waste”, with eight out of ten smart meter owners taking steps to reduce energy use (81 per cent), and two thirds (67 per cent) of people with smart meters saying they feel more conscious of their energy use. Seven out of ten smart meter owners (71 per cent) would recommend them to others.

Consumers are increasingly recognising the environmental benefits of switching to smart meters, which represent an essential step on the journey to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.

Smart Energy GB is the government backed organisation tasked with informing Great Britain about the benefits of the smart meter rollout.