10% of the UK’s energy could come from underwater sea turbines.
Recently, an energy crisis has swept across Europe, hitting homes in the UK with rising energy bills. A heavy reliance on fossil fuels has resulted in the UK being still far away from net-zero targets. However, what if underwater sea turbines were the solution?
A tenth of the UK’s power could be provided by these turbines according to a renewable energy expert. Tides offer the ability to forecast hundreds of years into the future, crucially providing predictable energy production levels. With turbulent rises in prices, this could be an ideal solution.
What Are Underwater Sea Turbines?
Looking and working very similar to windmills, underwater turbines are installed onto the ocean floor. When underwater currents are produced, the blades are spun around from tides. The turbines are attached to gearboxes which are attached to generators that produce energy.
This electricity is then carried from the ocean to land by huge cables. It will then be sent to an electrical grid, then distributed to all different sources.
How Can They Help The UK?
The UK is in a perfect location to get the most from tidal technology. Almost half of Europe’s tidal stream resource is located on UK waters. When the nation is fighting to become net-zero, it is another technology to take advantage of, along with solar, wind and other renewable sources.
Along with producing green energy to help the planet, it could become a cost-effective method of creating power, reducing bills for customers as well as creating more jobs if there are significant investments.
According to experts, tidal energy could be cheaper than both fossil fuels and nuclear power. There is potential to create an emerging sector, with 80 per cent of components made in the UK, leading to a significant rise in jobs.
What Is The Potential For The UK?
Tidal generators must be located by where people live, otherwise, costs can sharply rise. However, areas around Scotland and the UK are perfect for capturing clean, renewable tidal energy.
Fossil fuels have led to price rises in the UK, however, now may be a good time to see how much energy you use. You can try this electricity usage calculator to see the amount of energy you are using, as well as if you can save money.
Currently, off the coast of Invergordon, Scotland, the world’s biggest tidal energy generator is being placed. This one generator is capable of generating enough electricity to power more than 1,000 homes.
Another example is the MeyGen project. This project is the largest planned tidal stream project in the world, located between Scotland’s northernmost coast and the uninhabited island of Stroma.
Some of the UK’s fasted flowing waters is here due to a natural channel located from the island with the mainland. This creates a sharp acceleration to the millions of tonnes of water flowing between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean every day.
The MeyGen project is in its early stages, however, the first phase alone could generate enough electricity to supply 2,600 homes. There is plenty of potential for green energy, it is now up to the UK to take full advantage.
UK’s peak electricity demand could be cut by 10% with flexible energy tech in homes.
Findings from the largest study to date found homes using energy flexibility technologies could lower electricity demand by 10%. If the technologies are installed at scale, this could be a huge stepping stone for the UK and the race to net-zero.
As part of the Crowdflex study, 25,000 households were investigated over six months to see if technology could reduce or increase electricity demand. Households used various technologies such as Electric vehicle (EV) chargers and smart meters with notifications.
Along with the tech, homes were put on time-of-use tariffs. Rather than flat tariffs, these smart tariffs take into account the fluctuating energy prices and demand.
Homes were also given information about peak times, seeing a 15-17% decrease in the electricity demand during the evening peak (4 pm to 7 pm). For homes with an EV charger, the changes were even higher with an average drop of 23%.
Other initiatives included the “Big Turn Up” and “Big Turn Down”. Homes in the UK study were asked to sign up for the projects which then rewarded those who changed their electricity demand over a specified two-hour period.
The “Big Turn Down” initiative resulted in homes with EVs seeing a 59% drop in peak electricity demand as well as a 41% decrease for homes without EVs.
Who Led The Research?
The cost for the study was £460,000, split between the following companies:
Octopus Energy
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Distribution (SSEN)
National Gris ESO
Ohme
The data collected concluded that a national-scale adoption of time-of-use tariffs and related incentives and communications could see peak demand lowered but up to 10%.
With EV charging added to the mix, the forecast used is 38% of homes having EVs, with over 50% of homes participating in turning up and turning down demand.
However, there is a less optimistic prediction where only 14% of UK homes have an EV charger with an even lower 10% participating in the turning up and down initiatives. Unfortunately, in this situation, we would only see a 1% reduction in peak demand.
Furthermore, this study didn’t accept vehicle-to-grid technologies, as well as home solar or batteries. With several meetings set to take place between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, there has never been a more critical time to act.
With energy prices rising by up to more than £700 this year, UK homes are seeing the results of the increasing cost of imported gas.
More energy suppliers are looking to use renewable fuel sources and try to meet their green goals. This list of energy suppliers can help to show you which ones are green efficient, as well as which ones will bring you the best deal.
Green groups and MPs have been calling for the UK government to take action and improve energy efficiency in homes.
Will The Energy Price Cap Increase Due To Russia’s Invasion Of Ukraine?
As a result of the current war raging in Europe, energy prices may well rise. This means that the energy price cap may well rise to over £3,000 in October due to rising wholesale gas prices.
Currently, fears of supply shortages have meant that prices have once again risen. Customers are now facing an even higher price cap in October that could be devastating for UK households with elevated fuel poverty.
In April, the price cap level was announced at a record £1,971. Now, fresh forecasts are stating that this level could rocket to more than £3,000. The recent soar was due to surging global demand following the end of coronavirus restrictions,
However, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, for the first time since 2014, oil prices have topped $100 per barrel. Russia is the world’s largest exporter of natural gas, so prices are expected to stay at these levels for the foreseeable future.
With price cap warnings and soaring energy bills, many households have been hit hard recently. However, UK homes can search here to find the cheapest energy deals on the market.
Experts are concerned that Russia could cut off supply to Europe as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. If this is the case, worldwide wholesale prices would soar. Even though the UK only receives a small amount of its gas from Russia directly, prices would still soar.
The UK government are planning to combat price rises. Thousands of homes in the UK are set to benefit from a new government scheme. A £67 million investment to install insulation and clean heating will see a reduction of up to £200 a year in energy bills.
The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) scheme, will give local authorities access to financial support for low-income, off-gas grid households that are reliant on oil and bottled gas to heat their homes.
Meanwhile, many homes will still be left in a crisis, even with the £200 reduction in bills. £21 billion has been issued in support by the UK government for new measures such as:
- providing for the cost of living
- reducing the Universal Credit taper rate
- raising the National Living Wage
- freezing alcohol and fuel duties
- providing targeted help with energy bills
The longer the war continues, the more impact it will have on energy bills across Europe. Ofgem’s energy price cap will depend heavily on Russia’s steps and what the nation decides to do. It is out of our control.
In recent days, The European Union have stated that as soon as possible, they would like Ukraine’s electricity grid to be synchronised with the European network, making the nation more independent from Russia. Russia would therefore no longer have control over technical aspects of Ukraine’s network such as grid frequency.