In this section, you can read more about the components that make up the UK's current energy mix, and those that could play a new and vital role in the future.
The UK currently has 19 operating reactors at ten nuclear power stations, which provide up to 18% of the electricity generated in the UK. The 2008 White Paper on Nuclear Power and the Low-Carbon Transition Plan (published in July 2009), confirmed that new nuclear power has a key role to play in the UK’s low-carbon future. Information is also available on the work DECC undertakes to tackle the international global threat created by the international nuclear, chemical and biological legacies.
Renewable energy is a vital component of the UK’s diverse energy mix. In offshore wind, we have one of the best natural resources in Europe, and the UK already leads the world in offshore wind farms. The UK is also leading the way in several developing technology areas like wave and tidal energy, where we also have the best natural resources in Europe.
Oil, gas and coal remain vital parts of the UK’s energy mix and are used extensively for electicity generation. However, if we are to avoid dangerous climate change, we need to find ways to substantially reduce the carbon dioxide emissions for these sources. Development and deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is critical to this, as it has the potential to reduce the CO2 emissions from power stations by around 90%, and make a significant contribution towards the UK and international climate change goals.
Distributed energy is the supply of low carbon or renewable electricity and heat, to customers of all scales including domestic or industrial, and is generated on or relatively near the site where it is used. It includes combined heat and power (CHP), small scale and micro hydropower, micro and small wind turbines, photovoltaics (solar PV), biomass and district heating as a means of transporting renewable or low carbon heat to multiple consumers.
Information is also available on other emerging technologies such as hydrogen and fuel cells.