Short answer: very! But as with all things it's a bit more complicated. Switching to renewable energy is one of the best ways to do your bit for climate change.
But what makes renewable energy so green?
Quick links:
- What is renewable energy?
- What is non-renewable energy?
- What is a carbon footprint?
- Why is renewable energy better for the planet?
- Does renewable energy produce any carbon emissions?
What is renewable energy?
Renewable
energy is energy that comes from a source that never runs out.
All renewable energy sources are natural, self-replenishing with a low carbon footprint. Take wind power as an example; wind can never run out, and we don't need to do anything to get more of it, making it renewable.
Which energy comes from renewable resources?
Wind power
There are two main wind energy sources : Onshore and offshore.
- Onshore wind comes from wind farms built on land, and offshore farms are built out at sea.
- Offshore wind generates more power than onshore options, but is trickier and more expensive to build because...it's in the sea.
You can see wind turbine farms all over the UK, and it now powers around 29.4% of our energy supply!
Solar power
In one hour, the amount of solar energy that reaches the earth’s surface is more than the whole planet could use in a whole year. But the amount of solar energy available can vary, depending on:
- Time of day
- Different seasons in the year (it's not as effective in cloudy weather)
- Location
There are more and more solar panels across the UK as installing them at home becomes more popular. As of June 2024 1.39 million homes have installed panels for solar power to help cut their energy costs, get more green electricity and cut their carbon footprint.
Hydroelectric power
One of the oldest renewable energy sources, hydroelectric power uses the natural flow of moving water to generate electricity. It's created by building a dam, barrier or even a large reservoir, which spins a turbine and generates electricity. It's really just a very high tech water mill.
Tidal power
Tidal energy is another form of hydroelectric energy that uses the movement and power of the tides to generate electricity. Tidal power comes from from the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun, which causes the rise and fall of ocean levels. This movement spins a generator, just like other hydroelectric power types.
A recent study ranked the UK 5th globally for technological advancements in tidal energy.
Bioenergy
This renewable energy source comes from from burning organic matter such as wood, plants, manure or household waste. This method does produce carbon dioxide (CO2), but much less than burning fossil fuels. New methods are being worked on to make bioenergy cleaner and more efficient.
What is non-renewable energy?
Non-renewable energy is from sources that will eventually run out and can’t be replenished in our lifetimes.
Most non-renewables are fossil fuels: coal, oil and gas. Carbon is the main element in these fuels and burning them creates energy, but also releases the carbon which is bad for the environment.
When fossil fuels burn they release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, preventing heat from leaving the planet and ultimately contributing to global warming.
What are non-renewable energy resources?
Fossil fuels, derived from fossilised plants and animals in Earth's crust, contain carbon and hydrogen which are released for energy when they're burned.
Coal power
Coal is still sometimes used for heating homes with an open fire, but is usually used for generating electricity in power plants. The coal is burned to heat water and produce steam, which spins a turbine to produce electricity. It's also used in manufacturing iron and cement.
Oil power
Oil gives us 97% of the fuel used transportation such as jet fuel, petrol and diesel for cars and machinery. It's also used to heat buildings and generate electricity via burning, like coal.
Gas power
Gas heats homes and businesses. 84% of the UK uses gas to meet its heating needs, which means a huge proportion of our energy use is currently non-renewable.
Like other fossil fuels, gas is burned to produce heat creating steam that drives a turbine, generating electricity, which accounts for about 40% of the UK's electricity supply. It's also used for cooking for gas hobs and ovens.
What is a carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is a way to measure total greenhouse gas emissions produced directly or indirectly by a person, organisation, event, or product. It's usually talked about in tons of carbon dioxide (CO2e).
A carbon footprint takes into account emissions from energy production, transportation, manufacturing processes, and using or consuming the service or product.
All energy generation methods have a carbon footprint, so renewable energy still products carbon. BUT, renewable energy sources generally have a significantly lower carbon footprint than fossil fuels, producing up to 69 times LESS carbon than fossil fuels.
Where does the term carbon footprint come from?
'Carbon footprint' was popularised by a PR firm working for British Petroleum (BP), as a way to encourage people to think of climate change as the product of individual actions, rather than inaction by governments or corporations.
This is, at best, a cynical move. There's not much a the average person can do if they're not given green options.
So...we shouldn't care about carbon footprints?
That's up to you BUT, there's no denying that individual actions do make an impact, if enough people make the change.
However you might feel about its origins, 'carbon footprint' has become the default way to refer to these habits and lifestyle choices.
It's true that one person usually won't make much difference (unless they're a big fan of their private jet) BUT if these habits are replicated by millions of people, they make a big impact. Cutting down on meat or dairy consumption is a good example.
Greta Thunberg campaigns relentlessly for governments and corporations to do their bit, but she also chooses not to eat meat, travel by plane, and many other habits. The more normalised these things become, the fewer people will choose the carbon-heavy option, which will make a difference.
What we're saying is, you don't need to abandon all environmental considerations just because you're not a large multinational corporation.
Why is renewable energy better for the planet?
Because there's more than enough to go around!
Renewable energy can never run out. It's an unlimited energy source. These energy sources also produce little to no harmful emissions compared to fossil fuels.
Using clean, renewable energy is a super important part of a global plan to reduce global warming. That's why governments worldwide, including the new UK government, say they're looking into developing more renewable sources.
How renewable is the energy in the UK?
Some good news is that renewable energy sources in the UK are growing!
By 2050, the UK aims to reach net zero. Net zero is the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) that's produced and the amount that's removed from the atmosphere.
The aim is to achieve this by emission reduction and emission removal. That's why the UK is focusing on more renewable energy production.
A big part of getting to net zero is to transition all of our electricity supply to 100% zero-carbon generation which will come from renewable sources of energy.
What percentage of UK energy is renewable?
As of July 2024, 41.8% of the UK energy mix was from renewables.
- Wind 30%
- Biomass 6%
- Solar 4.5%
- Hydro 1.3%.
That's a huge growth in 10 years, from 10.7% in 2014!
Renewables met 48% of the UK’s electricity needs in the first quarter of 2023 – which is impressive when you consider that 13 years ago they accounted for just 7%.
Can we keep up with the demand for renewable energy?
More renewable energy is being generated, but so is global energy demand.
Even though we're producing more clean energy, we're using more energy overall, so fossil fuel use is also still required. Renewables can't do it alone.
Being more renewable in future is an amazing goal, but almost everyone can make changes to reduce their energy consumption now!
The greenest energy is the energy you don't use.
If you’re curious about some easy steps you can take to make a positive impact, check out our blog on 11 simple ways to save energy. You'll find plenty of helpful tips!
How much of the UK's energy comes from fossil fuels?
The most common way we heat our homes is from central heating. This is fuelled by mains gas, oil or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) of July 2024, 27.6% of the UK energy mix was from fossil fuels.
According to 2022 data, 78.4% of our primary energy comes from fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas.
Here's a breakdown of the electricity generated in the UK in 2022:
- 40.8% came from fossil fuels
- 56.2% from low-carbon sources, including 41.5% from renewables and 14.7% from nuclear
How renewable is energy from One Utility Bill?
One Utility Bill is partnered with Rebel Energy and Octopus Energy who are the energy suppliers for our customers.
We chose these suppliers because of their renewable energy offer, and the hard work they both do to make the UK's energy network greener for everybody over time.
What about your Unlimited Energy service?
Yes, even if you have our Unlimited Energy option, your electricity is renewable! Our Unlimited Renewable Energy services are just like your mobile contract. Use as much as you need and you'll pay the same every month.
- Pay a fixed-price energy bill every month and use all the gas and renewable electricity you need.
- No usage limits, so no big bills at the end of your contract.
- Choose a predictable fixed tariff or a flexible rolling tariff.
Rebel Energy
Rebel Energy's vision is to empower our customers to generate their energy, promoting a model that is local, regenerative, and community-led. However, Rebel Energy has recently decided against using Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs).
Instead, they are focusing on the environmental damage caused by the energy industry and are helping those in poverty by reducing their energy consumption.
Octopus Energy
OOctopus Energy Generation manages around 4GW of rewneable electricity in 10 countries, and is one of Europe's largest investors in renewable power, managing ~4GW of renewable electricity over 240 large-scale green energy projects spanning 10 countries.
By 2030, Octopus Energy Generation is targeting 20 GW of European green generation projects, enough power for 15 million homes.
- They operate £6 billion worth of renewable generation
- They buy from 700 UK green energy producers
- Octopus pay over 100,000 Brits for their home solar panels
- They offset 1 million tonnes of CO2 from our Super Green customers' gas!
You can find more about how Octopus Energy uses green power here.
At One Utility Bill renewable energy is always the default option. Very rarely, you might need to stay with the existing supplier, who may not offer green energy.
How many carbon emissions does renewable energy produce?
Renewable energy is generated from infinite sources of energy that can reduce the effects of global warming by limiting global greenhouse gas emissions. But not all renewable energy has the same carbon footprint.
Let's take a look at how much CO2 renewable energy uses compared to fossil fuels:
A day of energy use in the typical home releases this much CO2, according to CO2everything.com!
Fossil fuels
- Coal energy - 25kg CO2
- Natural gas energy - 15kg CO2
Renewable and green energy
- Solar energy - 1.44kg CO2
- Geothermal energy - 1.14kg CO2
- Nuclear energy - 0.36kg CO2
- Solar energy - 0.36kg CO2
While renewable energy does generate some carbon emissions, the levels are so much lower compared to fossil fuels.
How can I be more green?
Check out our blogs for small ways you can help the planet and save energy:
- 11 ways to save energy
- Debunk some energy efficiency myths
- Save energy with short shower power
- How to keep the heat in and save energy in winter
- Fix your energy bills with unlimited renewable energy