Sustainable Development

Energy - Renewables

We’ve described non-renewable energy, that is, derived from fossil fuels.

Energy that is generated using power already present in such abundant and never-ending quantities is defined as being renewable, and is not going to run out. Examples being – wind, wave, hydro, thermal and solar.

Whilst the UK goal is to generate 10% of electricity from renewables by 2010, Scotland already produces approximately 11% of electricity through hydro schemes.

Examples of renewable energy are:

Wind turbines rely on wind (generally above 7m/s) to turn their rotors to generate electricity. Wind farms raise emotive issues. Concerns have been raised about noise from the rotors as they turn, and also some believe that their presence detracts from the beauty of an area, due to the requirement for the turbines and farms to be situated away from towns. Arguments for wind farms state that noise is negligible and that the farms do not significantly detract from the natural beauty of a countryside area.
For more information: Windpower.

Energy - Wind

Solar panels. There are 2 kinds of solar panels. Ones that heats water for the use in the home are the most common type (as shown in the photo below). The other type, photovoltaics panels (PV's), convert daylight into electricity using semi-conductor cells. See the second photograph below of PV panels being installed at Braden Road in Troon.

Energy - Solar

Energy - Solar - Braden Road, Troon
PV Solar Panels - Braden Road, Troon

Water turbines such as those seen in large and small scale hydro schemes generate electricity. Cruachan power station in Argyll has the capacity to generate 400 Megawatts of electricity from their hydro scheme.

Wood fuel is also renewable, the wood being self replenishing if trees are planted to replace those cut down and used to fuel wood-burning stoves, or community heating schemes.

Energy - Wood

South Ayrshire Council has several renewables projects using government funding initiatives:

Bradan Road is a sheltered housing unit in Troon, South Ayrshire. Funding was received from the DTI (amounting to approximately 80% of the total cost) to install PV panels onto the roofs of the housing, which consists of 32 flats, in eight blocks of four flats each. The contractor completed the project in December 2002 (www.sundog-energy.co.uk), and should result in a saving of around £50 per year for each tenant.

Girvan Academy has a 450 watt, wall mounted PV system, which was installed in 2000 with DTI funding, is used as a teaching aid to educate and give pupils experience of working with a renewable technology.