Wind energy will never produce enough electricity to meet Britain’s needs so why bother?
- Back in 1997 the UN agreed to tackle climate change through the Kyoto Protocol. This required industrialised nations like Britain to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 and others) by 5% of 1990 levels by 2008-2012. The UK has agreed to meet this target, but this is only the start of what is needed.
- In the Government's recent white paper it stated its goal of a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050. This is a massive task. Getting to this target will mean a huge increase in the amount of renewable energy we use.
- The Government has already put in place laws (or legislation) to begin this process. The Renewables Obligation came into force in April 2002, obliging all electricity suppliers to find 10% of their supply from renewable technologies by 2010.
- Wind energy is set to produce 8% of electricity generation by 2010. It is by far the cheapest of the renewable energy technologies, already generating electricity at prices that are well below those for coal and nuclear.
