Thread by @MetroUK

As we're all well-aware, climate change is a dense, controversial topic.

But as part of our #Just1Change campaign ahead of the #Cop26, we're here to help break it down into something simple, readable and digestible.

And today, we're talking renewable energy 🌳

🧵👇

Renewable energy, simply put, is naturally-occurring forms of energy that we can use to power our lifestyle in a way that doesn’t include harmful side-effects ♻

In 2019, renewable energy accounted for around 11% of worldwide energy production.

But In our efforts to get to net zero, that percentage needs to increase dramatically.

(Psst, you can read more about net zero in yesterday's #Just1Change thread right here 👇)

The good news is there are several different types of renewable energy that humans can use to keep our towns and cities powered.

Let’s take a look at them 👇

☀️ Solar power

The most abundant, obvious source of renewable energy.

The amount of solar energy reaching the Earth in one hour is enough to meet the total energy requirements for the planet for an entire year.

But the tricky part comes in developing affordable technology to capture, transform and send that solar energy where it needs to go.

💨 Wind power

A great source of renewable energy but like solar, the wind doesn’t always blow at full strength so wind energy can fluctuate.

However, in the UK, we’re making strides to harness wind energy with offshore wind farms.

🌎 Geothermal power

This process harnesses the natural heat below the Earth’s surface.

As you'd expect, this power is more effective in some parts of the world than others.

While Iceland has a good supply of geothermal energy, it’s much less freely available in the UK.

🌊 Hydro power

Using the power of fast-flowing water to spin a generator’s turbine blades.

More reliable than solar or wind, but it requires a lot of investment to get up and running.

One drawback though is that it can have unintended consequences on the environment.

🌱💩 Biomass power

This process uses solid fuel created from plant materials to produce electricity.

So, rather than burning coal and oil, you burn organic materials such as wood and agricultural crops, but also human and animal waste.

So as you can see, There is more than enough renewable energy available to power the world, but the difficulty comes from two areas.

Firstly, the infrastructure needs to be put in place to use renewable over non-renewable, and that can involve plenty of political wrangling.

And secondly, the cost of using renewable energy is still higher than burning fossil fuels.

At present, nearly every energy supplier in the UK is dependent on some non-renewable energy to meet demand, even if a proportion of the energy they purchase or generate is renewable.

If you personally want to make an impact, ensure your energy tariff is with a supplier who invests in new green energy and has made a commitment to phasing out fossil fuels as soon as possible.

Which renewable energy do you think the UK government should be investing most in? 🤔

Read the full article about the renewable energy options available to us in the link below 👇

☀️💨🌊🌎🌱

trib.al/3gW3BHb