Energy production in Britain and its impact on environment and health - Essay Example

Energy Production in Britain and Its Impact on Environment and Health Energy is one of the most essential needs of human beings. Today, it is used to light up our houses, cook and preserve food, transport people and goods, and many other works. Energy consumption is increasing day by day and is different in developed, developing and underdeveloped nations. In the UK, as in the rest of the industrialised world, an enormous amount of energy is used. The Department of Trade and Industry estimated that final energy consumption by different sector in UK include 36 per cent of energy by transportation sector, 30 per cent by domestic sector, 21 per cent by the industry and 13 per cent by others (Waste online, 2004). The increasing use of energy is not only putting pressure on the economies but also have an irreversible impact on health and the environment. The current modes of energy production are a major source for emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere which is a direct cause of the enhanced greenhouse effect that is responsible for global climate change. In the UK about 70% of industrial emissions of SO2 are due to power industry (CMEAP 1997). Besides, it is estimated that the amounts of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides emitted by power industry are also large (Strupczewski, N.D.). There are various methods of energy production available in UK for the generation of electricity. About 38 per cent comes from gas, followed by coal (32%), nuclear energy (21%), renewable sources (4%) and oils and others (3%) (Waste online, 2004). While non renewable sources of energy such as coal and nuclear form a major source, these are also the sources of environmental contamination. It is necessary to reduce the amount of energy consumption from fossil fuels. Fossil fuel is a non-renewable energy source, which include oil, coal, and natural gas. These fuels exploit the energy stored within the buried remains of biomass that requires millions of years to form. The advantages of using fossil fuels to generate energy are that it is convenient and low-cost relative to other sources. However, there are several problems associated with its use. Its extraction process causes environmental problems including noise, dust, and groundwater pollution. Its usage releases greenhouse gases and other harmful particulates into the atmosphere causing enhanced global warming and acid rain. These are a finite source of energy that will eventually run out and the cost of retrieving them will increase significantly, making this form of energy production more expensive than others. Recent estimates say that in 2006 gas provided 39% of electricity in UK. In 1990 this figure was only 1% and it is predicted to grow further. Gas is also used to heat approximately 70% of homes. One-third of the UK's electricity is produced by coal-fired stations. This figure has come down from two-thirds in 1990. Besides, decisions have been made that one third of existing stations will close by 2015 to comply with European law restricting emissions of sulphur dioxide (Waste online, 2004). Nuclear power is another source of energy for UK. It is generated from the fission of uranium, plutonium or thorium, or by the fusion of hydrogen into helium. The nuclear fission generates heat, which is used to heat water to produce steam. The steam drives turbines which turn generators to produce electricity. The best part of using this fuel is that it releases very low greenhouse gas, the energy generated is very low-cost compared to other sources, and the process is generally clean in relation to fossil fuel use. Though this is a much cleaner fuel than fossil fuels, the risk of using this is that of accidents. An accident at a nuclear power station could result in the release of enormous amounts of highly radioactive material into the atmosphere. Besides nuclear waste can stay dangerously radioactive for thousands of years, and there is still no solution for dealing with it safely. There is also a risk of proliferation of nuclear material. Nuclear waste can be used to make nuclear weapons. Renewable energy is, as its name suggests, energy that is constantly renewed and will never run out. The main advantage associated with using renewable energy is the lack of greenhouse gas emissions and other airborne pollutants. Once renewable energy plants are built the electricity generated is free. The main problem with renewable energy sources is that they cannot generally be relied upon as a continuous source of energy, for example tidal and solar energy are only available at certain times. Renewable energy provides a small (4.2%) but growing proportion of electricity (Postnote, 2007). Winds are driven by the heat of the Sun. The potential for exploiting the energy stored in the winds was recognised hundreds of years ago. Windmills have been used for centuries for grinding grain or for pumping water. Nowadays, energy from the wind is harnessed via wind turbines. It is claimed that a wind turbine used for electricity generation will repay the energy used in its manufacture within 6-9 months of its operation. The UK has the larges wind resource in the whole of Europe. Opponents of wind farms claim the turbines are noisy, unsightly, and a danger to wildlife. It is claimed that to provide the UK with a significant proportion of its energy requirements, large areas of the countryside would need to be covered by wind farms. There are several methods of capturing energy directly from the Sun. These are known as passive solar, solar thermal energy, and photovoltaics (solar electricity). Photovoltaics (pv's) are the most common type of solar energy generation. Solar Thermal uses the heat from the Sun to heat water. The heated water can be used for cooking, bathing, heating, or even for generating electricity. Solar Thermal uses mechanical devices such as pumps or fans to distribute the energy where it is required, and it is this that distinguishes it from passive solar systems. These systems are used to generate electricity, but unlike photovoltaics, which use the Suns light, they use the Suns heat. The advantage with this source is that it is simple and can be very cheap to introduce, especially passive systems. Most systems make no noise at all. Solar power has limited use in regions at higher latitudes such as the UK, and can also be affected by factors such as cloud cover or seasonal variation in solar radiation. Tidal energy works using the power from changing tides, and the changing tides are driven by the gravitational pull of the Earth, Moon, and Sun combined with the revolution of the Earth. There is an enormous amount of energy contained in the tides, dams would protect large areas of the coast from high storm tides, and that tides are totally predictable. Tidal energy dams would have enormous impacts on ecosystems. Tidal energy systems are also very expensive to build. Biomass is a collective term for all material derived from plants or animals, different forms of biomass can be burned in order to produce energy; it is extremely versatile and can be used to produce heat directly, or to generate electricity, or both. Examples of biomass that can be burned to produce energy include straw, wood, poultry litter, and food waste. Although burning biomass releases carbon dioxide, the most common greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere, the amount released never exceeds the amount that is initially absorbed from the atmosphere by the material. There are many natural waste by-products produced by our lifestyles, and it makes sense to use them whenever possible. Biomass fuel is carbon neutral, and has a tendency to be very low-cost compared to other fuels. Using biomass lessens the demand for the Earths' resources. However it releases greenhouse gases and particulates through burning, and some materials are not available all year round. In addition, collecting biomass materials in sufficient quantities may prove difficult (Waste online, 2004). The major challenges faced by UK as a result of energy usage are the environmental impacts. As a result of release of greenhouse gases climate change is already happening and its impacts could, in the longer term, be substantial. This may result in hunger, water stress and flooding. Besides it is bound to have irreversible losses of biodiversity. In the UK, carbon dioxide emissions fell 5 per cent between 1990 and 2005 despite a 43 per cent increase in GDP (dti, 2006). "Most of the UK's electricity was generated by gas, coal and nuclear stations. Thirty large (>1GW) power stations meet the majority of electricity demand, which is 40GW at a typical point in time and 60GW at peak. The contribution from coal and nuclear plants will fall as stations close, leaving a 'gap' of 15GW by 2015. This will be filled in the short-term by new gas and wind generation" (Postnote, 2007). UK government's needs to look at solar rather than nuclear energy while planning for the future energy production. It is estimated that the UK currently generates 12 gigawatts of electricity from nuclear power stations, around one sixth of the country's total electricity output. The same amount of electricity Germany is predicted to generate through photovoltaics by 2012 if it continues to expand its solar energy programme at its present rate. According to researchers the UK, which has a similar sunshine profile to Germany, could produce 12 gigawatts of solar electricity by 2023 if production is expanded by 40% per year, less than the world increase of 57% in 2004 (SpaceDaily, 2006). In conclusion, UK's energy requirement will increase as in rest of the world. It is essential to use the renewable sources rather than the non-renewable sources for energy production. Governments need to work out strategies to cut down greenhouse gases and reduce the environmental impacts produced by it. Ozone depletion as a result of greenhouse gases needs to be stopped. Further depletion may result in serious implications for life on planet earth. Priority need to be given to the renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy which is in abundance. References CMEAP (1997). Handbook on air pollution and health. Department of Health, Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants, London: The Stationery Office. dti, (2006) Energy - its impact on the environment and society. [Online] July 2006. Department of Trade and Industry. Available from: [Accessed: 3 March 2007] Postnote, (2007) Electricity in the UK. [Online] Electricity Infrastructure. February 2007 Number 280. The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, Available from: [Accessed: 4 March 2007] SpaceDaily, (2006) Think Solar Not Nuclear For The Energy of The Future, [Online] London UK (SPX) Mar 02, 2006, Available from: [Accessed: 3 March 2007] Strupczewski, A. (N.D.) Environmental and Health Impacts of Energy Sources. [Online] Institute of Atomic Energy, Swierk, Poland, Available from: [Accessed: 3 March 2007] Waste online, (2004) The energy problem - information sheet. [Online] Waste Watch, Available from: [Accessed: 3 March 2007] Read More