Types of green electricity

Today almost two thirds of all of the energy supplied to the UK comes from climate-damaging, and finite, sources such as coal and gas burning, while the remaining third comes from nuclear power. Nuclear power is much-criticized for its inefficiency and toxic waste products. In a world whose climate is changing for the worse, the search has already begun for cleaner, more reliable and sustainable energy sources. So what other choices do we have?

Wind power - The next time you curse that blustering wind that's blown your brolly inside out, don't! That wind is a valuable energy resource, both clean and renewable. Wind energy is one of the world's fastest growing energy industries as it is relatively easy to harness wind power and turn it into electricity with the aid of turbines. Improvements to wind power technology means that turbines now operate more efficiently, and more quietly than ever.

Solar power - Already in use around many of the rural areas of the UK, solar power is a fantastic energy source. Not only is it clean and renewable, but it enables these rural areas to be powered with electricity without the need for electric cables and power lines. Solar power can be converted directly into electricity using semiconductors, or it can be used to directly heat water, using collectors.

Hydro power - Hydro power is nothing new and has been used to provide electricity for more than a century now. Although all of the major hydro systems that could be developed within the UK have been developed within the UK, there is still the potential for smaller scale schemes, to provide energy to localised areas. These can be in the form of small river dams, or by simply harnessing the 'run of the river' power of some rivers, all providing good clean electricity.

Wave power - The UK, with its many surfing beaches, is famed for the strength of its waves, and it's lucky for us that this wave power can now be transformed into usable energy. Harnessing this huge energy source requires some clever engineering, and new designs are being worked on every day to help us really make the most of this wonderful natural UK resource.

Tidal power - The great thing bout tidal power is its reliability. There's no need to pray for sunny, or windy weather, as the tides come and go like clockwork. There are two ways to harness this power, one is to store water behind a barrage built across an estuary as the tide rises, releasing this water though turbines as the tide drops. The other is to use specially designed marine turbines which act as wind turbines, only underwater.

Geothermal - Far far below us are geothermal rocks - the kinds of rocks that produce enough heat to blast giant bursts of steam out through the earth's surface into the air. By capturing the steam thrown out by these geothermal rocks, steam turbines can be worked to directly produce electricity turbines to produce electricity.

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