As the majority of the population is aware, there is no longer any reasonable doubt that the dramatic climate change the world is experiencing is down to carbon dioxide or CO2 emissions and its abundance within our environment. What you may not know however, is just how much the UK contributes to this world wide dilemma.
With only 1% of the world’s population, the UK still manages to emit 2.3% of the worlds CO2! Although this figure is an improvement on past years, (this largely being to do with the switch from coal to gas for energy), there is still a lot more that could, and should, be done.
The bulk of the change needs to be made by the people of the UK, as in 2004, the average household emitted around 6 tonnes of CO2; which is the equivalent to 34 double-decker buses! This is due to the burning of fossil fuels in the energy stations used to supply energy to our homes. Along with emitting the most CO2, such energy sources are generally hazardous and unreliable; this is why they are referred to as ‘non-renewable sources’. Some of these sources may be exhausted within the next 70 years. Although this sounds like an alarming prospect, the solution is simple – to generate energy without creating CO2.
This is achieved by harnessing our energy requirements from ‘renewable sources’, such as; hydroelectric; biomass; wind; and solar sources. Not only will this have the obvious bonus of lowering the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, but the deadly risks associated with non-renewable sources will be a thing of the past. Energy suppliers, who employ such methods, are known as ‘green energy suppliers’.
There are an increasing number of such gas and electricity suppliers that have strict ‘green electricity’ tariffs, with the main players being Good Energy, Green Energy and Ecotricity. As well as these strictly green suppliers, the more popular nPower, Scottish Power and PowerGen are all offering their own green tariffs. Along with ensuring that all energy is sourced from ‘renewable sources’, these suppliers may also use the consumers premium to invest into renewable energy projects. To ensure that you get the best deal for your money and make an informed choice on whether the green option is right for you, you should consider using an online comparison site to compare green gas and electricity suppliers.
Liam Gerken is a UK based author, who has specialised on gas and electricity prices, with a focus on green energy
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