wind turbines at sunset
Renewable energy is already delivering electricity to millions of people world-wide, providing and sustaining hundreds of thousands of jobs, and offering the opportunities of a growing multibillion-pound market.
The resources for wind, wave and solar generation are vast, easily enough to provide for the world's energy needs many times over. And they are clean, posing none of the environmental or health hazards of nuclear power and producing none of the greenhouse gases caused by burning fossil fuels.
The UK - potential world leader?
Did you know that both wind and wave power could meet our electricity needs three times over? That solar power alone could produce two thirds of it? That wind parks off the coast of East Anglia alone could replace all of our nuclear power stations?
The UK boasts some of the largest renewable energy resources in Europe. With the political will, we could become world leaders in renewable energy technology. The economic benefits of developing a UK offshore wind industry are particularly huge. Our first offshore wind turbines already produce power more cheaply than our newest nuclear power plant. And thousands more jobs could be created in the UK, utilising the engineering skills of the declining oil and gas industry.
Offshore wind - a vision for East Anglia
East Anglia offers the potential to become the epicentre of a Europe-wide boom in offshore wind. With its low tidal ranges, shallow water and good wind speeds, the region could easily dominate the European market in renewable energy.
At least 30GW of offshore wind farms could be created in the area by 2020, according to a visionary plan produced by AEA Technology Environment for Greenpeace. This would generate 89 TWh of electricity
