Britain embraces clean energy
Britain's energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions decreased last year, said energyefficiencynews.com this week.
The green energy trends Web site quoted a publication by the United Kingdom's Department of Energy and Climate Change, which said total energy production in 2009 declined by 5.8 percent from the previous year, and primary energy consumption fell for the fifth consecutive year in a row and at the fastest rate since 1980.
It also said Britain's greenhouse gas emissions fell 8.6%. However, while the country's supply of "renewable" electricity supply grew by 12.7 percent in 2009, it still only makes up less than 7 percent of the UK’s total supply, the site said. The contribution from wind grew by the largest margin at 19.9 percent.
The green energy trends Web site quoted a publication by the United Kingdom's Department of Energy and Climate Change, which said total energy production in 2009 declined by 5.8 percent from the previous year, and primary energy consumption fell for the fifth consecutive year in a row and at the fastest rate since 1980.
It also said Britain's greenhouse gas emissions fell 8.6%. However, while the country's supply of "renewable" electricity supply grew by 12.7 percent in 2009, it still only makes up less than 7 percent of the UK’s total supply, the site said. The contribution from wind grew by the largest margin at 19.9 percent.
And, perhaps more importantly, the report said the decrease can be attributed to the economic downturn and increased use of nuclear power to generate electricity, which rose by over 30 percent in 2009. Still, energyefficiencynews.com quoted Joan Ruddock, Britain's minister for energy and climate change, who said that efforts by the government, industry, business and homeowners are having an effect.