Britain stands at a crossroads in its energy journey. With ambitious net-zero targets set for 2050 and an increasing focus on energy independence, the renewable energy sector is poised for transformative growth in the coming decades.
The Current State of Renewable Energy in the UK
Over the past decade, the UK has made remarkable progress in transitioning to renewable energy sources. In 2022, renewables accounted for approximately 43% of the UK's electricity generation, a significant increase from just 7% in 2010.
This growth has been driven primarily by:
- Offshore wind development, with the UK hosting some of the world's largest offshore wind farms
- Expansion of solar PV installations across residential, commercial, and utility scales
- Biomass conversions of former coal power stations
- Supportive policy frameworks, including Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions
Emerging Technologies and Innovations
The next wave of renewable energy growth in Britain will be fueled by a range of emerging technologies and innovations:
Floating Offshore Wind
While the UK has already established itself as a leader in fixed-bottom offshore wind, floating wind technology represents the next frontier. Floating platforms can be deployed in deeper waters, opening up vast new areas for development around the British coastline, particularly off Scotland and in the Celtic Sea.
The UK government has set a target of 5GW of floating offshore wind capacity by 2030, and early projects like the Hywind Scotland development are already demonstrating the technology's potential.
Green Hydrogen
Hydrogen produced from renewable electricity through electrolysis – "green hydrogen" – is emerging as a vital component of the UK's future energy system. It offers a solution for hard-to-decarbonize sectors like heavy industry, shipping, and potentially aviation.
Several major green hydrogen projects are under development in the UK, including the Gigastack project in the Humber region and the Acorn Hydrogen project in Scotland. The government's Hydrogen Strategy aims for 5GW of low-carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030.
Energy Storage Solutions
As the share of variable renewable energy sources increases, energy storage becomes increasingly critical. Beyond lithium-ion batteries, which are already being deployed at scale, emerging storage technologies include:
- Flow batteries for longer-duration storage
- Compressed air energy storage
- Liquid air energy storage (LAES)
- Gravity-based storage systems
The UK's first commercial liquid air energy storage facility, developed by Highview Power, began operations in Manchester in 2018, and numerous grid-scale battery projects are now being deployed across the country.
Tidal and Wave Energy
The UK, with its extensive coastline and powerful tides, has some of the best marine energy resources in the world. After years of development, tidal stream technology is approaching commercial viability, with projects like MeyGen in Scotland's Pentland Firth already feeding power to the grid.
While wave energy technology remains at an earlier stage of development, innovative companies like Mocean Energy and Waveswing are making promising advances in this field.
Policy and Market Evolution
The future of renewable energy in Britain will be shaped not only by technological innovation but also by evolving policy frameworks and market mechanisms:
Subsidy-Free Renewables
As technology costs continue to decline, we're increasingly seeing renewable energy projects being developed without direct subsidies. In some recent CfD auctions, projects have bid at strike prices below prevailing wholesale electricity prices, effectively operating subsidy-free.
Market Reform
The UK's electricity market design is evolving to better accommodate high levels of renewable energy. This includes:
- Reforms to balancing and settlement arrangements
- Introduction of locational pricing signals
- Development of flexibility markets
- Potential decoupling of renewable energy pricing from gas prices
Local Energy Markets
Beyond national-level policy, local and community energy initiatives are becoming increasingly important. Local energy markets allow consumers, businesses, and community groups to buy and sell energy to each other directly, potentially reducing costs and increasing resilience.
Projects like the Cornwall Local Energy Market have demonstrated how these approaches can work in practice, using digital platforms to match local supply and demand in real-time.
Challenges and Opportunities
Despite the promising outlook, several challenges need to be addressed to fully realize Britain's renewable energy potential:
Grid Infrastructure
The UK's electricity grid requires significant reinforcement and modernization to accommodate high levels of distributed and variable renewable generation. Current grid connection delays are already impacting project development timelines.
National Grid ESO estimates that electricity network capacity needs to increase by 3-5 times by 2050 to meet net-zero targets.
Planning and Consenting
Streamlining planning and environmental consenting processes will be crucial to accelerate renewable energy deployment. Recent reforms aim to reduce approval timelines for offshore wind projects, but further improvements may be necessary.
Skills and Supply Chain
Building a skilled workforce and robust domestic supply chain will be essential for the UK to maximize economic benefits from the renewable energy transition. This includes developing expertise in areas like offshore wind installation, green hydrogen production, and energy storage.
Conclusion: A Renewable Future
The future of renewable energy in Britain looks exceptionally bright. With world-leading resources, particularly in offshore wind, marine energy, and the potential for green hydrogen production, the UK is well-positioned to become a global leader in clean energy.
The transition will require significant investment, policy support, and technological innovation, but the potential rewards are enormous: energy security, reduced emissions, improved air quality, and the creation of thousands of skilled jobs across the country.
At Thyredisin, we're committed to being part of this renewable energy revolution, offering our customers greener energy options and supporting the UK's transition to a sustainable energy future.
