A guide to renewable energy

Renewable energy is generated from infinite, natural resources such as the sun, wind and water or biomass. Powering our homes and businesses with renewable energy brings many advantages. It’s why more and more of the UK’s energy is being generated from renewable sources.

In fact, more electricity was generated in the UK in 2020 from zero carbon emission sources than fossil fuels¹ – a record high for renewable electricity generation, and in early June 2020 the UK achieved a significant milestone by going coal-free for two months². 

There are different sources of renewable energy and here we detail four of the most common types of renewable energy and how they work.

• Solar energy – Generating electricity from sunlight has grown rapidly in popularity, with solar panels now visible on homes and businesses across the UK. Solar panels generate electricity from the power of the sun. They’re made up of smaller solar cells with several layers of semi-conductors and when daylight hits them it creates an electric current which flows through your home or business’ electrical system. And by installing a battery, you can even use the energy generated at night. Read our blog to find out how you could benefit from solar energy.
  
  
• Wind power – Wind farms are now a familiar sight in the UK and produce more than a quarter of the UK’s electricity. Either onshore or offshore, wind turbines capture the wind like sails and convert the rotational energy into electrical energy which is then distributed to power our homes and businesses.
  
  
• Biomass energy - Biomass energy is generated from burning any organic, renewable material such as wood, plants or household waste to make electricity or heat – like our Blackburn Meadows CHP plant that generates power from locally sourced waste wood that would otherwise go to landfill. And businesses can even use biomass plants to generate their own electricity or to produce steam for use in industrial processes.
  
  
• Hydropower - Generating electricity from water is achieved through a hydroelectric plant – water flows spin a turbine to generate electricity⁴. And the technology keeps on developing – including a wave turbine that captures breaking wave power and protects the shoreline from coastal erosion.

Climate change and the climate emergency is one of the biggest challenges we’re facing globally, and we all need to play our part to help reduce carbon emissions. Renewable energy produces significantly lower greenhouse gases than fossil fuels⁵ and can help us to tackle the climate crisis.

One of the main benefits of renewable energy is that the sources are constantly replenished – we’ll always have wind, sun and water. By generating electricity from these sources of clean energy, we can help to make sure that we don’t run out of the Earth’s resources and reduce our ability to generate energy as a result – one of the main disadvantages of fossil fuels.

The cost of generating renewable energy has fallen over recent years and is now considered to be the cheapest source of power, rather than fossil fuels⁷. And the unprecedented rise in coal and gas prices in 2021 and 2022 has further increased the attractiveness of renewable energy sources⁷.

What’s more, the cost effectiveness of generating clean energy can boost economic growth⁸ and by generating your own renewable energy you can even save money on your energy bills.

At E.ON we’re committed to leading the future energy transition. We provide all our E.ON Next customers’ homes with 100% renewable electricity¹¹ and we match the electricity from renewable sources such as wind, solar and biomass.

You can even generate your own renewable energy at home by installing solar panels to power your home and an air source heat pump to keep it warm.

Renewable energy is just the first step to a sustainable home and we’ve got lots of simple tips to help you lead a cleaner life, read one of our other blogs to find out more:

• Tips to help achieve a net zero home
• The future of solar is bright
• Why should you consider installing an air source heat pump?
• Switching to driving an electric vehicle

^{1.  The Guardian: UK electricity from renewables outpaces gas and coal power}

^{2.  Natural History Museum: Britain goes two months without burning coal amid lockdown}

^{3. Gov.uk: Special feature - Coal in 2012}

^{4. National Geographic: Hydropower, explained}

^{5.  National Geographic: Air Pollution} 

^{6.  Irena: Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2018} 

^{7. United Nations Climate Change:  Renewable Power Remains Cost-Competitive amid Fossil Fuel Crisis}

^{8. International Renewable Energy Agency: Renewable energy benefits: measuring the economics}

^{9. The London School of Economics and Political Science: Green jobs can pay better and face lower risk of automation than non-green jobs}

^{10. UK Energy Research Centre: Green job creation, quality, and skills: A review of the evidence on low carbon energy}

^{11. Electricity backed by 100% renewable sources. Electricity sourced from E.ON's renewable assets, agreements with independent UK generators and the purchase of renewable electricity certificates. The electricity supplied to your home comes from the National Grid. Find out more at eonenergy.com/renewable}