Green Energy: Zero-Sum Carbon Emissions by 2050 through exploitation of Renewable Sources? Lincolnshire Effect?

Reduced reliance on Carbon Fuels and the pollution: 

A Green Recovery Plan for the energy sector
Introduction

As the Government Department States:  

UK becomes first major economy to pass net zero emissions law

(New target will require the UK to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.) The BBC put it this way last year (click image)

Most renewable energy sources originate from the sun (solar energy), while tidal energy originates from the gravitational pull of the moon, and geothermal energy results from heat trapped below the surface of our planet. See below!

Is Nuclear also an option? 

What is Green Energy: Here is the Open University Definition

Solar energy can be used directly in a two different ways. The heating part of the Sun’s rays can be used to directly produce hot water (solar thermal), while the light energy can directly produce electricity from photovoltaic cells (PV).

There are, however, a number of indirect ways in which solar energy can be utilised:

·       Wind energy has been utilised for mills and pumps for hundreds of years, but has been harnessed to produce electricity during the past several decades. Wind 'farms' have been set up in the UK, and around the world, both inland and offshore.

·       Wave energy technology is still in the early development phase but several devices have been tested in pilot projects. The most widely used is the oscillating water column which uses waves to push air through a turbine which generates electricity.

·       Tidal energy is utilised by allowing the tide to build up a head of water behind a barrier, then allowing the water to flow through a turbine to produce electricity. The effectiveness depends on the position of the moon, being greatest at full and new moons. Tidal currents can also be used to generate power, by installing turbines in the flows, and that is seen as a more likely way ahead than building large invasive barrages.

·       Geothermal energy is energy taken from hot regions below the surface. The available heat varies from place to place.

Note: Nuclear Energy: energy is produced by a controlled nuclear chain reaction and creates heat—which is used to boil water, produce steam, and drive a steam turbine. The turbine can be used for mechanical work and also to generate electricity. This is being looked at more seriously than previous!! This option is also being widely pushed (n addition to the above). It is safer and appears (to many) as less costly to produce.