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What are the environmental and other local impacts of significant amounts of new renewable generation capacity being built in the UK?

Background

BEIS has committed to ending the UK’s contribution to global warming by achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our work towards becoming a leader in green technologies and clean energy will drive economic growth, all whilst accelerating global climate action through strong international leadership.

Next steps

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Source

This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:

Beis areas research interest interim update 2020

Related UKRI funded projects

  • Strategically integrated renewable energy and environment systems (SIRE)

    For most societies, energy underpins all aspects of life and many people consider access to abundant and uninterrupted energy a basic need and right. Energy is currently responsible for ~75% of global greenhouse gas emis...

    Funded by: NERC

    Lead research organisation: Lancaster University

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project discusses the environmental impacts of wind and solar energy in the UK, which is directly related to the question.

  • EnergyScapes and Ecosystem Services

    Renewable energy has recently received considerable media and public attention because of perceived benefits to the environment, including climate change, and the potential to replace imported sources of energy, the poss...

    Funded by: NERC

    Lead research organisation: University of Nottingham

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project discusses the impacts of renewable energy on ecosystem services, which is partially related to the question.

  • Assessing the global and local impacts on ecosystem services of energy provision in the UK

    Energy provision in the UK impacts upon ecosystems locally, elsewhere in the UK and elsewhere in the world. For example, impacts of a coal-fired power-station may occur locally where the power station is sited, but also ...

    Funded by: NERC

    Lead research organisation: University of East Anglia

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project assesses the local and global impacts of different energy technologies on ecosystem services, which is partially related to the question.

  • EnergyScapes and Ecosystem Services

    Renewable energy has recently received considerable media and public attention because of perceived benefits to the environment, including climate change, the potential to replace imported sources of energy, the possible...

    Funded by: NERC

    Lead research organisation: Imperial College London

  • UK - Solar parks impacts on ecosystem services: implementation

    Within the UK, energy underpins all aspects of life, with most people reliant on access to abundant and uninterrupted energy for the provision of basic needs (e.g. heating and cooking), and to enable work (e.g. reliance ...

    Funded by: NERC

    Lead research organisation: Lancaster University

  • Centre for Integrated Renewable Energy Generation and Supply (CIREGS)

    Our current national usage of energy is primarily based on the burning of fossil fuels in large, centralised power stations. These emit a range of pollutants into the atmosphere, including CO2 which contributes to the gl...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: CARDIFF UNIVERSITY

  • Predicting and mitigating environmental impacts of low head hydropower schemes

    The UK has an ambitious and legally-binding target to reduce its carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 (relative to a 1990 baseline) as part of its commitment to limit its contribution to climate change. Achieving this target ...

    Funded by: NERC

    Lead research organisation: University of Brighton

  • Techniques for Electric Power Systems with High Penetrations of Renewable Non-Thermal Generation

    The recent EU Directive on renewable energy commits the UK to binding targets for renewable energy. By 2020 the UK must find 15% of its primary energy from renewable sources: these being basic energy forms including natu...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Strathclyde

  • Maximising the Carbon Impact of Wind Power

    The UK has invested heavily in wind power in recent years, and is widely expected to build much more capacity in future. One of the driving reasons is to reduce carbon emissions, but there has been no in-depth study of h...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: Imperial College London

  • Solar Park Impacts on Ecosystem Services: a Framework for Best-Practice (SPIES)

    Ensuring there is sufficient energy is a global challenge, caused by increasing demand and the need to move to low carbon energy to avoid dangerous climate change. Photovoltaics, including those mounted on buildings and ...

    Funded by: NERC

    Lead research organisation: Lancaster University

Similar ARIs from other organisations

Achieving Net Zero What are the positive and negative environmental impacts of increasing renewable energy production (wind, solar, geothermal, and so on) and other actions taken to decarbonise the economy? Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, 2021
See details
Achieving Net Zero How can the UK optimise sustainable growth of biomass for use in power generation (bioenergy) and, with appropriate storage, for removal of atmospheric CO2? How can the negative environmental consequences from biomass production and use (on soil quality, water quality, air quality, and biodiversity) be minimised? What’s the full life cycle analysis for different feedstock? What’s the scalability of different feedstocks within sustainable limits? Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, 2021
See details