Non-nuclear trumps nuclear7 October 2011
One of Britain's biggest energy suppliers has announced it's pulling out of nuclear power.
Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) wants to sell its 25% stake in NuGeneration Ltd . It plans to concentrate on areas where it has greater expertise, including renewable energy.
SSE currently gets 10% of its power from clean energy. However, 88% of the power it generates still comes from sources like coal.
Our fossil fuel dependency leaves consumers with soaring fuel bills.
Paul Steedman, Energy campaigner, Friends of the Earth
These fuels release carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere - the main gas contributing to climate change. We're already seeing the impacts of climate change:
- Chaotic weather.
- Rising sea levels.
- Drought.
- Mass extinction of species.
SSE could benefit from Britain's huge renewable energy potential. With 8,000 miles of coastline and some of the windiest weather in Europe, it's a powerhouse waiting to be switched on.
Did you know?
Every gigawatt (GW) of dirty energy replaced by clean energy saves 1.5million tonnes of CO2 annually. So the Government's target of raising energy from renewables from 13GW to 18GW by 2020 should save 27million tonnes of CO2 a year.
What you can do
Tell us your energy horror story - via email, Twitter or Facebook.
© istock
