Scotland and Ireland have come together recently to commit to a greener future. Scotland, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland have joined forces in their joint commitment to sustainable energy by launching the world’s first large-scale marine renewable energy system: the Irish Scottish Links on Energy Study project.
It is predicted that the renewable energy project, known as ISLES, will be able to power 1.8 million homes by 2020 through its considerable annual power production of 6.2 gigawatts. This commitment comes hot on the heels of the EU’s latest green goals committing the whole of the European community to use 27% renewable energy sources by 2030. It won’t be long before our electricity and heating systems such as Aluminium Radiators UK from companies like https://apolloradiators.co.uk/designer-radiators will be powered almost entirely from renewable energy sources.
Wave, Tidal and Offshore Wind Energy
The project will incorporate a wave, tidal and offshore wind energy to create power. These marine renewable energy sources are known to be the greenest options for large-scale energy production. The project will also be able to provide scientists with much more data about the technology and the related environmental effects.
The marine energy options are preferable to solar and wind turbine power simply because they are more reliable and not dependent on weather conditions. However, for smaller-scale energy production, solar panels are an ideal solution. For example, many homes can benefit from have panels installed to save on household bills, and many homeowners have solar panels. In contrast, for large-scale international initiatives, the consistent nature of marine energy makes it preferable.
The Potential Problem of Noise
One of the potential problems for the project is that marine renewable energy production creates a certain amount of noise, which could prove troublesome for ocean life. Wave energy could also create unnatural movement in the water and potentially cause problems for some species. This is why it is vital that the project is closely monitored to ensure all the benefits do not create harmful consequences for animals.
The world is watching the ISLES closely to see how it will perform over the coming months, and indeed years. This project could pave the way for further international partnerships and collaborations in renewable energy. Such initiatives push to the forefront of global politics the importance of being able to find sustainable energy sources on a large scale to support the needs of the world’s growing population while protecting animals and the environment.
