World energy mix 1965 to 2020 (BP Statistical Review of World Energy)
What is energy security?
Discover how the natural power of renewable energy sources are being combined with advanced technologies to improve the UK's energy mix
What is energy security?
The International Energy Agency (IEA) defines energy security as the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price.
We depend on energy for all aspects of our lives. It is very important for us to have a reliable and consistent supply of energy to keep our lives running smoothly.
We need to make sure that the lights will stay on, we have energy to heat and cool our homes, and to cook with.
Why is energy security at risk?
UK Parliament research shows that energy security risks include:
- high energy prices
- fuel shortages
- equipment failures
- the effects of climate change
- net zero transition risks.
If we are reliant on accessing energy from countries outside of the UK, then we may not have control over the prices and the supply of that energy.
With climate change and global unrest in wars in parts of the world, our energy supply has the potential to be under threat.
Energy security has been heavily impacted by the post-pandemic economy and geo-political impacts of the Russian invasion on Ukraine. Dependency on a reliable flow of affordable energy is crucial in times of insecure global oil and gas markets.
Most of our electricity is generated through a combination of different sources – which we call our energy mix – and that energy mix is going to be changing and transitioning as we move towards our goal of achieving net zero in terms of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
How can we improve our energy security?
Measures to improve energy security include:
- demand reduction
- energy storage
- diversification of supply
- energy market reform and interconnection.
The British Energy Security Strategy proposes to accelerate the UK towards a low-carbon, energy-independent future.
Not only do we need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels to get to net zero, we also need to develop more homegrown sources and become more self-sufficient with our energy supply.
At the moment, our electricity sources come from fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas – and we still use nuclear power to generate our electricity. However, we are increasingly witnessing a sea change towards using more green and renewable sources of electricity.
We have solar and wind power. We have onshore and offshore wind and other sources of offshore renewable energy, including the potential to utilise tidal power and wave energy.
What are the renewable solutions?
The UK is a natural source of renewable electricity because of our large coastline. We have a great resource capacity for offshore wind, wave and tidal. Each of these offshore renewable energy technologies are key parts of our future energy mix.
Unlocking offshore wind
Offshore wind power is the generation of electricity through wind farms constructed in bodies of water, usually at sea, and is seen as the backbone of our future decarbonised electricity system.
As part of their net zero and energy security objectives, the UK government has set an ambitious target to deploy 50 GW of offshore wind by 2030, of which at least 5 GW will be floating.
Floating offshore wind power (FLOW) is created by using the same wind turbines used for conventional seabed-fixed offshore wind but these are mounted on floating structures secured to the seabed with mooring lines and anchors.
Harnessing the power of waves
The UK has been spearheading wave energy research and innovation since the early 1970s and its wave resources are among the best anywhere in the world.
Wave energy has the potential to provide at least 15% of the UK’s annual electricity and help the country meet its net zero target. For this to become a reality it will require an extensive programme of collaboration, investment and innovation involving governments, science, industry, and landowners.
The University's WEDUSEA (Wave Energy Demonstration at Utility Scale to Enable Arrays) project aims to demonstrate the technological and commercial viability of large-scale wave energy.
Utilising the rise and fall of tides
Tidal energy is a renewable energy powered by the natural rise and fall of ocean tides and currents. Some of these technologies include turbines and paddles.
Tidal stream energy provides a predictable, reliable source of renewable power that, if harnessed, can complement the variability of wind and solar. Unlike wind and sun, the tides are present every day of the year.
Tidal stream power has the potential to deliver 11% of the UK’s current annual electricity and play a significant role in the government’s drive for net-zero.
The benefits of a complementary energy mix
Offshore wind is seen as the successful backbone for the UK electricity grid of the future. As we go further offshore, we can access higher wind speeds and more consistent wind. But there are times when the wind doesn't blow, and there are times when the wind is blowing and it is more electricity than we need.
When we have a large amount of renewable energy from natural sources we really benefit from having a diverse mix that complement one another. For example, green hydrogen can be produced with excess electricity that can then be used in industry, transport, heating, or later reconversion into electricity.
The sun does not always shine at the same time it is very windy, so renewable sources can complement one another.
If we can add in wave energy and tidal stream as well, then all together these will provide a much more consistent and reliable supply of electricity.
What are the future challenges?
For Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) technology to be successful, there needs to be an appreciation of its interaction with the whole energy system, including a thorough understanding of how the device will affect and be affected by the environment it is in, and affect other users of the space, the grid, and end users of the generated power.
Offshore wind, wave and tidal have all developed at different rates, with offshore wind technology having achieved significant advances and cost reduction thanks to its deployment at scale and incremental development from its onshore counterpart.
While costs have reduced significantly for fixed offshore wind, floating offshore wind, tidal stream and wave energy remain too expensive to attract significant investment.
In the University's COAST laboratory, the
UK Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Test (UK FOWTT) facility enables wind speeds of between 0.5 m/s and 10 m/s to be generated which, in addition to the existing wave generation technologies, creates a scaled-down version of the ocean environment.
This provides opportunities for the University to run experiments to understand how offshore systems are going to respond and perform. Systems can then be de-risked as much as possible before they get built at a larger scale and into a demonstration site.
Our research also looks into how autonomous systems such as robots, drones and self-driving vessels can be used to carry out inspections and collect data remotely, rather than putting people into dangerous situations and working offshore.
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Developing floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea
One of the really exciting things happening at the moment is that the
Celtic Sea – on our doorstep in the South West – is being developed as a site for new floating offshore wind.
The University is working together with other partners in the region across the South West, Cornwall and into Wales to develop floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea and unlock up to 4.5 GW of floating wind energy by 2035 and further 12 GW by 2045.
The first three floating windfarms in the Celtic Sea will generate enough electricity to power more than four million homes and will be some of the largest in the world. More than 260 turbines, each around 300 metres tall, will sit on floating platforms the size of football pitches.
In driving the transition to clean energy, and providing significant, sustainable growth in jobs, skills and regional supply chain infrastructure, the Celtic Sea developments will cement the UK’s position as a world leader in floating offshore wind energy.
The University is helping to address some of the key challenges facing offshore renewable energy through world-leading research in our cutting-edge facilities. We are actively involved in research projects across the UK and Europe, providing technical expertise in offshore structures, ecological and environmental interactions, and the development of local communities and economies. Through this work, we are helping to support the responsible development of offshore renewable energy and its benefits for coastal communities.
Professor Lars Johanning
Associate Head of School - Research
Developing sustainable solutions for energy systems
The University of Plymouth is leading energy systems renewable transformation
