Sustainable energy on Exmoor
We should all ‘think globally and act locally’ and the highest standards should apply in a protected landscape. Opportunities should be taken to reduce emissions and to develop renewable energy sources. All of Exmoor’s energy needs could potentially be supplied sustainably. The main obstacle is usually cost of installation and there is a need for greater financial incentives for renewable energy sources.
The Government has pledged to reduce emissions of ‘greenhouse gasses’ and other pollutants and is taking some steps to promote alternative, non-polluting, sources of energy. As a result it has proposed that renewable energy should contribute 10% of the UK's electricity supply by 2010 and 20% by 2020. In 1999, renewable energy sources accounted for just over 3 % of the electricity generating capacity of the UK, but only contributed 1.3 % to the primary energy supply (DTI, 2000). This was the lowest percentage of any EU country. Sweden was top with over 25% of its energy obtained from renewable sources.
There is a need to develop renewable sources of energy such as water, wind power and biofuels, hich can supplement energy derived from the non-renewable sources such as gas, coal and oil. The South West region has many UK renewable energy technology firsts including the first wind farm in the UK, the first UK scheme to harness electricity from fermented farm and food waste, the first commercial pyrolysis plant and the first underwater tidal stream turbine in the world. There are over 150 companies working in renewable energy in the region.
There are now 102 grid connected renewable energy schemes in the South West, capable of producing up to 52 MW of electricity - more than enough to power the whole of North Cornwall, Exeter, Gloucester or Taunton. In practise, however, they still only supply 3% on the region’s demand for energy. Two thirds of the region's renewable energy is generated from the methane gas arising from landfill sites. The nearest such power station to Exmoor is at Wellington. There are six large wind farms in Cornwall, one in Devon and a small one in Gloucestershire. The Renewable Energy Agency South West (RegenSW), a Government agency, estimates that, through new schemes, the region has the potential to produce enough sustainable energy to supply the needs of Dorset, Somerset and Gloucestershire, and would be up to 15 % of the South West's energy generation capacity. Potential schemes are mainly in the form of burning waste, windpower and biomass – harnessing energy from fast-growing crops. The agency plans to map the potential for renewable energy in every local authority area and support experimental projects in wave and tidal power. The wave power scheme is off St Ives, where a buoy is being used to measure wave patterns to aid the design of wave powered generators. The tidal power scheme is off Lynmouth.
The National Park Authority is committed to reducing its own consumption of energy from fossil fuels. DEFRA has published guidelines to help organisations measure, set targets and reduce the use of energy and raw materials. Over a three year period the Authority has reduced gas consumption and fuel consumption by its own vehicles. However, it has increased consumption of electricity and fuel by staff and Members’ vehicles. The Authority has increasing commitments which require more site visits and meetings and reducing mileage will be a difficult task. The electricity used at Exmoor House is Green tariff and the Authority has taken steps to reduce the use of electricity in new and some existing buildings. These are highlighted on the other renewable energy pages and the State of the Park Report gives figures for the Authority's energy consumption.