Could Britain's energy needs be met entirely by wind and solar?

Britain’s energy needs could be met entirely by wind and solar, according to a policy brief published today by Oxford’s Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment. Wind and solar can provide significantly more energy than the highest energy demand forecasts for 2050 and nearly ten times current electricity demand (299 TWh/year).

Can wind and solar provide more energy?

Wind and solar can provide significantly more energy than the highest energy demand forecasts for 2050 and nearly ten times current electricity demand (299 TWh/year). The research shows up to 2,896 TWh a year could be generated by wind and solar, against the demand forecast of 1,500 TWh/year.

Does solar energy produce more electricity in summer?

According to Solar Energy UK, solar panel performance falls by 0.34 percentage points for every degree that the temperature rises above 25°C. Plus, the longer days and clearer skies mean solar power generates much more electricity during the summer, even if their efficiency falls slightly. Is solar energy expensive to produce?

Does government support solar?

It sets out that government is supportive of solar that is “co-located [footnote 80] with other functions (for example, agriculture, onshore wind generation, or storage) to maximise the efficiency of land use”.

Which countries have the highest growth rates for wind and solar energy?

Our results also show that the highest growth rates for wind (>1.8% of the national electricity supply per year) and solar (>1.1%) have only been observed in smaller countries with electricity generation <100 TWh yr –1 (Ireland, Portugal and Chile).

Will wind and solar power meet climate targets?

Meeting climate targets requires considerable growth of wind and solar power in the next several decades 1. Prior literature does not agree on whether the required growth is faster than 2, 3 or comparable to 4, 5 historical technological change.