The opportunity to quickly increase the amount of energy generated from renewable resources in Kent is huge because market development is starting from a very low base. There is also a substantial amount of new development taking place which could favour the integration of small-scale building-integrated renewable energy.

New renewable energy technologies currently contribute less than 1% of global energy demand, and less than 3% of electricity, but collectively have the potential to deliver orders of magnitude more. The scope for cost reduction is therefore very large. Current costs differ substantially, from 2.5-3.0 p/kWh for onshore wind in good sites, through 5-6 p/kWh for offshore wind, around 8p/kWh for energy crops, to around 70p/kWh for PV in some applications (The Energy Review, PIU, 2002).

The only resource unavailable in Kent is geothermal energy. All other technologies and resources are available and overall renewable energy technologies are in a period of rapid global growth and cost reduction. For similar development in Kent, as seen across Europe and the world, there is an initial need for public demonstration and acceptance.

Once the first successful demonstrations of the more innovative technology have been delivered in Kent there is an opportunity stimulate a greater number of more commercial installations in the medium term.

For more information contact Neil Turner at CEN.