The pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels to obtain energy is having serious consequences on the environment in the form of pollution and climatic changes due to release of greenhouse gases. Many countries like China and USA are now taking green energy such as wind, solar and geothermal energy very seriously. These energies are renewable and non polluting and their supply will never get exhausted. Though energy like nuclear power has good potential the recent catastrophe in Japan proves that it could be quite dangerous in case calamities strike the nuclear reactor.
Green power such as solar and wind energy is totally safe. Hence many counties have started promoting it in residential and commercial projects. For example, UK’s green industry is promoting the renewable heat incentive project. It has provided funds of 860 million pounds to encourage people to make use of heat pumps, thermal panels and biomass boilers. It will also provide financial support on a quarterly basis for 20 years to the owners of the heat installations systems.
This incentive will provide the domestic installers a financial reason to use renewable energy. The renewable heating systems are much better than their conventional counterparts and this incentive of the UK government will encourage the individuals and the businesses to use these new heating systems. These systems use less power and they are more efficient. They are also environmentally friendly.
The Renewable Heat Incentive program of UK will create jobs for thousands of people and by 2020 the funds pumped in this incentive will reach 4.5 billion.
Currently 95% of the UK’s heating systems are dependent on fossil fuel but this will change soon with the incentive program. The scheme will come into full force only in the year 2012. However until that time about 15 million pounds will be made available to the residence owners in the form of grants. The subsidy levels are expected to be 950 pounds for biomass boilers and 300 pounds for solar thermal boilers. Though the renewable technologies may seem expensive today the government subsidies will give significant respite to homeowners.
The other country which is trying its best to change to renewable energy is the US. President Obama recently announced an ambitious plan to cut down on its imports of oil and gas from other countries as it wants to become self dependent in the generation of power.