The world as we know it today would be undoubtedly extremely different if electricity was not available.

energy is needed for endless tasks: powering machines in factories, heating and lighting homes, and for computers and other machines in offices.

However, most of this electricity comes from fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, which will eventually run out. They are also a major source of atmospheric pollution.

So it seems that a modern economy like the UK is indeed depending upon a non efficient system of energy provision.

The UK cannot continue to produce electricity the way we do now because it is simply unsustainable.

This means that we are meeting the needs of today however it is unlikely that we will be able to in the future.

As well as using up our resources, the environment is also being affected and damaged because of our actions.

A senior energy expert has warned that if we don’t do something now to encourage renewable energy sources, planned power blackouts are likely to occur within the next ten years, and that within a decade, the country may be generating only about 80% of the energy it needs.

However, it is hoped that renewable energy sources will supply 40% of generation by 2050.

The most suitable type of renewable energy for the UK would clearly be wind energy.

The UK is the windiest place in Europe, making it an ideal location for wind farms. Although a lot of controversy has been raised in the past years in relation to these wind farms, many argue that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages or risks, as once wind turbines are built, the energy they produce does not cause greenhouse gases or other pollutants; and perhaps more importantly, they reduce our current dependency on fossil fuels.

It seems only obvious that we should be encouraging and making the most of these renewable resources now so that hopefully the UK does not face the so-called ‘energy gap’ in the future.