Renewably sourced energy is a base factor in the UK pushing towards a greener way of living.
According to the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy data, 871,608 renewable energy sites across the UK produce green energy for the country.
All regions reported high levels of solar energy production, meaning solar may be the most readily available form of renewable power overall.
The largest green energy source is residential solar panels – with around 1.5 million homes fitted with them.
The data goes on to compare the number of renewable energy sites to households – in doing so, it details how many clean energy sources were available per 1,000 households in each UK region.
The analysis revealed that the South West the UK’s greenest region (with 123,802 renewable energy sites), and Cornwall is its top location for solar energy (containing 18,076 solar power sites).
In the South West, there are 53.3 renewable energy sites for every 1,000 households; to compare, in London, there are only 8.2 per 1,000.
Northern Ireland was ranked the worst UK region for renewable energy production with only 1,264 renewable energy sites.
Another study by Good Move ranking the ten best and worst eco-friendly cities in the UK based on more than just energy production found Bristol to be the greenest city (it has the lowest carbon emissions levels and best recycling schemes) and Birmingham to be the least.
This research ranked cities based on several sustainability factors: pollution levels, air quality, recycling efficiency, single-use plastic consumption levels, green space available, and fast-fashion consumption levels.
Ross Counsell, the director at Good Move, said:
The world is finally waking up to the dangers of climate change and the impact that our lifestyles are having on the planet. Our research has highlighted which UK cities are particularly guilty of being unsustainable while also praising those taking steps to address the issues. However, progress can only be made if the country works together to make informed changes on a national scale.
Another study focused on the amount of green space a city has for people to enjoy. Again, Edinburgh came in first with 49.2%, and Liverpool came in last with only 16.4%.
So, if you’re searching for a clean, green, sustainable city to visit or live in, go to the South West or Northern regions.
