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How do Kent districts compare for green energy production?

Today is the United Nations' World Environment Day.

It is a day when not just in Kent but across the globe we are all encouraged to think about the environment and how our actions can help to improve (or ruin) it.

The solar farm at Lenham near Maidstone. Picture Peter Bailey
The solar farm at Lenham near Maidstone. Picture Peter Bailey

The UN says: "This is our moment. We cannot turn back time. But we can grow trees, green our cities, re-wild our gardens, change our diets and clean up rivers and coasts. We are the generation that can make peace with nature.

"Let’s get active, not anxious. Let’s be bold, not timid."

So how bold is Kent being in tackling one of the biggest sources of pollution and carbon creation - our energy sources?

Using data supplied by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, heating expert Stelrad has analysed which authorities are doing best in switching energy production to renewable sources.

It has looked at the number of photovoltaic energy production sites, the number of on-shore and off-shore wind turbine sites and other less numerous green energy producers such as anaerobic digestion, plant biomass, hydro-power, municipal solid waste, landfill gas and sewage gas production.

A wind farm off Tankerton, near Whitstable, with the Maunsell Forts. Picture by Peter Gainey
A wind farm off Tankerton, near Whitstable, with the Maunsell Forts. Picture by Peter Gainey

The results reveal that Maidstone can hold its head high with the most number of renewable energy sources - 2,225, while Dartford takes up last place with just 999.

Far and away the renewable energy source of choice in every borough and district is the photovoltaic panel. They make up a total of 23,140 sites across the county.

But in contrast all other renewables are generated in only 39 locations.

Within those, Folkestone and Hythe leads the way with on-shore wind plants, with 11 locations. The borough of Canterbury has the most off-shore sites - two. Dover has the most plant biomass units - four. While Tonbridge and Malling has the most plants converting sewage gas to energy - two.

Source: The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Source: The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

On the national picture, the South East is second on the list of regions ranked by the number of renewable energy sites, with 114,336, behind the South West on 123,802.

Northern Ireland has the fewest renewable energy sources (1,264).

All the data refers to the end of 2019, the last year for which statistics are available, and records only sources feeding electricity into the national grid. The figures do not invude the estimated 1.5m homes cacross the UK fitted with their own solar panels.

Chris Harvey, the head of marketing at Stelrad said: "Renewable energy is the way forward for our household energy and it’s fantastic to see such large numbers of renewable energy sites spread across the country.

"Investing in innovative engineering and resources is crucial for delivering sustainable energy and this shouldn’t just be left to certain regions of the country - it has to be a national effort."

Chris Harvey of Stelrad
Chris Harvey of Stelrad

He said: "At Stelrad, we’re committed to supporting sustainable energy development and heating design which embraces the future of energy production. This is the future for our energy production and central heating, and we support the Government’s aim of having all homes powered by renewable sources by 2030."

Founded in 1936, Stelrad manufactures more than 2.5 million radiators in the UK each year.

For the source data, visit here.

Read more: All the latest news from Kent

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone

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