How dangerous is air pollution in UK cities and how can Solar PV help?
Climate change and its impact on our environment continue to create challenges for our health and wellbeing. Cities around the world are now facing a common problem – how we clean up the air we breathe? Today, air pollution presents itself as one of the most critical environmental health risks and has a truly global impact, causing both short – and long term effects on our health. These effects can be seen in both developed and developing countries due to high concentrations of pollutants being present in the air we breathe. In fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimate that up to 4.2 million deaths annually can be attributed to health conditions associated with exposure to outdoor air pollution.
What is Air Pollution?
Air pollution is the release of pollutants into the air which are considered to have a detrimental effect on the environment and human health. While every city is different, there are common sources of pollutants within all cities that contribute to the growing problem of air pollution. The main sources of pollutants in cities include but are not limited to fossil-fuelled transportation, power generation and manufacturing processes that release harmful pollutants into the air. These pollutants include sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, all of which are harmful to human health and can have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of a large proportion of the population within densely populated cities.
Cities are the focal point of many of our economic activities, so it is no surprise that they are considered hotspots for air pollution. Most cities worldwide struggle with serious air-quality problems. However, populations in low-income cities are more likely to be negatively impacted by the effects of air pollution on human health. Cities generally present higher levels of air pollution that non-urban areas, but it is important to note that not all cities experience the same levels of pollution. The WHO established air quality guidelines for air pollution as an annual mean exposure of 10ug/m3, a guideline that aimed to reduce the impact of exposure to air pollution on human health. However, the WHO air quality database suggests that 97% of cities in low and middle-income countries continue to fall short of air quality guidelines. A report by IQ Air assessed the annual particulate matter (2.5) concentrations in major cities and found that Delhi, India had the highest level of air pollution in 2019 of 98.6ug/m3, almost 10 times the guideline set out by the WHO. This was followed by Dhaka, Bangladesh (88.3ug/m3) and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (62.0 ug/m3).
How does Belfast compare?
Air pollution is also a problem closer to home. IQAir’s 2019 World Air Quality Report ranked Belfast as the third most polluted city within the UK for PM2.5 concentrations in 2019, with an annual average concentration of 12.9 ug/m3. Air pollution in Belfast exceeds the WHO guideline by 29%. However, action on air pollution in Belfast has been ongoing for several decades and goes back as far as the 1960s with the introduction of smoke control zones. These zones have had the intention of reducing air pollution from residential fuel burning and remain in place today.
There is great potential for Northern Ireland to improve air quality across the region by focusing on the decarbonisation of its most polluting sectors such as transportation. However, transitioning from NI’s current transport situation will need much more effort than simply swapping out diesel and petrol vehicles for electric. It will require a complete overhaul of the sector as we know it.
How YOU Can Combat Air Pollution?
Air pollution is a serious problem but there are things YOU can do to combat it.
Without question, moving to cleaner sources of energy is the number one way to protect our environment today. We need to take steps now to reduce our use of polluting fossil fuels and we need to do it quickly to address both the long-term impacts of climate change and to protect our waterways, air quality, and public health in the near-term.
Solar energy is ready now as a clean, safe energy choice for the nation. Solar power comes in a variety of technologies, with reliable options for everything from powering a laptop to heating your shower to generating electricity on solar farms.
Switch to Renewable Energy
Air pollution is caused by harmful emissions which are generated whenever we burn fossil fuels for energy, and more than 64% of the electricity currently used in the UK is generated by burning fossil fuels. Renewable energy, however, is known as “clean” energy because it doesn’t burn fossil fuels or release any harmful pollutants. Instead, it uses sustainable resources such as solar power, water, and wind to generate electricity.
The good news is that renewable energy is now more accessible to the public than ever before. You have the power to take control of your own carbon footprint and reduce your emissions by switching to renewable energy, such as solar power, for your home. In fact, a home solar panel system could cut your carbon dioxide emissions by over a tonne and a half each year. Not only that but switching to solar power could save you serious money on your energy bill and allow you to become energy independent. How do you ask? Well, by storing the solar power you generate in a solar power battery for later use, you can essentially become your own energy provider and never have to rely on the National Grid to power your home again.
Cut Your Traffic Emissions
Another big contributor to air pollution is the emissions generated by petrol and diesel cars. In fact, around 11,000 new asthma cases are reported every day due to traffic emissions. Electric cars, on the other hand, do not release any harmful pollutants into the atmosphere when you drive them. By switching to an electric car, you can reduce traffic emissions and contribute to a cleaner environment.
If you use renewable energy at home, you can completely eliminate any emissions associated with running your electric car by installing an EV charging station. An electric vehicle home charging station has the potential to be much better for the planet than the kind of charging station you might find at a service station as, this way, you can be sure your car is being charged using emission-free energy.
Switching to renewable energy at home is a lot easier than you think. Most homes are solar panel compatible and, contrary to popular belief, the UK’s climate is well-suited to generating solar energy.
Find out more about home solar panels and contact us for a free quote today. Want to cut your traffic emissions? Find out how to install your very own electric car home charging station here.
