At this time of year it can be cold and inhospitable to be outside, so we like to spend more time indoors and crank up the central heating. However, how much energy do we use and where does it all come from? Daniel Atkinson plugs in and switches on to find the answers...

Renewable ‘green’ power will definitely be playing an important part in electricity generation in the years to come.

The Yes 2 Wind website is a combined campaign by the World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth to promote the benefits of wind power. Did you know that 20 per cent of Denmark’s power is already generated by wind?

The British Wind Energy Association’s website is also an excellent source of wind power information, including news on the latest developments. Currently, 1,030 turbines at 82 locations are generating enough energy for 386,000 households.

However, the construction of large wind turbines does not go without opposition in local communities. A campaign has been set up against a major wind farm proposal for Whinash, near Tebay. Visit the No Whinash Wind Farm website to see a different side of wind power.

The proposals for a bridge to span Morecambe Bay, which would be able to generate renewable power, have also received a mixed local response. Check out our archive of bridge stories along with all the other news from the Morecambe Bay area.

Any mention of nuclear power immediately conjures up an image of Homer Simpson in his happily fictional cartoon power station. However, nuclear power produces a vital 25 per cent of Britain’s electricity.

The BNFL website features a series of useful fact sheets covering all areas of nuclear power, from the electricity generated to the problems of the radioactive waste left over and the decommissioning of power stations.

Decommissioning in particular will on top of the agenda in coming years. Britain’s nuclear power stations are ageing, and in 20 years only Sizewell B will still be operating, generating just four per cent of the electricity required. Check out this Nuclear Questions & Answers page for a useful overview of the nuclear industry and the challenges to come.

Regardless of what type or types of power sources we rely on, energy efficiency is on a lot of people’s minds, and is fast becoming a concern for all developers and planners.

Unless global warming results in very hot summers, solar power is not likely to be the top choice for alternative energy. All online searches for solar energy lead to the same site for grants and information - but it is dated March 2002, and more current information would be needed before making a decision.

The Action Energy website is run by the Carbon Trust, a not-for-profit agency set up by the government. The site features everything from tips on saving money on your home electricity bills to energy efficiency loans available to businesses.

It’s not just electricity that we need and use; Britain is also a thirsty country. Each day we use 18,000 million litres of water. The Water UK website contains this and many more water facts about the infrastructure we so often take for granted.

Water levels and supplies have also been making headlines recently. 2003 has been one of the driest years on record, with only 1959 being a drier year since records began in 1930. Rainfall is 30 per cent less than normal and reservoirs across the region are lower than they should be for the time of year. Although we’re not expecting standpipes in the streets just yet, United Utilities, which manages the region’s water supplies, is asking customers to use water wisely by following some simple tips on its site.

For further details, the Environment Agency’s website looks at the nation’s water situation during the month of September.

It was a dry month, with rainfall being only 47 per cent of average and reservoirs only 59 per cent full.

Global warming, ice bergs melting, predictions of long, cold winters – there is a lot of information out there. But, if we each do our part by learning more and attempting to reduce usage, the future can look brighter and warmer for all of us.