Wind

Renewable power reaches record high as capacity grows

Renewable generation in 2022 matched 2020’s record high despite less favourable weather conditions, according to new government statistics.

Planning change removes blockers to ‘critical’ offshore wind

Changes to the National Policy Statement (NPS) should remove blockers to new schemes which are currently experienced during the planning phase. The updated NPS was unveiled as part of a raft of energy-related announcements by government.

What’s the plan?

Planning delays are crippling the rollout of green energy projects in the UK, and the situation has not improved despite constant promises to overhaul the system and fast-track investment. Utility Week explores the barriers holding up the planning process and looks at whether proposed changes will make a difference.

Electricity market review risks investment hiatus

Planning review fails to remove onshore wind blocks

Onshore wind developers will be extremely reluctant to consider any investment in England unless the government goes further on its commitment to ease planning rules for the sector, Energy UK (EUK) has warned. The energy umbrella body says proposed changes do "not go far enough to provide the step change required to unlock the opportunities for onshore wind in England".

Centrica unveils offshore hydrogen production plans

SSE Renewables’ greener energy journey  

Risk renewables developers may shun CfD auction

Increasing capital costs associated with renewable energy projects risks making some schemes financially unviable. The warning comes following the announcement that the government has set a budget of £205 million for the first annual Contracts for Difference (CfD) allocation round.

CfD budget ‘sends the wrong investment signals’

First Celtic Sea floating wind project wins planning consent

MPs hail Welsh floating offshore wind bonanza

Floating offshore wind power offers potentially the ‘single biggest investment opportunity’ for Wales in ‘decades’ but the government must give the fledgling sector greater certainty, according to a cross-party group of MPs.

Hornsea Three risks being paused without subsidies

Plans for the world’s largest offshore windfarm are at risk of being shelved without government support. Duncan Clark, head of Ørsted UK & Ireland, called on the government to announce subsidies in the upcoming Budget to help renewable energy project developers mitigate rising construction costs.

New planning rules fail to reverse onshore wind ‘ban’

New government planning rules do almost nothing to reverse the de facto ban on onshore wind power in England and are in direct conflict with the government’s push to decarbonise the grid by 2035, RenewableUK has warned.

Renewables power generation outstripped gas over winter

National Grid ‘inching closer’ to zero fossil fuels target

National Grid is “inching close” to its 2025 goal to run the entire power system without fossil fuels, according to analysis from Imperial College London for Drax Electric Insights. The conclusion comes after Britain broke the record for “greening its grid” after producing 100% clean electricity for 25 hours in December, the longest period on record.