Wind farms set new record

Wind farms generated more than 10GW of electricity for the first time yesterday (17 January), setting a new record.

Wind’s contribution to total output peaked at 29 per cent, just behind gas on 33.7 per cent, according to Electric Insights website.

The high level of generation reflected a combination of high wind speeds and the increased amount of wind farm capacity on the system.

Wind speeds of more than 80kph were recorded yesterday and have continued into today (18 January) across much of the rest of the UK as Storm Ffion has swept in from the Atlantic Ocean.

Dr Jonathan Marshall, energy analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said: “Breaking short-term output records on top of monthly and annual figures clearly shows that wind is now a major part of the UK electricity mix, and will continue to be in the future. Claims that the grid would be unable to handle 5,10 or 20 per cent wind power have been shown to be well wide of the mark.

“Possessing some of the windiest regions in Europe, the UK is poised to lead its peers in wind generation. Analysis has shown a UK resource of nearly 500 TWh per year, more than a third more than current annual power consumption. The government has shown its willingness to install new capacity offshore, but is lagging on onshore wind as other countries move ahead, and as its official advisors call for barriers preventing the cheapest form of electricity generation to be removed.

“The opening of new infrastructure to transport power south from the windy hills of Scotland is ramping up – and will help to reduce the whole system cost of wind – while technologies to manage variable output are rapidly becoming cheaper.

The winds also caused widespread disruption to the electricity network in East Anglia where more than 5,000 customers were hit by power cuts in the Great Yarmouth area.