by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
· 5 gigawatts of installed wind capacity in the UK
· UK wind energy now providing enough electricity for close to 3 million homes
· Delivery accelerates – 5th GW installed in less than 12 months
The wind energy industry in the UK has recently been celebrating a milestone of 5GW of installed wind energy capacity, which is enough to supply close to 3 million homes with electricity on an annual basis.
The 5GW landmark has been achieved by the commissioning of two major wind farm developments in September – Vattenfall’s 300 megawatt (MW) Thanet offshore wind farm, the world’s biggest, which comes on-stream today and the expansion of Fred.Olsen Renewables’ Crystal Rig 200MW onshore wind farm in the Scottish Borders in early September.
RenewableUK Chief Executive Maria McCaffery MBE, said: “Five gigawatts is an important milestone for two reasons: it takes us within reach of our 2010 targets on renewable electricity, while proving that each successive gigawatt takes less and less time to deploy. Renewable energy generally and wind energy in particular is not alternative energy any longer - it is absolutely mainstream.”
Øystein Løseth, President and CEO of Vattenfall, said: “Today we are proud to launch Thanet offshore wind farm, the world’s largest operating offshore wind farm. We are pleased that our investment is making a substantial contribution to the delivery of UK renewable energy objectives and to the Isle of Thanet economy. Vattenfall is working hard to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions from its operations, and projects like Thanet Offshore Wind Farm are a cornerstone of delivery.”
Nick Emery, UK Managing Director for Fred.Olsen Renewables, said: “The opening of Crystal Rig II demonstrates that onshore projects can, and must, continue to make a major contribution in helping the UK meet its renewable energy targets. While Scottish and UK governments have provided the policy to facilitate development, Crystal Rig II demonstrates that large-scale projects onshore are only achievable through appropriate site selection and a robust consultation, project management and planning process. We are delighted that the opening of our flagship project helps the UK renewable energy sector mark this significant milestone.”
The UK currently has nearly 18GW of wind capacity either consented, in construction or in the planning system in addition to 5GW in operation.
Christoph Ehlers, Managing Director of Siemens Wind Power UK, who manufacture many of the turbines for the UK market said: "Reaching the 5GW milestone is a great achievement for the UK wind industry. Siemens is proud to have played a major part in this. The latest wind turbine installation at Crystal Rig II in Scotland brings our total capacity to well over the 2GW mark. We have helped lay the foundation for further contribution to the achievement of the UK's 2020 carbon reduction and energy security targets. We are very positive about the prospects for the industry."
Maria McCaffery added: “Today’s developments are of tremendous significance for meeting our long term renewable energy targets. In 2002 the UK was generating around 2% of all electricity from renewables. We are now on the threshold of 10%, having increased outputs five fold. This demonstrates that, considering the current pipeline of projects, 2020 targets are realistic and achievable, provided the policies are in place.”
In the Renewable Energy Strategy published in 2009, the Government outlined a scenario for the UK to reach around 30% of electricity from wind by 2020 in order to meet EU targets on reducing carbon emissions.
The issue, as far as I am concerned. Is that we are still thinking gigantic wind farms rather than small wind which can be generated on every roof in the country the power of which will be in direct current and in the 12volts range which could then used to charge large lead-acid batteries to store the power for use later, so to speak.
Wind farms of the current size and type create high voltage electricity which must be used immediately and when the wind is not blowing there is no production and no electricity.
Small is beautiful should be the watchword here as well and our energy security, especially for a world after cheap oil, depends on wind and solar on every roof and small CHP plants on every city block.
So far, however, neither the wind power folks nor the powers that be get the idea and the message as to how we need to do things in order for us to have an energy future. When the cheap oil is gone and renewables have to bring in every bit of electricity we will be in deep trouble if we do not have ways and means of storing the power for use when the wind does not blow or the sun has gone to bed.
While it is admirable that the UK is more or less becoming a world leader in wind power generation from the huge turbines we must become the leader in small wind on every roof if we want to be able to make it.
© 2010
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