Friday 10 September 2010

Wind power generates almost 10% of the UK's power

Earlier this week the amount of UK energy generated from wind power came
closing to 10% of the total output.

According to data from the National Grid, production of electricity from
wind reached the marker on Monday (September 6) At the peak time of 8.30pm on Monday 1860MW was being generated - largely
from Scotland - accounting for 4.7% of total generation at the time. If, according to the National Gird, wind power directly feeding into the low
voltage local electricity networks by smaller wind farms is taken into
account wind generated about 10% of Britain's power during the 24 hour
period. RenewableUK chief executive, Maria McCaffery, said: "We are expecting to see
the contribution of electricity from wind gradually increase over the next
decade, to around 30% of the UK's total consumption. "This news confirms that not only are the wind farms we have built so far
starting to deliver, but that UK wind farm electricity yields are the best
in Europe, and comparable with established technologies such as hydro. "These figures underpin the strong contention that renewable energy - and
wind energy in particular - is no longer alternative. It is on the scale and
growing rapidly." The UK currently has 4,616.05MW of installed wind energy across 263 wind
farms, with a further 2,716MW in construction and 6,126MW with planning
consent. The industry has highlighted that added together this represents 13.5GW
about to come on stream in the next few years. A further 10GW of wind energy projects in the planning system awaits
determination. "If we added together all the wind energy projects in planning to the
projects already existing and about to come on stream, we would be
three-quarters of the way to reaching our 2020 targets. "If we count in the tremendous potential of offshore wind, the plan of
turning UK into a net energy exporter does not seem unlikely. "Reaching our targets and unleashing the colossal opportunities wind energy
brings to the UK is perfectly achievable," added Ms McCaffery. http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?id=18678

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