The UK’s onshore and offshore wind farms set a new output record yesterday, passing the 10,000MW mark for the first time, according to new figures from National Grid.
The record of 10,104MW was achieved between 2pm and 2.30pm yesterday, as wind farms delivered 23 per cent of Britain’s total electricity demand.
The performance was hailed by trade body RenewableUK as an early “Christmas clean energy bonus”.
“It’s terrific to see wind power smashing another record,” said RenewableUK executive director Emma Pinchbeck in a statement. “It shows that wind is playing an increasingly central role as a reliable part of our new modern energy system. As we install more wind power, more records will tumble. This is a Christmas clean energy bonus – not just for the renewable energy sector, but for all of us.”
2016 is poised to see a series of records set for renewable power output and its share of the energy mix, following a surge in solar development earlier in the year and the completion of a number of large scale biomass and wind power projects.
Earlier this year coal was forced off the grid for the first time since the industrial revolution, while the wind industry is confident a series of new records could be set this winter.
Critics of renewable energy have argued the growing reliance on intermittent sources of energy has increased pressure on the grid and pushed up energy bills.
But last month Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said concerns about the impact of intermittent renewables on the grid had been overblown, while progress in deploying smart grid and energy storage systems is expected to further ease pressure on grid operators.
The industry also maintains that the cost of renewables are falling across the board and that onshore wind farms are now the lowest cost form of new energy generation available, matching or even undercutting the cost of new gas plants.
Juliet Davenport, founder and CEO of Good Energy, said the new wind power output record was “a fantastic achievement for wind power and for renewables in the UK”.
“Wind has transformed the way the UK has sourced electricity in recent years, so this is a great cause for celebration,” she said. “This shows that the transition from big old-fashioned power stations to local, decentralised renewable sources is here. The move to a 100 per cent renewable future is possible and definitely within Britain’s grasp.”
However, the industry remains frustrated that while new offshore wind projects are in the pipeline there is currently no clear route to market for new onshore wind farms, following the government’s controversial decision to remove subsidies for the sector and erect additional planning barriers.
Source: businessgreen.com
Average Arctic sea ice extent for November was the lowest on the satellite record, reflecting unusually high air temperatures, winds from the south, and a warm ocean. Antarctic sea ice extent quickly declined in November, also setting a record low for the month – in marked contrast to recent years. For the globe as a whole, sea ice cover was exceptionally low, according to the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).
Thirty kilometres from the bustle of downtown Abu Dhabi, lies a remarkable undertaking that could one day change the environmental impact of air travel.
While energy use is commonly associated with lighting or transportation, more than half of the world’s energy consumption serves a simple function: heating things. This ranges from heating homes and buildings, to firing up industrial production, or even cooking. And because heat is mostly produced by burning fossil fuels, heat production accounts for almost half of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions.
Today, the potential for lower SWH costs lies mainly in equipment and manufacturing. These can be improved by economies of scale – for example from their use in district heating – simpler designs, development of more manufacturing capacity and use of better techniques, including automation. While the initial cost is higher than gas or electric boilers, operating costs for SWH are much lower, even when electricity is used as a backup.
The Work Programme for the provision of technical assistance to Western Balkan 6 Contracting Parties for supporting the creation of a regional electricity market was published today. It is aimed at removing the existing legislative and regulatory barriers and enhancing the institutional structures necessary for the functioning of the market in line with the Energy Community Treaty. The project “Technical Assistance to Connectivity in the Western Balkans – Component 2: Regional Energy Market” is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Energy Community Secretariat.
An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of safety experts said Italy is committed to effective nuclear regulatory oversight but faces challenges related to resources and needs to further develop policies for nuclear safety, decommissioning and managing radioactive waste.
The European Commission has launched a new database on the EU’s building stock to monitor the energy performance of buildings across Europe. The database – called the EU Building Stock Observatory – provides information on buildings’ characteristics including their construction period, energy use, onsite renewable energy and renovation rates.