COMMENTS 5
UK windfarms produce more power than the country’s 8 nuclear plants
Aidan Turnbull Editor
first time wind power has overtaken nuclear for a sustained length of time, suggesting that the UK could one day be operating a National Grid powered by cheap, domestic green energy. Across the first quarter of 2018, wind power produced 18.8%
I
of electricity, second only to gas, reveals a report by researchers at the UK’s Imperial College London. At one point overnight on 17th March, 2018, wind turbines
briefly provided around 50% of the UK’s electricity. Wind power helped during cold periods, too, supplying 12-43% of electricity during the six subzero days in the first three months of the year. Dr Rob Gross, one of the authors of the Drax Electric Insights
report, said: “There’s no sign of a limit to what we’re able to do with wind in the near future.” In December 2017, a new power cable - the Western Link -
between Scotland and north Wales was also brought online, while also helped to transfer electricity from Scottish windfarms, some of which would normally be turned off to help National Grid to cope with its load. Last year, National Grid and ScottishPower Transmission
completed a joint venture to build the Western Link, a £1 billion project designed to bring renewable energy from Scotland to homes and businesses in Wales and England. Construction has been carried out by a consortium of
Siemens and Prysmian. Worldwide Independent Power
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n the first three months of 2018, the UK’s windfarms produced more electricity than the country’s eight nuclear power stations. This is a real milestone - it’s the
The Western Link project includes direct current subsea and
underground cables. Elsewhere in the UK, electricity is transmitted by alternating current. The Western Link project therefore incorporates a converter station at each end of the link to change the electricity from direct current to alternating current to enable it to be used within the existing electricity transmission system. The experts suggest that the Western Link connection has
drastically cut the amount of money paid by National Grid to windfarm owners for that curtailment. The company paid £100m in 2017 for curtailment. This year payments are already down by two-thirds. Emma Pinchbeck, the executive director at industry group
RenewableUK, said: “It is great news for everyone that rather than turning turbines off to manage our ageing grid, the new cable instead will make best use of wind energy.”
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