Environment
The UK just set a landmark wind energy generation record
The UK’s onshore and offshore wind farms generated more than 20 gigawatts (GW) for the first time yesterday, setting a new record, according to National Grid ESO.
Renewables trade association RenewableUK reports today that it’s the second wind energy generation record to be set within the space of a week.
UK wind generation set the record during the half-hour period from noon to 12:30 p.m., when it reached 20,896 megawatts (MW) – providing an impressive 53% of the UK’s electricity.
And in more good news, National Grid ESO reported that yesterday, wind, solar, nuclear, hydro, and storage – all low emissions sources – provided 70% of the UK’s electricity overall.
Yesterday’s wind generation record broke the previous record set just a week earlier, on October 26 between 11:30 a.m. and noon, when it reached 19,936 GW.
It’s welcome news as the UK heads into winter and faces a natural gas supply crunch following Russia’s supply cut following its invasion of Ukraine.
RenewableUK’s chief executive Dan McGrail said:
Generating more than 20 GW of electricity for the first time represents a new milestone for wind energy in Britain. The fact that we’ve smashed the last record within the space of a week shows that wind is consistently generating vast amounts of clean power and becoming the backbone of our modern energy system.
This benefits hard-pressed bill payers too, because wind has become the UK’s cheapest source of new power. It’s also strengthening our energy security at a time when generating our own electricity from home-grown sources has become vitally important.
Although the latest statistics reflect a new electricity generation record, the highest percentage of electricity generated from wind in a half-hour period in the UK is 64% on January 29, 2022.
Read more: Check out London’s new electric tram-buses that charge in only 10 minutes
Photo: “Early Morning Cornwall” by Tony Armstrong-Sly is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.
