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UK
Wind - 2GW by 2005?
The British Wind Energy Association
(BWEA) has predicted that the UK will have 2005 megawatts of wind
energy operating by the end of 2005, producing almost 1.6% of the
total electricity supply of the UK. According to the BWEA, there is
already 409MW of wind energy capacity installed, including 3.8MW from
the UK’s first offshore wind farm. A further 119MW is expected
to be commissioned by the end of 2001. This leaves around 1500MW of
new capacity to be installed in four years.
Most of BWEA’s 2005 target is likely
to be met by the emerging offshore wind energy industry. The Crown Estate
is expected to announce leased sites totalling around 1000MW shortly,
the projects to be installed by summer 2005. A further 500MW could come
from the deployment of existing Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation contracts-
almost 2000MW of wind power awarded under the last three NFFO rounds
have yet to be built.
BWEA Chief Executive Nick Goodall said he
was encouraged by the Government’s recent announcement that ‘frustrated
NFFO developments may now be eligible to be relocated’. However,
he warned that progress will still need to be made in other key policy
areas if the UK is to meet it’s targets on climate change mitigation,
notably the establishment of regional planning targets for renewable
energy, together with appropriate measures to reinforce their adoption.
Source: www.futurenergies.com/www.bwea.com
* The DTI ‘high wind’ scenario
for 2010 envisages 2000MW from offshore developments. The total world
wind capacity is now over 16.5 GW. That’s not surprising given
that prices are continuing to move downward - according to an American
Wind Energy Association report comparing wind's costs with other electricity
sources. See http://www.awea.org/pubs/factsheets.html
.. but Objections Grow
Although the BWEA are optimistic about the
prospects for wind, on the ground things are a little less easy. As
the new Royal Society/ Royal Academy of Engineering report ‘Nuclear
Energy - the Future Climate’ noted, by 1994 the level of successful
planning objections to windfarms in the UK was equal to the number of
successful installations, and since then the balance has tipped in favour
of the objectors. Interestingly though, although it is generally pro-nuclear
, the Royal Society /RAE report does not side with the wind objectors-
it’s also pro-renewables. Even so, the bulk of the funding it proposes
(£450m p.a. in the UK, £25bn globally) is biased towards nuclear. See
Groups and Reviews for analysis of the report.
A case in point: the MOD have objected
to an 80 MW wind farm proposed by Ecogen at Tynedale in Northumbria,
since they claim there could be problems with low flying military training
runs, radar interference in particular. A bad precedent. After all,
shouldn’t pilots learn to deal with windfarms as they spread in
the UK- and across the world? But sadly, after having spent 7 years
in the planning system, and despite having received overwhelming support,
the DTI upheld the objection, so, unless an appeal for a review succeeds,
it’s off the agenda.
See http://www.ecogen.co.uk
and for the MOD view: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200001/cmhansrd/cm010322/text/10322w05.htm#10322w05.html_sbhd2
UK Offshore Wind rush
More details of some of the UK’s 18
proposed offshore wind farms have now emerged, with hopes now
being high that some at least will succeed in getting through the next
stage of the consents procedure - which, amongst other things, involves
producing environmental impact statements. Local impacts are seen as
likely to be small: see our Technology section for DEWI’s survey
for Greenpeace. Moreover, since they are offshore, they do not fall
under the Town and Country planning rules, so there is no opportunity
for conventional planning inquiries. That, and the DTI’s new streamlined
one-stop consents procedure, should speed things along - Country Guardian
permitting (see Groups for their views of offshore wind).
For an overview of current progress,
see www.offshorewindfarms.co.uk
Powergen: Scroby Sands
Powergen Renewables Offshore Wind Limited
have heralded their proposed windfarm on Scroby Sands, near Great Yarmouth,
as likely to be the UK’s ‘first major off-shore wind farm’,
presumably because it’s the largest of the 18 proposed and planning
is furthest advanced - it has been in development since the mid 1990s.
An anemometer to assess wind characteristics was erected in1995 and
since then extensive work has been undertaken to progress the plans
including technological and environmental studies.
The proposed £70 million wind farm will be
on Middle Scroby Sands, around 3km off the coast and would ultimately
comprise 38 turbines, each of 2 MW output. Each of the turbines will
be around 300 ft tall to the tip of the blades. The site developers
are Powergen Renewables Offshore Wind Limited and Vestas, the world-leading,
Danish wind turbine manufacturer. The wind farm would, they say, generate
enough electricity to power around 52,000 homes.
* Powergen Renewables and Vestas were also
involved in the UK’s first offshore windfarm at Blyth, Northumberland,
which comprises two 2MW turbines , and was officially opened in December,
2000.
Web sites: www.powergenrenewables.com;
www.abbotgroup.com
BE and RES: Skegness
Renewable Energy Systems Limited and British
Energy’s proposed wind farm is off the coast of Lincolnshire, near
Skegness. It will, they say, generate enough electricity for over
60,000 homes, supplying power to Skegness and all surrounding towns
and villages, and will save around 240,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas
emissions every year. This is the first project planned by Offshore
Wind Power Limited, the new joint venture between RES and British Energy
(see Renew 131).
The project will consist of 30 windturbines,
with the nearest approximately 5 kilometres from the shore.
Each turbine will generate 2 to 3 MW of electricity and will be around
80 metres high with 45 metre blades. The development is expected
to bring economic benefits to Skegness and the surrounding area, with
the creation of local jobs in maintenance and operation. Peter Hollins,
Chief Executive of British Energy said; "Generating electricity
from wind energy will add to the enormous contribution our nuclear power
stations already make towards the UK achieving and maintaining its climate
change commitments."
The company says that it is ‘keen
to involve local people in the planning process and have begun discussions
with interested organisations, such as wildlife and environment groups,
representatives of the fishing industry, the local authority and local
businesses’, and is pleased with the positive response
so far.
Although the consenting process for the wind
farm is still being decided, RES and British Energy will embark shortly
on a comprehensive consultation process with local organisations and
members of the public, and will also be conducting a thorough Environmental
Assessment in order to address any potential effects on the local environment.
Info from www.British Energy.com
www.RES-ltd.com
Scottish Offshore?
Just in case you were wondering why all
the offshore wind farm sites were south of the border, although Scotland
has higher wind speeds, it seems that, compared to England and Wales,
proportionately fewer sites in Scotland are currently suitable for offshore
developments of this kind due to unfavourably steep angles of shelve
from the coastline. But on-land wind is now very cheap and is thriving
in Scotland- helping Scotland to thrive too. Scottish Power is the UK’s
largest wind power developer, while Scottish and Southern are the UK’s
largest renewable generator. And next comes wave power...
Sainsbury go for Wind
Not content with the two small wind turbines
at its retail outlet near the Millennium Dome, J Sainsbury Plc is using
wind power at one of its Scottish distribution depots, in a move that
could be duplicated at some of the store's other sites. "Renewable
energy will play a growing part in Sainsbury’s energy programme
in the future", Sainsbury director Ian Coull told Reuters. He added
that the Merchant Wind Power project at Langlands Park, East Kilbride
has "many unique features and it will enable us to investigate
the potential of wind power without relying on government subsidy and
without paying more for our electricity."
Merchant Wind Power is an initiative launched
by green energy company Next Generation, who build and operate wind
turbines and sell the electricity - which it calls ecotricity. A 65-metre
(213-ft) high 600 - kilowatt turbine is being built by Next Generation
at the East Kilbride depot and will start producing electricity for
the retailer on March 30. The wind turbine will generate around a
third of the energy required at the depot, which operates 24 hours
a day serving 33 stores in Scotland, Ireland and England.
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