The UK’s wind farms generated more than 20 gigawatts (GW) of electricity for the first time in history on 30 December 2022, setting a new record for the third time in the year.
According to data from National Grid ESO, the UK’s onshore and offshore wind turbines produced 20.91 GW of power between 6 and 6.30 pm, providing 53% of the UK’s electricity during that half-hour period. Low-carbon sources, including wind, solar, nuclear, hydro, and storage, supplied 70% of the total power.
The record was achieved despite a period of low wind in early December, which reduced the output of wind farms to near zero and increased the reliance on gas-fired generation. The record also came amid a natural gas supply crunch following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which caused a spike in energy prices and raised the risk of power cuts in the UK.
The record demonstrated the potential of wind power to provide cheap, clean, and secure energy for the UK, especially as the country aims to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The UK has the largest offshore wind capacity in the world, with over 10 GW installed, and plans to increase it to 40 GW by 2030. The UK also has significant onshore wind potential, with over 13 GW installed, but faces planning and policy barriers that limit its expansion.
Also highlighted the need for more investment in wind power, as well as grid infrastructure, energy storage, and demand-side management, to cope with the variability and intermittency of wind generation. The UK government is expected to lift a moratorium on new onshore wind projects and launch a consultation on the matter by March 2023.
The UK wind industry is supported by various schemes, such as the Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions, the Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROC) system, and the Feed-in Tariffs (FiT) program. The UK wind industry also faces various challenges, such as grid congestion, curtailment, transmission charges, environmental impacts, and public acceptance.
The UK wind industry contributes to the UK economy, creating jobs, revenues, and exports, as well as supporting innovation, research, and development. The UK wind industry is part of a global wind market, which is expected to grow from 743 GW in 2022 to over 2,000 GW by 2030, driven by the demand for clean and affordable energy. The UK wind industry is also part of the UK’s wider energy transition, which involves increasing the share of renewables, electrifying transport and heating, and developing hydrogen and carbon capture technologies.
