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Update: Wind Energy in the UK
The third Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report presented in Bangkok cited that wind energy is one of the key technologies available to avoid climate change. None more so is this true in the United Kingdom which harnesses 40% of the total wind energy of Europe. At the beginning of February, the UK surpassed the 2GW milestone, for the total installed capacity nationwide, this was met with the opening of Braes O'Doune wind farm near Stirling, and worldwide capacity has increased to 75GW, about 1% of total worldwide electricity generation.
Whilst the UK has such potential for wind energy it is falling far behind that of other European countries, such as Germany and Spain which currently have install capacities of 20.6GW and 11.6GW.
Wind power as a renewable energy source, is also a clean energy source. In the production of electricity it generates no emissions. In comparison fossil fuel plants emit carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, mercury, particulates, or any other type of air pollution.
Some argue that wind turbines generate a large amount of emissions through construction, whilst this is true, similarly other types of energy plants would also emit emissions through construction. One study has concluded that the net energy gain (energy return on investment or EROI) to be from 17 to 39 times the energy invested through manufacture, installation, operation and decommissioning for a wind turbine. A similar Danish study suggested the payback ratio could be as high as 80 times, resulting in a wind turbine paying off its energy debt within 3 months. In comparison coal power plants, and nuclear power plants offer energy payback ratios of 11 and 16 times respectively.
Not only is the wind turbines safe for birds, and humans, with 50,000 machines installed around the world, no member of the public has ever been harmed by operating wind turbines. There is however a but, or a bat, some near-shore sites may be particularly hazardous to local bat populations and more research is urgently needed.
With little objection to wind farms in general, and most new farms taking advantage of the benefit of being sited off shore, which offers 90% greater energy output. In the past year the number of planning applications for wind farms has exploded. On Wednesday plans were unveiled for the world's largest off shore wind farm off the coast of Devon. If the plans get the go ahead the £3bn Atlantic Array scheme will have 350 turbines and generate enough clean energy to power more than 1,000,000 homes. Reducing carbon emissions by 2.3 million tonnes per year.
Farm Energy is the Devon-based company behind the scheme, originating from the London Array project in the Thames Estuary, currently the world's largest offshore wind scheme, which received offshore consents from the DTI and Defra in December 2006.
With the continued investment and the potential of wind energy in the UK, we will continue to see more developments like that of the Alantic Array and London Array as a way of meeting our energy needs for the future and also reducing our overall emissions.
If you want to convert to green energy from your supplier (it might even be free) visit Carbon Free Electricity.
Whilst the UK has such potential for wind energy it is falling far behind that of other European countries, such as Germany and Spain which currently have install capacities of 20.6GW and 11.6GW.
"It is sometimes said that wind energy, for example, does not reduce carbon dioxide emissions because the intermittent nature of its output means it needs to be backed up by fossil fuel plant. Wind turbines do not displace fossil generating capacity on a one-for-one basis. But it is unambiguously the case that wind energy can displace fossil fuel-based generation, reducing both fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions"
The Costs and Impacts of Intermittency, UK Energy Research Council, March 2006
Wind power as a renewable energy source, is also a clean energy source. In the production of electricity it generates no emissions. In comparison fossil fuel plants emit carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, mercury, particulates, or any other type of air pollution.
Some argue that wind turbines generate a large amount of emissions through construction, whilst this is true, similarly other types of energy plants would also emit emissions through construction. One study has concluded that the net energy gain (energy return on investment or EROI) to be from 17 to 39 times the energy invested through manufacture, installation, operation and decommissioning for a wind turbine. A similar Danish study suggested the payback ratio could be as high as 80 times, resulting in a wind turbine paying off its energy debt within 3 months. In comparison coal power plants, and nuclear power plants offer energy payback ratios of 11 and 16 times respectively.
"The available evidence suggests that appropriately positioned wind farms do not pose a significant hazard for birds"
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Not only is the wind turbines safe for birds, and humans, with 50,000 machines installed around the world, no member of the public has ever been harmed by operating wind turbines. There is however a but, or a bat, some near-shore sites may be particularly hazardous to local bat populations and more research is urgently needed.
With little objection to wind farms in general, and most new farms taking advantage of the benefit of being sited off shore, which offers 90% greater energy output. In the past year the number of planning applications for wind farms has exploded. On Wednesday plans were unveiled for the world's largest off shore wind farm off the coast of Devon. If the plans get the go ahead the £3bn Atlantic Array scheme will have 350 turbines and generate enough clean energy to power more than 1,000,000 homes. Reducing carbon emissions by 2.3 million tonnes per year.
Farm Energy is the Devon-based company behind the scheme, originating from the London Array project in the Thames Estuary, currently the world's largest offshore wind scheme, which received offshore consents from the DTI and Defra in December 2006.
"Atlantic Array is a game-changing proposal which will have a major influence on the Government's thinking on the best areas for offshore wind, currently assumed to be shallow water off the East of England coast and in the Irish Sea"
Matthew Spencer, Chief Executive, Regen SW
With the continued investment and the potential of wind energy in the UK, we will continue to see more developments like that of the Alantic Array and London Array as a way of meeting our energy needs for the future and also reducing our overall emissions.
If you want to convert to green energy from your supplier (it might even be free) visit Carbon Free Electricity.
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