Displaying items by tag: wind farms

Wind turbines have generated more electricity than gas for the first time in the UK. Imperial College London’s research revealed that 1/3 of UK electricity came from wind farms in the first three months of 2023. National Grid also confirmed that April saw a record period of solar energy generation. By 2035 the UK aims for all electricity to have net zero emissions. There are still many hurdles to reaching a completely fossil fuel-free grid, but wind out-supplying gas for the first time is a genuine milestone event. The majority of the UK's wind power comes from offshore wind farms. Installing new onshore wind turbines has effectively been banned since 2015. Under current planning rules, companies can only apply to build onshore wind turbines on land specifically identified for development in the land-use plans drawn up by local councils.

A recent study by scientists at the University of Sussex and Denmark’s Aarhus University found that if wind farms were established on the available and appropriate land, they could meet 140% of the UK and Ireland’s energy demand. Although not all this land would be used, in the interest of preserving biodiversity, they said the research showed how much potential onshore wind has to solve the energy crisis. Also, they need not blight the most beautiful parts of England because there is plenty of room for them next to rail lines and on brownfield land. In the recent energy strategy the Government decided to keep the curbs on onshore wind introduced by David Cameron; the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said the turbines were an ‘eyesore’. Boris Johnson emphasised his support for offshore wind but did not noticeably back onshore wind farms.