UK boosts wind capacity to 9.7 GW - RenewableUK

Nov 7, 2013 - The UK installed 2,721 MW of new wind parks in the year through June 2013, boosting by 40% year-on-year the UK’s total wind capacity to 9,710 MW, according to a report by RenewableUK.

In the Wind Energy in the UK report, released Wednesday, the trade body said that the new capacity additions have brought GBP 2 billion (USD 3.2bn/EUR 2.4bn) in investment to the UK economy. For the first time the number of offshore wind installations exceeded onshore wind capacity additions.

Offshore wind power capacity jumped by the record-high 1,463 MW, or 79%, in the 12 months to 3,321 MW. During the reporting period, four large offshore wind parks were switched on -- the 500-MW Greater Gabbard, 172-MW Gunfleet Sands III, 317-MW Sheringham Shoal, and the 630-MW London Array schemes.

The country constructed 1,258 MW of new onshore wind farms in the 12 months, so Britain's total reached 6,389 MW. RenewableUK is observing a new trend in that segment -- project sizes are declining partially as a result of growth in the sub-5-MW market under the feed-in tariff (FiT) programme, lack of larger sites and developers’ responses to changes in the planning system. The number of onshore wind projects of less than 50 MW that have been consented by local authorities decreased to 68% from 72%. Some 56% of the schemes were greenlighted after appeal proceedings.

RenewableUK noted that there is a drop in confidence in the sector. Still, there is an ample pipeline of projects.

(GBP 1.0 = USD 1.608/EUR 1.189)

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