UK has 33 GW of onshore wind projects - RenewableUK

The UK’s total pipeline of onshore wind projects in operation, under construction, consented or in planning has increased to almost 33 GW from 30 GW a year ago, RenewableUK said last week.

The UK currently has 13.9 GW of operating onshore wind turbines. According to the industry group’s latest Onshore Wind Project Intelligence report, it would reach 30 GW by 2030, if all projects in the current pipeline were to proceed.

RenewableUK’s recent Onshore Wind Prospectus shows that the UK is now consenting just over 600 MW a year, while the figure should be reaching 1,250 MW a year for the country to meet the target set by the Climate Change Committee of 35 GW by 2035.

“As our latest Onshore Wind Project Intelligence report shows, we have a pipeline of projects which can help the UK to reach net zero as fast as possible – and at the lowest cost to consumers, as this is one of the cheapest ways to generate new power,” said RenewableUK’s chief executive Dan McGrail.

“But to achieve this we need planning systems in place in all four UK nations which reflect the consistently high level of public support for this technology and allow projects to go ahead where they have a majority of local support,” added McGrail. He said this should include encouraging the repowering of older onshore wind projects and called for moving to annual auctions for contracts for difference (CfDs) from holding auctions every two years.

Earlier in October, the UK government committed to decarbonise the UK’s electricity system by 2035. This month it also released a Net Zero Strategy setting out the pathway to reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

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