The UK’s department of energy and climate change (DECC) published its 2013 energy statistics showing a 27 per cent increase in onshore wind capacity (1.6 GW), a 23 per cent increase in offshore wind capacity (0.7 GW) and a 59 per cent (1 GW) increase in solar photovoltaic capacity.
DECC secretary of state Ed Davey welcomed the statistics as evidence that Government’s drive to bring forward increased renewbales investment “is paying off”.
“Renewable electricity has more than doubled in just four years – with around 15 per cent of Britain’s electricity already coming from clean renewable sources like wind, solar and hydro,” he said.
DECC added that the load factor for onshore and offshore wind farms was 37.5 per cent and 27.9 per cent respectively, compared to gas-fired power plants which reached a load factor of just 26.9 per cent.
Load factors for combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) were capped over the year as wholesale prices for gas held to elevated levels following the complete depletion of domestic gas storage stocks in May 2013. Demand for storage injection kept the price of gas at similar levels to those seen in colder months throughout the summer, limiting the use of gas-fired power in favour of cheaper coal-burn.
The DECC statistics show gas accounted for 27 per cent of electricity supplied in 2013, against 28 per cent the year before although coal-fired power was also lower on the year falling from 29 per cent in 2012 to 26 per cent in 2013.
However, in the first quarter of this year coal-fired power rose above its 2013 average to 37.1 per cent while gas-fired power in the first quarter was lower than the 2013 average at 23.4 per cent.
The share of renewable energy was even stronger than the 15 percent over 2013 at almost 19.5 per cent in the first quarter of this year. DECC attributed this trend to increased wind generation capacity as well stronger wind speeds and rainfall.
The director of policy for renewables lobby group Renewable UK Gordon Edge said the government’s statistics should encourage more political support.
“This abundance of excellent statistics should make those in Government who have failed to support wind energy sit up and take notice. More than half of Britain’s clean electricity now comes from onshore and offshore wind. We’re now on course to hit 10% of electricity from wind alone this year,” he said.