LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

End of life onshore wind farms must be ‘re-powered’, finds report 

Credit:  Written by David McPhee | Aberdeen Journals LTD | 27/03/2018 | www.energyvoice.com ~~

A report by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) has found that re-powering UK onshore wind sites built at the turn of the millennium could build on current capacity, yielding a net increase of 1.3GW, enough to power 800,000 homes.

The report finds that many wind farms face either being dismantled or upgraded.

The ECIU study concluded that upgrading preexisting sites could save more than £77million per year “compared with obtaining [energy] from gas-fired power stations” and would bring down energy bills as well as “reducing carbon emissions and dependence on imports fossil fuels”.

The ECIU said building on existing sites could be achieved “without the need to develop new sites, and via subsidy-free contracts”.

Fabrice Leveque, senior policy manager of Scottish Renewables, said: “This report demonstrates the potential for repowering of Scotland’s fleet of onshore wind turbines, and specifically the £77 million per year which doing so would save compared with obtaining electricity from gas.

“Our onshore wind farms deliver 8,000 jobs, £12 million a year in community benefit payments, and considerable economic benefits to Scotland. As the oldest of them begin to approach the end of their operational life government and industry must work together to ensure those benefits are secure.

“The UK Government’s own figures show onshore wind is the cheapest form of new electricity generation, and that Scotland’s onshore wind sector is worth in excess of £1.5 billion a year to the Scottish economy.”

The report also finds that a re-powering upgrade would also heavily benefit the UK supply chain, boosting a demand for “high quality steel”, and benefit local communities via developer payments to the tune of £100million and cheaper electricity.

Emma Pinchbeck, RenewableUK’s executive director, said: “Repowering onshore wind projects with modern, ultra-efficient turbines provides benefits to consumers by delivering electricity cheaper than any other technology. If new and re-powered onshore projects are allowed to compete for power contracts, they can generate low-cost, subsidy-free electricity.

“As this report shows, the onshore wind industry’s supply chain offers industrial benefits to sectors such as the UK’s steel industry producing high-quality material for turbine towers. But onshore wind still needs a route to market, so it’s encouraging to see Ministers examining possible ways forward for this technology, which has consistently enjoyed a high level of public support”.

Source:  Written by David McPhee | Aberdeen Journals LTD | 27/03/2018 | www.energyvoice.com

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon