Wind power could be supplying one in ten UK homes by 2020 as the second largest electricity source after gas according to RenewableUK.
New figures from the trade association out yesterday in its State of the Industry report launched at its annual conference in Glasgow indicate that installed wind power capacity in 2011/12 was up by a quarter or 1825 MW.
For the first time in five years, says RenewableUK, onshore wind capacity approvals are up – for small schemes less than 50 MW approvals have risen from 25% to 40%, while overall consented capacity so far this year totals over 1700 MW, up 50% on last year.
And offshore the story is similar, with investment rising by 60% to reach £1.5 billion in a single year.
At the current rate, the UK will have 13.5 GW of wind capacity in operation by the end of 2014. And with the country now getting more than 10% of its electricity supply from renewables, the UK is at least on the right path to achieving its target of 15% of all energy from renewables by 2020.
“We have taken significant strides forward,” says RenewableUK chief executive Maria McCaffery. “These strong figures underline the importance of a secure trading climate to attract investment, especially in difficult times. That’s why it’s so important that the framework provided by the Energy Bill, currently under parliamentary scrutiny, must be right.”
For further information:
www.renewableuk.com
Related stories:
London Array turbines start turning (30-Oct)
Sheringham Shoal offshore wind farm takes UK capacity to 2.5 GW (1-Oct)
UK wind power sets new record high of 4 GW (14-Sept)
Article source: http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/i/5500/
