UK wind breaks generation records in December

• 10 years ago (2014-01-08)
• Junior Isles

Europe 1061 Renewables 752

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The UK’s wind sector set three generation records in December 2013, with new highs for total generation in a month, seven-days, and a single day.

Data released by trade association RenewableUK showed that 2 841 080 MWh of electricity was generated by wind energy projects during December, supplying around 10 per cent total power demand in the month and breaking the previous generation record from October 2013.

The seven-day generation record was broken between December 16th and 22nd, with turbines generating 783 886 MWh of electricity and providing 13 per cent of total power demand over that period.

The new single-day generation record was set on December 21, 2013 to fall, with wind energy projects generating 132 812 MWh and supplying 13 per cent of daily demand.

The Deputy Chief Executive of RenewableUK, Maf Smith, praised the new milestones.

“This is a towering achievement for the British wind energy industry. It provides cast-iron proof that the direction of travel away from dirty fossil fuels to clean renewable sources is unstoppable”, he said in a statement.

RenewableUK’s data also sheds light on why the records have tumbled, with installed wind capacity increasing by 40 per cent over the period of July 2012 to June 2013 to 9710 MW, and again rising to 10 210 MW by the turn of December 2013.

For the first time, the UK also installed more offshore wind capacity than onshore between July 2012 and June 2013. Offshore wind energy capacity grew by 79 per cent over this single year.