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UK wind capacity surpasses gas power capacity for the first time
- 7 months ago (2023-09-14)
- David Flin
The Drax Electric Insights report from Imperial College London said that in Q2 2023, wind power generation exceeded gas power production, and that UK wind power capacity now exceeds gas power capacity.
All Energy 2024
The report stated that UK installed wind capacity in June reached 27.9 GW, compared with 27.7 GW of installed gas-fired power generation capacity.
Record levels of solar output and imports via interconnectors contributed to a 23 per cent reduction in gas-fired power generation year-on-year during Q2 2023, while coal-fired generation fell 75 per cent to its lowest level on record. As a result, carbon emissions from electricity generation fell to less than 10 million tonnes of CO2 in Q2 2023, dropping below 10 million tonnes for only the second time in record, with the only previous occasion being at the peak of the Covid-19 lockdowns.
Dr Iain Staffell of Imperial College London and lead author of the report, said: “Wind power is blowing away gas and coal from Britain’s energy mix and in just a decade, we’ve gone from relying completely on the polluting fuels of the past to embracing the clean energy technologies of the future. The shift to wind as the largest power source by capacity is a clear sign of the progress we’ve made; showing countries around the world that they can decarbonise their power grids when government and industry work together.”