New official statistics have shown that 2015 was a record year for wind energy generation in the UK.
According to official figures provided by National Grid, and analysed by the country’s wind and marine renewable energy trade body, RenewableUK, 2015 saw onshore and offshore wind farms supply their largest ever amounts of clean energy to UK homes, businesses, and factories.
Specifically, 11% of the UK’s electricity was generated by wind — up fro 9.5% in 2014.
“This is a great way to start the new year – the wind industry can be proud that it has shattered weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual generation records in 2015,” said Dr Gordon Edge, RenewableUK’s Director of Policy. “This re-writes the record books. We’ve had a bumper harvest thanks to increased deployment and superb wind speeds.”
Wind-generated electricity met the annual needs of more than 8.25 million UK homes in 2015, more than 30% of the region, up from 6.7 million the year before.
The yearly records were helped along by several records met in December. December 2015 saw another new monthly record set, with wind supplying 17% (up from 14% set in January, 2015) of the UK’s electricity demand — a time of year when it is needed most, heading into winter and holidays. December also housed a new weekly record, with wind providing 20% of the region’s needs in the last week of the month, including Christmas Day. Finally, wind also broke the quarterly generation record in the three-month period ending in December, accounting for 13% of the nation’s electricity demand over the period.
“It also demonstrates why the Government should continue to support wind energy, as we’re delivering on our commitment to keep Britain powered up,” added Dr Edge, continuing the long-running campaign of informing the UK Government of the many benefits wind has, and why support should be maintained. “We can continue to increase the proportion of the nation’s electricity which we provide as we move away from fossil fuels to clean sources of power”.
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