December 8, 2006
U.K.
U.K.
Some onshore windfarms are falling woefully short of their electricity generating targets, throwing into doubt Government targets of having about 15% of the nation’s energy coming from wind by 2020.
Research by the Renewable Energy Foundation (REF) found onshore windfarms in remote locations only are generating above expectation – typically in the north of Scotland where the cost of linking to the National Grid is far greater.
The research found that windfarms in urban areas are producing as little as 9% of their installed capacity – the wind turbines at Dagenham, Essex, are running at just 19% of capacity.
The REF believes this shows the Government should be pushing investment to other low-carbon sources such as hydro, biomass and landfill gas. ‘Wind has a place but it must not be allowed to squeeze out other technologies,’ said REF chief executive Campbell Dunford.
The report comes as E.On said today it has the go-ahead for a £325m. 60-turbine windfarm in the Solway Firth.
Evening Standard
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/12/08/windfarms-wide-of-generating-targets/