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Released October 07, 2013 | GALWAY, IRELAND
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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Renewable electricity continued its rapid growth in the U.K. for the second quarter of this year despite a decrease in demand for electricity.
Renewables' share of electricity generation jumped from less than 10% in the second quarter of 2012 to 15.5% in the second quarter of 2013. This rise came despite total electricity generated falling by 2.7% to 83.0 terawatt hours (TWh), down from 85.3TWh for the same period a year ago. This the lowest second quarter level of generation in the U.K. since 1998.
The new figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) show that wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) generation rocketed almost 59% in the past year, going from 4.2TWh to 6.7 TWh, due to increased capacity. Generation from onshore wind was up 70% on the same time last year, while offshore wind recorded a jump of 51%. Nearly half of the total generation from renewables came from wind (48%).
Maf Smith, Deputy Chief Executive of RenewableUK said: "This confirms what we have been seeing for some time, which is renewables steadily becoming more important in meeting our electricity needs, and wind being responsible for the lion's share of the progress. That this period coincided with one of the coldest Springs on record means that wind was providing this power at a crucial time. The fact that we have seen the record for renewables generation broken twice in the space of a few months shows for itself the progress being made in the race to decarbonise our economy and secure our future electricity supply."
The renewable jump was also boosted by an increase in generation from Tilbury B power station.
The 1,100-megawatt (MW) Tilbury Power Station on the River Thames in Essex had operated as a coal-fired plant for most of its 46 years, but it was partially converted by RWE npower (Swindon, England) into a 750-MW biomass plant in 2011. It has been a key contributor since then to the U.K.'s renewable energy mix, accounting for 10% of the U.K.'s renewable energy in the first quarter of this year. However, in August, RWE npower announced that it would cease to operate because it failed to secure government subsidy funding.
For additional information, see August 20, 2013, article - Largest Biomass Plant in U.K. Closes.
Hydropower generation also had a strong quarter, rising 29% from 0.8TWh to 1.0TWh, due to an increase in rainfall in April and May.
Fossils fuels remained largely unchanged, but were down slightly, in the second quarter. Coal's share decreased from 36.6% to 35.0%, while the share contributed by gas-fired plants fell from 29.6% in Q2 last year to 28.5% this year. This was the lowest second quarter level for gas in at least 15 years and DECC blamed the slump high gas prices, with several gas stations now closed or mothballed and being run at low levels. Cheap coal imports from the United States have also prompted a growing number of utilities to switch from gas to coal-fired power.
The biggest faller in Q2 this year was in nuclear generation, which dropped 16.5% from 18.5TWh in 2012 Q2 to 15.5TWh In 2013 Q2, due to several outages. As a result, nuclear's share of generation fell from 21.7% in Q2 last year 18.6% in Q2 2013.
Overall, low carbon electricity's share of generation increased to just over 34% in the second quarter, compared to 31.4% for the same period in 2012.
View Plant Profile - 1069851
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, three offices in North America and nine international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
Renewables' share of electricity generation jumped from less than 10% in the second quarter of 2012 to 15.5% in the second quarter of 2013. This rise came despite total electricity generated falling by 2.7% to 83.0 terawatt hours (TWh), down from 85.3TWh for the same period a year ago. This the lowest second quarter level of generation in the U.K. since 1998.
The new figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) show that wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) generation rocketed almost 59% in the past year, going from 4.2TWh to 6.7 TWh, due to increased capacity. Generation from onshore wind was up 70% on the same time last year, while offshore wind recorded a jump of 51%. Nearly half of the total generation from renewables came from wind (48%).
Maf Smith, Deputy Chief Executive of RenewableUK said: "This confirms what we have been seeing for some time, which is renewables steadily becoming more important in meeting our electricity needs, and wind being responsible for the lion's share of the progress. That this period coincided with one of the coldest Springs on record means that wind was providing this power at a crucial time. The fact that we have seen the record for renewables generation broken twice in the space of a few months shows for itself the progress being made in the race to decarbonise our economy and secure our future electricity supply."
The renewable jump was also boosted by an increase in generation from Tilbury B power station.
The 1,100-megawatt (MW) Tilbury Power Station on the River Thames in Essex had operated as a coal-fired plant for most of its 46 years, but it was partially converted by RWE npower (Swindon, England) into a 750-MW biomass plant in 2011. It has been a key contributor since then to the U.K.'s renewable energy mix, accounting for 10% of the U.K.'s renewable energy in the first quarter of this year. However, in August, RWE npower announced that it would cease to operate because it failed to secure government subsidy funding.
For additional information, see August 20, 2013, article - Largest Biomass Plant in U.K. Closes.
Hydropower generation also had a strong quarter, rising 29% from 0.8TWh to 1.0TWh, due to an increase in rainfall in April and May.
Fossils fuels remained largely unchanged, but were down slightly, in the second quarter. Coal's share decreased from 36.6% to 35.0%, while the share contributed by gas-fired plants fell from 29.6% in Q2 last year to 28.5% this year. This was the lowest second quarter level for gas in at least 15 years and DECC blamed the slump high gas prices, with several gas stations now closed or mothballed and being run at low levels. Cheap coal imports from the United States have also prompted a growing number of utilities to switch from gas to coal-fired power.
The biggest faller in Q2 this year was in nuclear generation, which dropped 16.5% from 18.5TWh in 2012 Q2 to 15.5TWh In 2013 Q2, due to several outages. As a result, nuclear's share of generation fell from 21.7% in Q2 last year 18.6% in Q2 2013.
Overall, low carbon electricity's share of generation increased to just over 34% in the second quarter, compared to 31.4% for the same period in 2012.
View Plant Profile - 1069851
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, three offices in North America and nine international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
