Stormspowerwind to energy top spot

First as renewables overtake fossil fuels

ENVIRONMENT: Renewable energy overtook fossil fuels for the first time in a landmark for the sector after providing 40 per cent of Britain’s power in the first three months of this year.

Wind farms were vying for top spot in the electricity mix with gas, generating 30.5 per cent of power, just behind fossil fuels, which contributed 30.6 per cent.

RENEWABLE ENERGY overtook fossil fuels for the first time in a landmark for the sector after providing 40 per cent of Britain’s power in the first three months of this year.

Wind farms were vying for top spot in the electricity mix with gas, which generated 30.5 per cent of power, just behind fossil fuels, which contributed 30.6 per cent between January and March.

Severe winter storms in the wettest and windiest February since records began helped make it the first month on record when more electricity was produced by wind farms than gas-fired power stations across the country.

Analysis by academics from Imperial College London for Selby-headquartered Drax Electric Insights also shows that weekday power consumption fell by 13 per cent as a result of the lockdown, which began in late March.

A lack of machinery, computers, lights and heaters being used in industry, offices and schools, and a reduction in electric rail, tram and Tube services led to weekday electricity demand falling to its lowest levels since 1982.

Although domestic power use increased due to people being at home in the day, it is “like living through a month of Sundays” for weekday power demand, while weekends have seen even less electricity needed on the grid, the study said.

The lockdown has seen an impact on carbon pollution, with emissions from British power production falling 35 per cent on the same period last year.

Whether the changes will last after the restrictions lift remains to be seen, but the analysis suggests that with “even a small share of the population continuing to work from home on some days, there could be a lasting impact on electricity demand for years to come”.

During the first quarter of the year, even before lockdown, the grid was cleaner than the same period in 2019.

Record levels of wind power in the stormy conditions helped push down electricity generation from fossil fuels by 25 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Emissions per unit of power produced were down 20 per cent on the first quarter of 2019.

The trend is set to continue, with more large offshore wind farms coming online this year.

Iain Staffell, of Imperial College London and lead author of the quarterly Electric Insights reports, said: “Britain’s electricity system is under pressure like never before, with both the country’s weather getting more extreme and a global pandemic testing its resolve.

“So far in 2020, we’ve seen companies reducing their demand for electricity to help keep the grid stable when supply from wind power rapidly decreased, and then the Covid-19 lockdown caused many businesses to shut up shop, reducing electricity demand and creating new challenges with oversupply of power.

“Having flexibility within the power system at these critical moments is crucial to keeping Britain’s lights on.”

Flexibility is crucial to keeping Britain’s lights on.

Iain Staffell, of Imperial College London.