Hard facts have no effect on UK policy
In the last three months of 2017, wind and solar PV provided the UK with more electricity than nuclear for the first time. In the first three months of 2018, wind power alone exceeded nuclear’s output.
You could argue some extenuating circumstances. Two of the UK’s 15 nuclear plants were temporarily offline for routine maintenance, and another was shut because of seaweed clogging up its cooling system during the quarter. It was also exceptionally windy for long periods.
According to research by Imperial College London, wind generated 15,560GWh, 30GWh more than nuclear, supplying 18.8% of the UK’s electricity demand in Q1 2018. Another record was set on 17 March, when wind provided 47.3% of output, the offshore fleet going gangbusters on a very cold, windy day with snow blanketing solar arrays.
Good news for wind development in the UK, you might think. But the message does not seem to be getting through to the policymakers.
In May, the government announced further measures to kickstart shale-gas exploration in England. Local opposition is being sidelined by classifying fracking sites as "nationally significant infrastructure", meaning construction permits would be in the hands of national rather than local government.
The administration remains committed to nuclear, too, despite the fact that its costs are following the opposite trajectory to wind power’s. According to reports from Japanese news agency Kyodo, project costs of Hitachi’s new nuclear plant in Wales have doubled from the original £10 billion (€11 billion) estimate.
Fortunately for Hitachi, the UK government is prepared to step in with £13.3 billion of financial support, claimed Kyodo. The government declined to comment beyond saying discussions with Hitachi were "commercially sensititve and ongoing".
AWEA 2018 figures and facts
7,500 Attendance at Chicago, the highest for the annual conference in the past five years.
426 Number of exhibitor booths, of which more than 100 were making their first appearance
30GW Amount of new wind capacity installed across the US since Chicago last hosted the annual “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç event in 2013
85% Percentage of US adults who support the growth of wind power. The figure for those who favour more coal mining is 37%
Source: American Wind Energy Association
Where to go when you’ve got to go…
Pete Lindemann (left), national sales manager of Brief Relief, demonstrating the company’s Disposable Urine Bag on the AWEA show floor.
Brief Relief sells a number of products designed "to support workers out in the field", ranging from the single-use bags to privacy shelters, portable bathrooms that can be carried and set up by a single person.
"This is a safe sanitary way to support your workers without them losing time going offsite for their basic needs," said Lindemann.
Overheard at AWEA
"What is the difference between a politician and a wind project? There isn’t one. They both work only 30% of the time and no one wants them in the neighbourhood"
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