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News
Onshore wind in Northern Ireland
Powering one in three homes by 2010
Monday 27 March 2006
By 2010, across the UK as a whole, the onshore wind industry could generate 50 per cent more electricity than previously predicted, expecting to install 6,000 megawatts (MW) of wind power capacity, generating almost 5 per cent of UK electricity supply, avoiding up to 13 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and delivering nearly half of the Government’s 2010 renewable energy target, according to a report published by the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) today (27 March 2006).
Onshore Wind: Powering Ahead, part of BWEA’s contribution to the Government’s Energy Review consultation, claims to be the most comprehensive and realistic assessment ever undertaken of the UK’s onshore wind industry.
The findings show that Northern Ireland could contribute 543 MW of onshore wind by 2010, 9 per cent of the total UK forecast by 2010, generating sufficient electricity for more than 300,000 homes each year, equivalent to well over one in three households in Northern Ireland, and resulting in investment of around £350 million by 2020, in construction and infrastructure works, in addition to funds for communities and landowners, a significant proportion of which is expected to benefit the economy of Northern Ireland.
However, BWEA is urging the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Industry to work with Northern Ireland Electricity to undertake an urgent programme of grid reinforcement to allow Northern Ireland to meet its renewables targets for 2012 and beyond.
BWEA is also urging the Department of Environment in Northern Ireland to secure a positive and fair approach to planning policy and address delays to local planning decisions which currently take an average of 28 months.
Chris Tomlinson, BWEA’s Head of Onshore, said: “Onshore wind can play a hugely significant role in meeting renewable energy and climate change targets. Our research proves, very clearly, that onshore wind will deliver, bringing major benefits to the economy and the environment while securing our energy supplies. Northern Ireland stands to gain in all these areas, as long as the planning system can be robust in policy and decision making.”
BWEA’s report goes on to say that producing electricity from 543 MW of onshore wind in Northern Ireland would:
- displace over half a million tonnes of coal burn in power stations and avoid 1.1 million tonnes of CO2 emissions
or
- displace 260 million cubic metres of gas, reducing imports and avoiding over half a million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Read the Executive Summary ( 1MB)
Read the Full Report (2MB)
Notes to editors:
About the report:
- The report looks at how much wind energy is confirmed by 2010, from projects already operational, under construction or approved.
- Using its database (www.bwea.com/ukwed) and interviews with its members, BWEA then assessed how many megawatts are awaiting local authority planning approval (smaller farms of less than 50 MW) and how many are awaiting Section 36 approval (larger developments of more than 50 MW), and also assessed applications the industry expects to make over the next few years.
- BWEA then applied conservative forecasts based on how long it takes to get approval and what percentage of projects are likely to be approved. Approval times currently range from 10 months in England up to 28 months in Northern Ireland. So far large Section 36 applications have enjoyed high approval rates, but BWEA uses a model based on 30 per cent, 50 per cent and 70 per cent approval rates.
About wind energy in Northern Ireland:
- There are already 12 wind farms totalling 107 MW generating in Northern Ireland, representing 8 per cent of the UK’s current wind power portfolio, including the newly commissioned 13 MW Callagheen project near Belleck in County Fermanagh.
- New wind farms identified for completion by 2010 will bring Northern Ireland’s total to 543 MW, representing 9 per cent of the UK’s total forecast build by 2010.
- 543 MW of onshore wind will generate 1.4 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity in an average year, assuming 30 per cent capacity factor as applies across the UK, equivalent to the annual electricity needs of over 300,000 homes.
- Economic benefits accruing from wind energy development in Northern Ireland by 2020 include £35 million in landowner income and £11 million in payments to local communities
- A target has been set for 12 per cent of electricity demand to be generated by renewables in Northern Ireland by 2012/13.
About BWEA:
- The British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) is the trade and professional body for the UK wind and marine renewables industries.
- Formed in 1978, and with over 310 corporate members, BWEA is the leading renewable energy trade association in the UK.
- In 2004, BWEA expanded its mission to champion wave and tidal energy and use the Association's experience to guide these technologies along the same path to commercialisation.
- BWEA’s primary purpose is to champion the UK wind and marine renewables industry.
About UK Government targets:
- Reduce the UK's CO2 emissions by 20 per cent from a 1990 baseline by the year 2010.
- Put the UK on a path to reduce CO2 emissions by some 60 per cent by 2050, with 'real progress by 2020’, as recommended by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (The Energy White Paper 2003).
- As part of the Kyoto Protocol, the UK has also agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent below 1990 levels by 2008-2012.
- Reduce greenhouse gases by 15-30 per cent by 2020 from 1990 levels as proposed by the European Union.
- Produce 10 per cent of energy from renewable sources by 2010 rising to 15 per cent by 2015, with an aspiration of 20 per cent by 2020.
The UK Government launched its Energy Review consultation on 23rd January 2006. The 12 week consultation sets out the UK's energy challenges and considers all aspects of our energy system including both energy supply and demand. The consultation document "Our Energy Challenge: securing clean, affordable energy for the long term" is available at http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/review/
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