With a new analysis showing UK wind farms operating at just 20 per cent of their capacity in 2010, the potential of wind power has been called into question. Eifion Rees examines the arguments from both sides
… Wind industry and Decc urged to come clean on output of wind farms Eifion Rees | 4th May 2011 News Wind Energy Renewables turbine.jpg A lack of …
Do wind turbines provide an affordable means of harnessing a limitless source of clean power, or are they inefficient blots on the landscape that devastate birdlife and are more likely to exacerbate than reduce CO2 emissions?
… Wind turbines debate Alison Hill Alison Hill | 1st March 2004 News Wind Electricity Climate Change British Wind Energy Country Guardian Turbines …
Following premature cutbacks to onshore wind farms the UK's energy security will increasingly depend on large scale offshore wind power, write Ian Broadbent & Peter Strachan. But while energy secretary Amber Rudd talked the sector up in her speech yesterday, she revealed feeble ambition, and said nothing to overcome investors' fears of being left out in the cold.
… at sea? Government's strong talk on offshore wind masks feeble ambition Ian Broadbent Peter … Strachan | 26th June 2015 News Renewables Wind UK Politics Oceans Energy sheringham-shoal-offshore-wind-cut.jpg Following premature cutbacks to …
If the UK really wants 3.2GW of 'baseload' power in Somerset, then the Hinkley C nuclear power station is not the only way, write Marie-Louise Heddrich, Thorsten Lenck and Carlos Perez Linkenheil. Wind power with 'wind to gas' plant and CCGT gas power stations could do the same - faster, cheaper, more flexibily, and at much lower technical and financial risk.
… Wind power with 'windgas' is cheaper and greener than Hinkley … February 2016 Comment Nuclear Energy Finance Wind Renewables somerset-wind-farm-cut.jpg If the UK really wants 3.2GW …
A large-scale independent study by Health Canana finds no link between the noise from wind turbines and health, writes Tyler Hamilton. That's not to say wind turbines can't be annoying - but there's a sure way to deal with that: give locals a financial benefit from their operation. Has Britain's wind industry got something to learn?
… Wind turbine noise may be annoying - but it's … Hamilton | 25th November 2014 Comment Health Wind Renewables Canada wind-turbines-ontario-cut.jpg A large-scale … Canana finds no link between the noise from wind turbines and health, writes Tyler …
Wind energy finally seems to be moving somewhere in the UK, but without some new techniques, our grid is simply not going to cope with this flood of new green power
… Can our electricity grid cope with all the new wind power? David Strahan | 27th April 2010 News Energy Climate Change Wind Renewables Grid Demand Management pylonssunset.jpg Wind energy finally seems to be moving …
Inconsistent wind is no impediment to the generation of electricity by turbines, three separate reports have concluded, as well as showing that the National Grid is more than able to cope with increased investment in wind energy
… Three positive reports hammer home wind message Eifion Rees | 13th July 2009 News Investigations Food And Farming Energy Wind Renewables National Grid Friends Of The … RSPB WWF Fossil Fuel Coal Weather Tidal wind.jpg Inconsistent wind is no impediment to …
Anti-wind campaigners claim that wind turbine performance more than halves after 15 years. Chris Goodall analyses the figures and finds that even 20-year old wind turbines in the UK are still going strong ...
… Wind turbines - going strong 20 years on Chris Goodall | 3rd January 2014 Comment Wind Power Energy Renewables UK wind-turbines-uk.png Anti-wind campaigners …
Perplexed by today's sharp cuts in solar power and other attacks on renewable energy in the UK? Don't be, writes Oliver Tickell. Really, it all makes perfect sense. You just have to understand their real purpose: to keep your energy bills high, along with power company profits. And never mind the 'green crap'!
… July 2015 Comment Energy Renewables Solar Wind Climate Change Politics Corporations … of they are completely right. Take onshore wind power. Onshore wind is by far the UK's lowest cost source of …
US scientists say that very large wind farms could not only withstand a hurricane: they would also weaken it and so protect coastal communities. As Tim Radford reports, wind farms could just have saved New Orleans ...
… Offshore wind could calm hurricanes Tim Radford | 11th March 2014 News Renewables Wind Power Climate Change offshore-wind-homs-dk.png US scientists say that very …
The UK has the best wind power resource in Europe, yet it costs far more than in less windy countries like Germany, writes Andrew ZP Smith. That's because of government policies that undermine investor confidence, and fail to recognise that wind power, despite 'subsidies', lower the price consumers pay for electricity.
… only government policies that make the UK's wind power expensive Andrew ZP Smith UCL | 22nd June 2015 Comment Wind Renewables UK Finance royd-moor-wind-farm-yorks-cut.jpg The UK has the best …
David Cameron's Conservative government did its best to kill off the UK's lowest-cost renewable energy technologies, onshore wind and solar. But in next week's budget, the Chancellor can put that right. Renewables are low carbon, quick to deploy, have low environmental impacts, and enjoy high public support, writes Ervin Bossanyi. It's time to give them a break!
… Budget 2017 - wind and solar are essential to combat climate … renewable energy technologies, onshore wind and solar. But in next week's budget, the … to give them a break! I started working on wind energy in 1978, for a research project on …
Two firms in the wind power sector illustrate how companies in the developing world can take advantage of increasing access to technological know-how, while staying within the bounds of intellectual property law, says Joanna Lewis.
… Leapfrogging Energy India China Development Wind Solar Energy turbines-waterlg.jpg Two firms in the wind power sector illustrate how companies in … places one might expect to find a burgeoning wind power industry. While there are many …
As presidential contenders gather in Iowa for the beginning of the party selection season, they may have noticed a lot of wind turbines, writes Zachary Davies Boren. And if they have any sense, they will find only nice things to say about them. Wind supplies 30% of the state's power, more than any other US state, and Iowans are all for it. Ted Cruz, mind your words!
… Politicians take note: Iowa is the US's most wind-powered state - and everyone loves it! … Energydesk | 30th January 2016 Comment Energy Wind Politics Finance USA iowa-wind-cut.jpg As presidential contenders gather …
The cost of offshore wind power in the North Sea is 30% lower than that of new nuclear, writes Kieran Cooke - helped along by low oil and steel prices, reduced maintenance and mass production. By 2030 the sector is expected to supply 7% of Europe's electricity.
… Offshore wind powers ahead as prices drop 30% below … Cooke | 19th July 2016 News Energy Renewables Wind Oceans UK Denmark Germany Nuclear Oil … Fuels burbo-bank-cut.jpg The cost of offshore wind power in the North Sea is 30% lower than …
One evening in March, wind delivered over 10,000 MW of electricity to Texas's power grid, almost 30% of total demand, reports Ian Partridge, and another 18,500 MW of capacity is under construction. So just why is Texas going so big on wind?
… Wind power booms in oil-rich Texas Ian … | 13th April 2014 Comment Renewables Wind USA Green Economy wind-texas.jpg One evening in March, wind delivered over 10,000 MW of electricity …
High costs of offshore wind farms could be reduced through investment in a UK manufacturing base says report, but warns nuclear is no cheap alternative
… Offshore wind: can we afford it? Mark Jansen | 29th September 2010 News Offshore Wind Renewables Energy Wind offshorewindfarm.jpg Rising steel prices …
Wind generates almost a twentieth of America's power, writes Kieran Cooke - and that's set to double in five years, despite the phase-out of tax credits. Now the main constraint to future expansion is power line capacity.
… Wind turbines generating 4.5% of US … Cooke | 20th March 2015 News Renewables Wind USA Politics wind-farm-palm-springs-ca-cut.jpg Wind generates almost a twentieth of America's …
The wind farms debate rages on as the need for renewable energy grows. But is the UK in danger of putting aesthetics before the need to cut carbon emissions and adopt greener technologies?
… Wind turbines: the future of renewable energy … Bethany Hubbard | 24th February 2012 News Wind Farms Energy Turbines Scotland Donald … Change Society Investigations scrobysandswindfarm.jpg The wind farms debate rages on as …
The small country of Denmark is making a big commitment to renewables, aiming to be fossil-fuel free by 2050, writes Laurie Guevara-Stone. A large expansion of mainly offshore wind power features large, along with moves to a 'smart grid', high vehicle taxes and energy conservation initiatives. Denmark is well on its way to becoming the energy leader of the EU.
… 2016 News Fossil Fuel Renewables Denmark EU Wind Power wind-kobenhavn-cut.png The small country of … A large expansion of mainly offshore wind power features large, along with moves to …
The UK Government's self-declared war on onshore wind farms will make it very difficult for the UK to meet its EU renewable energy targets, writes David Elliott - especially as it cuts support for solar PV. Is the UK's energy policy being written by UKIP?
… Eric Pickles' war on wind farms could blow UK renewable energy … | 27th June 2014 Comment UK Renewables Wind Solar Energy Politics lambrigg-wind-farm-cut.jpg The UK Government's …
European report ranks UK application process for wind farms as amongst quickest, ahead of Spain and Portugal
… Wind industry disputes 'quick' UK planning … The Ecologist | 22nd April 2010 News Energy Wind Planning Renewable windturbinesoffshore.jpg The UK now has 1GW of offshore wind capacity, capable of powering 700,000 …
The findings of a strategic environmental assessment open the way for an increase in the number of offshore wind farms, which could produce enough energy to power every household in the UK
… New offshore wind farms could power every UK home Eifion … Energy Climate Change Science And Technology Wind Sea British Wind Energy Association Offshore Wind …
Offshore wind turbines are trying to reproduce at sea what works on land, write Maurizio Collu & Michael Borg. But it's proving a costly and high maintenance exercise. It's time to switch to new 'vertical axis' designs that promise to be cheaper to build and operate.
… Going vertical: offshore wind power must find a new axis Maurizio Collu … | 14th January 2015 Comment Energy Oceans Wind Technology vertax-wind-turbines_multiple_seascape-cut.jpg …