National Grid under fire for failure of wind power

31 January 2003

Report in Utility Week (p.4)

National Grid has come under fire for its role in the UK's failure to fully exploit its wind power resources from the head of environment at Innogy, Hans Jensen. Mr Jensen said that just 95MW of windfarm capacity would be installed in 2002, despite consent for the installation of 228MW. The failure to boost wind power capacity was blamed on National Grid connection charges that provide little in the way of an incentive to develop windfarms.

Government action regarding windfarm planning delays is also required if targets of producing 10% of the UK's energy through renewables by 2010 is to be achieved. However, reaching this target would require the addition of around 450MW of capacity annually for the next decade. Mr Jensen believes 8% of the UK's power will come from wind energy by 2010, with wind accounting for generation rated between 4.2GW and 11GW.