A study has found that the British Government could deliver 1GW of new onshore wind capacity – enough to meet the equivalent annual demand of 600,000 homes – at no additional cost to consumers over and above the long-term wholesale price of power. However, delivery is dependent on mature renewables being able to bid in auctions for long-term contracts for clean electricity, such as those offered to offshore wind and the new nuclear facility at Hinkley Point. The report by Baringa Partners is based on the latest evidence on the costs of onshore wind and other established renewable technologies such as large-scale solar power. It concludes that an auction would result in further reductions in the cost of onshore wind power, which the UK Government already believes to be on track to be the lowest cost form of electricity generation in the UK.
Scottish Energy News 4th May 2017 read more »