Milestone: Scotland wind output exceeds demand for most of November

Scotland continues to break wind generation and supply records as its wind energy industry continues to build out and up.

Scotland set a new wind output record in November with wind production outstripping demand on 20 out of 30 days, and over the whole month provided 109 per cent of Scottish electricity demand.

This, unfortunately, doesn’t necessarily mean that all demand was met with wind energy at the time of demand – excluding the need for other sources of energy – only that, for the month of November, wind energy generated electricity equivalent to 109% of that month’s demand (1,994,839 MWh).

“Wind power breaking through the magic 100% threshold is truly momentous,” said Gina Hanrahan, Head of Policy at WWF Scotland. “For months output has flirted around the 97% mark, so it’s fantastic to reach this milestone.

“It’s also worth noting that 20 out of 30 days wind production outstripped demand.”

Not only did wind production outstrip demand on 20 days, but wind also provided over 100% of household electricity requirement on 28 days.

The best day of the month, the 28thof November, saw wind energy generate 116,599 MWh, enough for 9.59 million homes, or 391 per cent of Scottish households. Scottish electricity demand that day was 60,492 MWh – of which wind energy would have provided 192% of demand.

The worst day of the month was the 26thof November, in which wind only provide 22,677 MWh, enough for 1.86 million homes, or around 75% of Scottish households.

“Scottish wind power generation breaking the 100 per cent barrier in November is historic and serves as a timely reminder of the importance renewable energy now plays in the UK energy market,” explained Alex Wilcox Brooke, Weather Energy Project Manager at Severn Wye Energy Agency.

It’s worth noting that the majority of Scotland’s wind energy comes from onshore wind – a technology which is supremely popular across the country, but also obviously very effective and powerful.

However, the UK Government currently does not allow onshore wind to compete for power generation contracts, which means a cheap and effective form of renewable energy technology has simply been ruled out of competition.

“Most of this is onshore wind, which we know is popular, cheap, and effective,” said Gina Hanrahan. “But the UK Government needs to allow it to compete with other technologies, by unlocking market access for onshore wind if it’s to realise its full potential.”

Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.

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