UK PLANS TO RUN ON WIND

Let’s review the week:

Britain announced a goal to build offshore wind to 20% of its electricty consumption by 2020 and its utility giant Scottish and Southern said they were in…
and
Germany committed to up the share of its New Energy-derived electricity from the current 14% to between 25% and 30% by 2020…
and
The UN held a major climate change summit in Bali and began planning emissions reductions strategies beyond 2012…
and
The US delegation blocked progress at Bali while its Senate, led by utility giant Southern Company, rejected the possibility of committing the nation to obtaining just 15% of its electricity from New Energy by 2020.

Right. Got it. Proud to be a citizen of the United States of Fossil Fools.

Intriguing aside: British E.on, a Brit branch of the German utility, is developing a giant battery for storing electricity from Britain's offshore turbines. What kind of battery is that?

Britain Expanding Wind Power Investment; Under a plan announced Monday, hundreds of new turbines would generate enough clean electricity annually to light every home in the country
December 11, 2007 (Spiegel Online via BusinessWeek)

WHO
John Hutton, British Business Secretary; European Wind Energy Association (EWEA); Scottish and Southern Energy; E.on;

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WHAT
UK leaders are rapidly building up the nation’s wind resources, especially offshore wind, and are aiming for 33 gigawatts of annual capacity, 7000 turbines.

WHEN
- The 33 gigawatt annual capacity is the government’s 2020 goal.
- The UK’s North Sea oil production is expected to fall from 1.87 million barrels/day (2005) to 1.38 million barrels/day (2009).
- Turbine-generated electricity could be worth 1 billion pounds ($2.04 billion) by 2010.
- The plans would triple British New Energy by 2015.
- The first British wind eneryg came from the Hebrides in 2001. 2003 saw a major expansion, Work now being done will bring present capacity to 8 gigawatts.

WHERE
- An offshore wind energy installation, Burbo Bank, was inaugurated in October at the mouth of the River Mersey in Liverpool.
- The UK goals were outlined by Hutton goals were outlined in a speech at the British embassy in Berlin as part of EWEA’s biannual colloquy. EWEA members own 98% of world wind energy.
- New turbines will be built at various sites off England and Wales. 271 turbines, the London Array will be built at the mouth of the Thames River.

WHY
- Hutton expects to add 25 gigawatts of annual offshore wind-generated electricity by 2020. The UK presently has 8 gigawatts of annual offshore wind power. The 33 gigawatts would meet Britain’s EU pledge of 20% renewable-sources electricity by 2020.
- 33 gigawatts of wind-generated electricity would theoretically light every home in Britain.

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QUOTES
- Hutton: "Our traditional sources of North Sea energy -- although still hugely important -- are declining…It's time we sourced more energy from our other abundant natural resources -- sea and wind…The challenge for government and for industry is to turn this potential -- for our energy and economy -- into a cost-effective reality…This will be a major challenge."
- Sharron Miller-McKenzie, spokeswoman, Scottish and Southern Energy: "We are the UK's leading generator of renewable energy, so we will definitely be involved…"