While wind farm capacity in the UK is up by more than 10% since a year ago, the share of electricity supplied by wind power dropped from 12.9% last year to 10.4% this summer, according to the National Grid (via The Guardian).
Sunny skies and little wind meant that turbines often sat idle for days.
On the other hand, solar output broke records this summer. Still, wind usually provides four times as much power as solar each year, according to the article.
The results of this summer’s unusually warm weather demonstrates why it is important for the country to have a diverse energy mix “to ensure we can continue to manage supply and demand,” says Duncan Burt, director of operations at National Grid.
Both wind and solar are playing an increasingly important role in Britain’s energy system, Burt says.
Renewables, including wind, solar, hydro and biomass, provided 29.3% of electricity in the UK last year, up from 24.5% in 2016. Half of that came from wind power, the bulk of which is onshore, though offshore wind farms are continuing to expand.
