UK Offshore Wind Farms 30% More Productive in 2015

Wind farms offshore the UK generated 17.4 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2015, a 30% increase compared to 13.4 TWh of power generated by offshore wind in 2014, according to a report released today by the UK Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC).

The 30% leap in power generated by offshore wind farms was attributed to a combination of higher wind speeds compared to 2014, as well as increased capacity. Offshore wind generation in the fourth quarter of 2015 increased by 23% on a year earlier, from 4.7 TWh to 5.8 TWh. In December 2015, generation from offshore wind was at a record high 2.45 TWh.

During 2015, the country’s offshore wind capacity increased by approximately 0.6 GW, with several large wind farms opening, or continuing to expand during the year. This includes the completion of Westermost Rough and Gwynt y Mor wind farms, as well as the opening of Humber Gateway and the extension to Kentish Flats.

A record 24.7% of the UK’s electricity was generated from renewable sources in 2015- an increase of 5.6% on 2014. In the final quarter of 2015 renewables generated 26.9% of the UK’s electricity, up from 21.8% in Q4 of 2014, mainly due to an increase in wind and bioenergy capacity.

At the end of 2015 Q4, the UK’s renewable electricity capacity totalled 30 GW, an increase of 22%, or 5.4 GW on that installed at the end of 2014 Q4, 17% of which is offshore wind capacity.

Total electricity generated from renewables in 2015 was up by 29% on 2014, from 64.7 TWh to a record 83.3 TWh, with 21% of the total power generated by renewables coming from offshore wind.