Onshore Wind Status Report

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Onshore Wind Status Report

• Llywelyn Rhys
• Wales Officer

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Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

• 2,500 scientists from 113 countries who inform
  governments on CC
• Temperature rises very likely to have been
  created by man kind
• Only the most irresponsible world leaders can
  ignore or deny global warming and its causes

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Stern Report

• Climate change is the greatest and widest-ranging
  market failure ever seen
• What we do in the next 10-20 years can have a
  profound effect on the climate in the second half
  of this century
• CO2 must be limited, greater support is needed
  for low carbon technologies

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International actions

• UN process/ G8 summit/ US initiative
• EU agreement to generate 20 of energy by
  renewable sources
• UK Energy Review - cut CO2 emissions and increase
  renewable sources statement of national need
• Retained ROC value for onshore wind

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WAG Target

• By 2010, Wales is committed to having 10 of its
  electricity supplied by renewable sources
• 4TWh per annum by 2010 and 7TWh per annum by 2020

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The case for onshore wind

• the Assemblys policy is that 800MW of
  renewables capacity should be provided from
  strategic on-shore wind energy development
  (MIPPS)
• onshore wind power offers the greatest potential
  for an increase in the generation of electricity
  from renewable energy in the short to medium
  term (TAN 8)
• In considering Wales renewable resources and
  mature renewable technologies, wind power is the
  only clear and realistic deliverable over the
  lifetime of the TAN (TAN 8)

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The case for onshore wind

• wind energy has the greatest potential in the
  short to medium term
• the only clear and realistic deliverable over
  the lifetime of the TAN
• additional 800MW of renewable energy to be
  generated from strategic on-shore wind farms

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Operational onshore wind farms

• Wales has 17 of total UK onshore wind farms and
  16 MW
• Since July 2005 only 4 wind farms generating
  68.55 MW has become operational in Wales

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Progress towards targets
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Alternative scenario

• 4 projects have been approved but not constructed
  47.9 MW
• 3 projects of 43.5 MW have been refused
• There is currently 20 projects in planning with a
  total worth of 387.38 MW
• Total Potential 478.78 MW, 60 of 2010 target

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Restrictions in Wales

• Grid infrastructure
• Planning system
• Opposition groups

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Grid

• Lack of infrastructure in Mid to serve SSA B, C
  D
• Capacity issues in North and South
• BWEA, National Grid and SP Manweb are
  co-operating to find solution to Mid

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Planning

• Delay in producing SPGs for Strategic areas
• Significant reductions in Strategic sites
• WAG outline of what is expected by Local
  Authorities

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Opposition groups

• Constant campaign disseminating misinformation
• Apply pressure on councillors, AMs, MPs and
  political parties
• How accurate and representative are their views?

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Towards 2010 and beyond

• Actions in the next 20 years will be crucial to
  manage climate change
• Global, European, UK and Wales policy emphasises
  carbon free energy
• Onshore wind is currently the most viable and
  efficient renewable technology
• Crucial that that this Assembly term delivers

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Onshore Wind Status Report
Llywelyn Rhys Wales Officer