Wind power Q&As
Questions and answers on 'Wind Power in the UK'
Q1. What is the SDC’s role?
A: The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) is the Government’s independent advisory body on sustainable development. The Commission reports to the Prime Minister and the First Ministers of the Devolved Administrations. We have an active work programme covering the wide range of sustainable development issues.
Q2. Why has the SDC produced a report on wind power?
A: One of the SDC’s work programme priorities is climate change and energy policy. We have long advocated renewable energy along with energy efficiency as the most sustainable way to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide. The SDC is concerned that a lack of accurate and factual information around wind power could jeopardise efforts to meet the Government’s renewable energy targets and move the UK along the path to a low carbon economy – this report aims to fill this information gap and provide decision-makers at all levels of government with an authoritative report on the key issues.
Q3. Why are you concentrating on wind power? Shouldn’t other renewables get support?
A: Wind will make the major contribution in the short/medium term to renewable energy targets, along with other technologies such as methane recovery (from landfill, coalmines and sewage works) and biomass. In the longer term we will need to exploit all available technologies, including wave and tidal power. The SDC decided to look at wind power because of the increasing controversy of proposed wind farm developments and a lack of factual information for local decision-makers.
Q4. Can wind power ever make a significant contribution to UK electricity supply?
A: Wind power has huge potential – there is more than enough onshore and offshore practical wind resource to meet current renewable energy targets from wind alone. As wind power is one of the most cost effective renewable technologies, it looks set to make a serious and sustained contribution to UK electricity supply to 2020 and beyond. Current growth rates in wind capacity show that wind power is capable of being developed on a large scale.
Q5. How is wind power going to help us deal with climate change?
A: Wind power produces no harmful emissions of carbon dioxide, so can help us to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation. This is an important part of a much larger Climate Change Programme, and efforts to encourage a low carbon economy. Encouraging wind power and other renewables now will help the UK to meet the challenges of the future – and the Government’s long term aim for a 60% cut in carbon dioxide by 2050.
Q6. Why onshore wind? What about offshore?
A: Onshore wind is one of the most competitive renewable energy technologies currently available. The Government has put an obligation on electricity suppliers to source and increasing percentage of their power from renewables, but they are free to choose which technologies to invest in. Therefore, in the short to medium term, onshore wind power will be one of the most attractive technologies for electricity suppliers – this will help to keep costs to a minimum. The Government is also funding offshore wind power, but this is at an earlier stage. In order to meet renewable energy targets we need to exploit both, with offshore expected to make an increasing contribution beyond 2010.
Q7. Nuclear power currently represents 25% of electricity generation – shouldn’t we build new nuclear plants instead of wind power?
A: Even if we decided to build new nuclear plants now, it would take at least 15 years by most estimates for them to start operating. We need emissions reductions now, and wind projects can be constructed much more quickly – in as little as two years. Regardless of what happens with nuclear power, we still need all the renewables we can get, with wind power as a major contributor.
The current SDC position on nuclear power is:
“It is the SDC’s view that nuclear power has far fewer advantages to offer, in terms of combating climate change, than the combination of energy efficiency, renewables and combined heat and power - as proposed in the Government's own Energy White Paper. Moreover, the Government has stated that an acceptable solution must be found to deal with the existing stockpile of nuclear waste before any new plans for nuclear power are considered. Such a solution is currently not available.
Q8. The Government is reviewing the Climate Change Programme – why do we need wind power, shouldn’t we be reducing emissions through energy efficiency?
A: The SDC agrees that energy efficiency is an immediate priority, as it will contribute 50% of planned emissions reductions by 2020 (Energy White Paper 2003). We also believe more could be done – for example, in transport, housing and the public sector. We have already submitted our opinion on these issues to Government as part of the Climate Change Programme review process. At the same time it is necessary to diversify our electricity supply towards low carbon generation such as wind power. This will increase our options in the long term, which is why energy efficiency must be pursued alongside the promotion of renewable energy.
Q9. Isn’t demand for electricity going to go up so much that wind’s contribution will remain small?
A: Demand is rising, especially as our use of electronic goods is increasing. More must be done to restrain this increase, by making electronic goods more efficient and improving energy efficiency elsewhere. However it is also important that we increase the proportion of carbon free supply into the electricity system – and with wind power we can do this quickly and relatively cheaply.
Q10. Isn’t wind power expensive?
A: Our report shows that the generation cost of wind power is currently around 3.2p/kWh onshore and 5.5p/kwh offshore – this compares to a wholesale electricity price of 3.0p/kWh. As an increasing amount of wind power is added to the system, there are some additional costs associated with accommodating it. These ‘system costs’ are estimated to be around 0.17p/kWh if wind power were to supply 20% of total output – this is equal to a 3.8% increase in the current cost of electricity, or £13 extra per year on the average domestic bill.
Q11. Why should we pay more?
A: The SDC believes that wind power and other renewables provide social benefits – by reducing carbon dioxide emissions and pollution, and providing a truly sustainable, long term solution to electricity generation. Our report shows that when the social value of reduced carbon emissions is taken into account, the additional cost of wind is substantially reduced.
Q12. Aren’t the costs of wind energy only market competitive because of huge subsidies?
A: Wind power, along with all renewables, is financially supported through the Renewables Obligation (RO). This places an obligation on suppliers to source an increasing percentage of their electricity sales from renewables. The cost of the RO is not paid by the taxpayer, but by consumers through their bills. The Government also provides some taxpayer support for other renewables, such as offshore wind, wave and tidal power, with the aim of helping them to become competitive in the longer term. The subsidies being given to renewables now must be contrasted against the huge subsidies (explicit and hidden) given to fossil fuels and nuclear power over the years.
Q13. Why is wind receiving so much encouragement and other renewables are not?
A: The energy market encourages the most cost-effective technologies, such as landfill gas (now 35% of our renewable power) and wind, as these are cheapest to develop. Other renewables will contribute, but on a smaller scale at the moment, although we expect this to grow.
Q14. What happens when the wind doesn’t blow?
A: Wind power is variable - but so is demand and supply on the national grid, which is designed to cope with huge and sudden variations. Adding wind plant does not present a major technical challenge to grid operators, and its variability is dealt with along with all the other risk factors. Improved forecasting means that wind power is relatively predictable within the timeframes relevant to grid operators.
Q15. Doesn’t wind power require dedicated backup plant or storage?
A: Wind power does not require dedicated backup plant or storage. This is because wind plant is treated as part of the total portfolio of generating plant, and ‘balancing services’ (services that help maintain the balance between demand and supply) are scheduled according to the overall level of risk, not for individual plants or technologies. A high level of wind penetration will require an increase in balancing services, but this is a cost rather than a constraint – and this cost is a small part of the additional costs of incorporating wind power.
Q16. Does an increase in the use of ‘reserve plant’ lead to increased emissions?
A: A high penetration of wind will require an increase in balancing services, including reserves. Reserve plant consists of storage and ‘spinning reserve’ plant – thermal plants operating with spare capacity – and this is less efficient. However, the increase in the use of reserves due to wind power is only likely to reduce carbon dioxide emissions savings by 1%, assuming wind power makes up 20% of total output.
Q17. What is your opinion of developments like the Isle of Lewis or Winash?
A: Our report does not comment on proposals currently in the planning/consent process. However, our aim has been to assist local decision-makers by highlighting a variety of best practice case studies, which deal with some of the specific aspects of these developments. These should help planners balance the issues effectively – such as the need for very thorough Environmental Impact Assessments and the value of early and extensive community engagement.
Q18. Communities are often worried that house prices will fall- will they?
A: They may initially – but research has shown that once a development is in place and has been operating for a couple of years, prices tend to recover.
Q19. Do wind turbines cause TV or radio signal interference?
A: Sometimes this can be a problem – but there are a variety of solutions available, and it is the responsibility of the developer to address these problems and investigate mitigation measures where necessary. This may involve the upgrade of existing facilities.
Q20. Wind farms are noisy?
A: The noise of a new wind development at 350m is about the same as a quiet bedroom. Older turbines have had noise problems but modern machines are much quieter. It is now possible to have a conversation under a modern wind turbine without raising voices. The best way to determine wind farm noise is to visit a modern wind farm and experience it for yourself.
Q21. Do people like wind farms better once they are built?
A: We summarise over 20 attitude surveys, and a national average of 80% of those questioned support the development of wind power. One study in Wales reveals that before building a wind farm, 68% of the community supported it and 19% opposed it; once built 94% supported it, and only 3% opposed.
Q22. Do people support the development of renewables?
A: A recent survey for BBC Newsnight reveals that 59% of respondents thought that renewables were the most feasible way of cutting UK carbon emissions, when compared against a range of alternatives.
Q23. Won’t wind farms put off the tourist industry?
A: There is no evidence of this, and there are many cases of wind farms becoming tourist attractions in their own right. As more wind farms are built, they are likely to become an accepted part of the landscape.
Q24. What about the landscape impacts of wind farms?
A: Some people think turbines are elegant, but others find them intrusive. It is a very subjective issue, and one that our report is unlikely to influence. The landscape in the British Isles is not static, and has been transformed by human interventions for the last 10,000 years. It is also worth remembering that the UK landscape will be radically affected by climate change, and so any efforts to reduce our carbon emissions will help minimise this impact whilst encouraging other countries to follow suit. However, designated areas should continue to receive a high level of protection.
Q25. Don’t they destroy local biodiversity?
A: A good Environmental Impact Assessment will reveal any environmental impacts and communities should consult support groups (such as RSPB) if there are doubts, so these impacts can be minimised.
Q26. Don’t wind farms kill birds?
A: There is no evidence for this in UK, and this is because siting is carefully avoiding areas of sensitivity. We must retain this position so developers need to have a good Environmental Impact Assessment to ensure they site the farm in a place of least damage. There are 2 high profile examples overseas where poor siting has led to problems – in Spain and California – but we have not had these problems here. In Spain the wind farm was next to a major rubbish dump, or bird food source, thus causing high bird mortality.
Q27. Don’t they use more C02 in being constructed than they save?
A: No, wind farm pays back the carbon used in manufacture and construction within 3-10 months. Due to our current energy mix, all electricity generating plants will have some embodied energy from their manufacture and construction, and this is also true of wind turbine.
Q28. Don’t wind turbines stop working when it is most windy?
A: They shut down for safety reasons in gale force conditions, but this is predictable (with weather forecasting) for the electricity operators in the normal way. The reality is that wind turbines will be producing useful power for around 70-85% of the year.
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