The government’s goal for the UK to generate 50 gigawatts from offshore wind by 2030 has faced a significant setback due to the unsuccessful auction.
The UK government is urged to act swiftly following its inability to acquire any new offshore wind in its recent auction, placing at risk its ambition to increase power capacity from this source threefold by 2030.
ScottishPower’s CEO depicted this as “a missed chance worth billions to provide affordable energy to consumers and a moment of realization for the government.” Greenpeace called it “the most significant setback in clean energy policy over the past eight years.”
The recent unsuccessful auction round for green power contracts, which aimed for 5GW of offshore wind, signifies the UK’s missed opportunity to power approximately 8 million households annually and save users £2bn a year versus gas-produced electricity costs.
The industry association, RenewableUK, emphasized the necessity for the government to promptly “restore faith among investors.”
The outcomes from the fifth Contracts for Difference (CfD) round, released today, were the poorest since 2017. Only 3.7GW of fresh renewable capacity succeeded, a mere fraction compared to the previous year’s 10.8GW.
RenewableUK expressed that the government should revamp the investment framework. This includes a comprehensive overhaul of the CfD system, further support for supply chains, and financial incentives to draw clean energy investments to the UK, especially considering the more favourable green initiatives in places like the US under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
The auction’s lack of bids mirrors the industry’s escalating costs, as indicated by Ortseted in its recent profit alert. There have been appeals for CfD prices to adjust due to factors like Ukraine’s invasion repercussions, steel inflation, other vital commodities, and the spike in financing expenses because of elevated interest rates.
However, this year saw a reduction in the maximum price that offshore wind developers could propose by £2 per megawatt hour, stated RenewableUK.
To date, 27GW of the governmental 50GW offshore wind objective for 2030 is achieved. National Grid predicts that by 2035, a minimum of 73GW of offshore wind, along with energy from other green sources, will be essential for grid decarbonization since offshore wind’s efficiency surpasses other renewable means.
The UK’s distinct wind assets and its shallow waters position wind energy at the heart of strategies to curtail the nation’s dependence on fossil fuel-driven electricity mentioned RenewableUK.
Dan McGrail, RenewableUK’s CEO, commented, “If the UK doesn’t propose viable prices for investors, they’ll look elsewhere. The government needs to realize the gravity of these results. The UK’s energy stability and net-zero objectives hinge on offshore wind being our energy pillar for the future. The UK must demonstrate its commitment to progress
