16 hours ago
- Business
- Press and Journal
Wind farms in north of Scotland paid £117 million to not generate power
Static wind turbines in the north of Scotland cost consumers £117 million in the first six months of this year.
The electricity couldn't be used locally or sent to areas of higher demand, so wind farms were paid to stop their output.
According to research from energy analytics firm Montel, the curtailed generation amounted to four terawatt-hours (TWh).
That is enough to power every household in Scotland for six months.
North wind farms accounted for 86% of the total of the electricity cut back across Britain – a 15% rise compared with the same time last year.
The National Electricity System Operator (NESO) makes sure generators do not produce more than the local grid can manage.
The costs are recovered through charges on consumers' bills.
Graham Lang of campaign group Scotland Against Spin said it 'makes no sense' to build more wind farms or extend existing ones in the north of Scotland.
He believes they should be built closer to where the electricity is needed.
Mr Lang said: 'Ultimately, it is us, the consumers, who have to pay for this through our energy bills.
'It is an ongoing scandal and it needs to stop now before bills rise even further and our iconic landscapes are trashed for ever.'
SSE Renewables is one of the partners behind the giant Seagreen development, Scotland's largest offshore wind farm.
A spokesman for SSE said: 'Decisions to constrain generation rest solely with NESO – not individual companies.
'Grid constraints highlight the urgent need to accelerate investment in the electricity network, so we can unlock the full potential of the UK's clean energy and reduce bills for consumers in the long run.'
True North senior energy advisor Allister Thomas said the constraint payments are a 'result of decades of underinvestment' in the grid infrastructure.
In 2023, Highlands consumers were set back nearly £68m due to the curtailed energy.
He believes initiatives, such as the 2030 Clean Power Action Plan, can help the government address the issue.
Mr Thomas said: 'Going forward, the offshore wind resource of the north of Scotland has potential to be a driving force in decarbonising the UK as a whole.
'Providing huge economic opportunities to communities across north and north east Scotland.
'However, this requires build out of our grid and a balanced approach to the transition which protects our existing oil and gas supply chain, so it can transition over time to these burgeoning renewables opportunities.'
In total, Scottish wind farms were paid not to produce 37% of all planned output in the first half of this year.
And in June, 49.1% of planned output from northern Scotland wind farms was curtailed.
Scottish energy secretary Gillian Martin said: 'I have been clear that the current UK energy system is not fit for purpose.
'Significant investment is required to achieve a clean power system.'
NESO said it continually reviews the balance between the costs of continued constraint payments against the construction of new network infrastructure to ensure consumers get the right end of the deal.
A spokesman added: 'NESO is determined to play its part in ensuring we keep the costs of balancing the electricity system as low as possible for consumers.
'Through the development of new tools and close collaboration with industry, we have saved consumers at least £1.2bn over the past two years across the costs within our control.'
