New 1.2GW offshore wind farm hits Net Zero every 10 weeks – Is it up because of that?
Guest essay by Eric Worrall
The Tony Blair Institute has calculated that a wind farm equivalent to the largest offshore wind farm ever built must be completed every 10 weeks, to achieve Net Zero by 2050.
UK ‘must build world’s largest wind farm every 10 weeks for next 20 years’ to hit zero target
Under the current framework, 90% of electricity production in the UK will be based on a government-backed contract, causing stiff competition, the Tony Blair Institute warns
Harry Cockburn Environmental Reporter
The UK must build the equivalent of 1.2 gigawatts offshorewind farms – the largest ever built – every 10 weeks for the next 20 years to hit its legally binding net zero goal, a report from Tony Blair Institute request.
The report highlights the current way energy crisis, which has resulted in the bankruptcy of many small energy suppliers, exposed “profound design and regulatory problems in the wholesale and retail energy markets”, and said that without As a result of massive adaptation, the energy market is moving towards more concentration and higher costs for consumers.
It warns that without an overhaul, up to 90% of all power generation in the UK will be under a government-backed contract.
Due to prolonged government support, the report’s authors warn that by 2035, energy suppliers will have “limited incentives” to meet supply and demand.
Instead, the report calls for a new effort to adapt to provide an affordable, flexible system.
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Follow Dogger Bank Wind Farm website, their 1.2GW wind farm is worth £3 billion ($4 billion). So 52 weeks in a year, 52 ÷ 10 x £3 billion = £15.6 billion per year.
Having said that, the cost is likely to increase over time, the Dogger Bank wind farm is more than 100km away. If you need to travel more than 100km for a good wind farm site, how long will the extension cord last, after a few years building an equivalent new site every 10 weeks?
Of course, you won’t really hit real zero unless someone also builds a backup battery for all that wind power, in case another prolonged drought. But let them be in their happy place, it would be a shame to spoil their moment with some basic economics.