UK urged to plug wind power into National Grid

Report by energy expert finds no technical reason why significant amount of energy generated by wind could not supply the National Grid
Press Association
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 8 July 2009 11.38 BST

Environmental groups today called on the government to deliver a "genuine shift" in energy policy after a new report said Britain's energy system was capable of taking a huge amount of wind power.
A study by energy expert David Milborrow found there was no technical reason why a significant amount of energy generated by wind could not be used to supply the National Grid.
The grid was already designed to manage fluctuations in demand and supply, while variations in wind power were considerably less than other demands caused by the weather or even TV programmes, said the report.
Milborrow, who has worked in the energy industry for 30 years, said: "Utilities worldwide generally agree there is no fundamental technical reason why high proportions of wind cannot be assimilated without the lights going out."
Chris Bennett, manager of National Grid's Future Transmission Networks, said: "We welcome this report and the way that it highlights the implications of integrating wind into our electricity network.
"The report complements the consultation document that National Grid issued in June which highlighted the different solutions available to ensure a safe secure and economic supply of electricity is maintained."
Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, RSPB and WWF, who commissioned the report, called on the government to put in place funding and incentives to encourage investment in much more wind power. The UK has already committed itself to an EU target of generating 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020, and wind power is expected to be the main technology used to reach the target.
Louise Hutchins, energy solutions campaigner at Greenpeace, said: "This report scuppers the final arguments against wind power. The government must now get cracking and make the most of the energy that wind will provide to the country, and wind won't just generate energy for Britain. It will also generate thousands of jobs for Britain."
Last week a report by the Carbon Trust suggested the UK could create 250,000 jobs and gain up to £70bn in revenue from offshore wind and wave technologies.