UK wind record

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 21 Apr 2013, 12:04

Iirc (from our recent visit) Dinorwig can put out about 1.5 GW for about 5 hours max. It's used mainly for TV pickups and the like, rather than wind lulls. It's about 75% "round-trip" efficient.

It's the biggest one in the UK, so, really we haven't got all that much pumped storage. There aren't any more sites where really massive ones like that can be built.

Tarrel · Post by **Tarrel** » 21 Apr 2013, 13:15

I fear though you would have storm of NIMBYism if you actually tried to build the required pumped storage.

There was a news article floating around recently about a Danish (IIRC) proposal to build offshore pumped storage. It would essentially take the form of a reservoir sunk into the sea (think of a giant bucket pushed down into the water, but not so far that the water flows over and into it). In order to generate power, water would be allowed to flow into the "bucket" while turning turbines. To store excess generated energy, the water would be pumped out again.

Construction sounds pretty energy- and resource-hungry, but it does get over the NIMBY problem. (Unless you try to build it in front of Donald Trump's golf course!). You could also build these as an integral part of off-shore wind farms, reducing the amount of electricity-carrying infrastructure needed between storage, the source of generation, and the grid.

Post by **adam2** » 15 Sep 2013, 11:09

biffvernon wrote:A new record of over 4GW was set on Friday:

http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/22 ... rgy-record

11% of total.

Yesterdays news !
Over 5GW at present, and about 15% of national demand.
This is largely displacing natural gas burnt for electricity generation.
CCGT ouptut normally declines on a Sunday, but over the last few hours has been much lower than usual.

This of course is either less gas purchased, or more left in stock for calm weather.

Post by **adam2** » 15 Sep 2013, 16:12

Wind input to the grid is now 5.64GW which may be a new record, the dial on the website only goes up to 5.5GW!

The true figure for total windpower will be somwhat more than stated since the published figures are only for industrial size wind farms that are metered in real time.
Domestic scale grid tied wind only appears as a reduction in load.

And of course off grid wind is not recorded at all.

Post by **clv101** » 15 Sep 2013, 16:59

Interesting that wind is generating more than nuclear.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 15 Sep 2013, 17:49

Plus half a GW from the Dutch Interconnector, most of which might be counted as wind generated.

Post by **adam2** » 17 Sep 2013, 12:49

Wind still over 4GW, and has met over 10% of the total demand for the last couple of days.
That is a lot of gas not burnt.
Several nukes are out of use, making the contribution from wind especialy valuable.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 27 Oct 2013, 11:37

Right now we are getting more electricity from wind than from gas.
http://gridwatch.templar.co.uk/index.php

Initiation · Post by **Initiation** » 27 Oct 2013, 20:53

Infact over the last 24 hours we have averaged 14% from wind (actually higher due to embedded stuff) and 13% from gas. Nice

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 27 Oct 2013, 20:59

Somebody said the wind figure is about half as much again, since that's what does not get measured in the grid data. Plus the Dutch Interconnector has been running at it's maximum of 1GW today. Most of that will be Dutch and Danish wind generation.

Little John · Post by **Little John** » 27 Oct 2013, 23:10

I read on the BBC that this was going to be the worst storm since than big one in the mid eighties. What a load of bollocks. It was just a bit windy and wet. I was all excited and everything in anticipation and bugger all happened.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 28 Oct 2013, 13:51

We got it before you of course and we took some of the heat (?

) out of it for you. A lot of rain fell - we have an IBC (1,000 litres) connected to a very short length of gutter; it takes an eternity to fill usually but this time, no problem, overflowing.

As for the wind, yes, it was spectacular too but not for long.

Post by **clv101** » 28 Oct 2013, 17:21

stevecook172001 wrote:I read on the BBC that this was going to be the worst storm since than big one in the mid eighties. What a load of bollocks. It was just a bit windy and wet. I was all excited and everything in anticipation and bugger all happened.

The south coast was hit by gusts of 80+mph, the highest was over 90mph. That was certainly the highest wind speed that area had experienced in many years.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 31 Oct 2013, 13:50

clv101 wrote:
stevecook172001 wrote:I read on the BBC that this was going to be the worst storm since than big one in the mid eighties. What a load of bollocks. It was just a bit windy and wet. I was all excited and everything in anticipation and bugger all happened.
The south coast was hit by gusts of 80+mph, the highest was over 90mph. That was certainly the highest wind speed that area had experienced in many years.

Steve, do remember that the BBC is biassed towards southern softies.

Meanwhile, I read in the Grauniad that, unlike in 1987, there have apparently been very few tree casualties (erm, I mean wrecked trees, not people wrecked by trees, sorry).

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 31 Oct 2013, 14:57

RenewableCandy wrote: Steve, do remember that the BBC is biassed towards southern softies.

It was the sort of day when Shetlanders might chose a cap rather than a wide-brimmed hat.

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UK wind record

Re: UK wind record