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The future of onshore and offshore energy
Scores of grantors have taken steps to future-proof their business and the energy network by installing wind turbines on their land.
At the last count there were 1,500 onshore wind farms with more than one turbine operating in the UK, with many hundreds more offshore.
The boom in onshore wind power is being led by private landowners who can command extra income in rental fees. But both on and offshore will have a crucial role to play in tackling climate change by moving to a carbon-free electricity system.
So what is the difference between the two and how do they both impact on achieving net zero? The main one is in their position, size, scale and how the electricity they generate is transferred.
Wind power. Onshore or off?
Onshore
The how
Onshore wind energy is the power generated by wind turbines located on open fields and rural areas driven by the natural movement of the air. Onshore wind has been capturing and converting wind power in some form since the 1880s. Then it was to make corn or drive pumps, but the opening of the Delabole wind farm in 1991 hailed a more commercial era.
Today, the 1,500 operational onshore wind farms generate more than 12 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity for the national electric system. In 2020, onshore wind contributed 11% of the UK’s electricity needs, with a total 34.7 terawatt hours (TWh) generated – enough to power 18.5 million UK homes for an entire year.
The upsides
Reduced environmental impact – Significantly fewer emissions than other energy sources and the sites they sit on can still be farmed.
Cost-effective – One of the least expensive forms of renewable energy and significantly less expensive than offshore wind power. Cheaper infrastructure and running costs mean onshore farms can help lower electricity bills.
Fast installation and easier maintenance – Onshore farms can be constructed in months and are relatively cheap and cost-effective to maintain compared to those at sea.
Job creation – National Grid predicts that the creation of more onshore and offshore wind farms by 2050 could create 60,000 jobs.
… and the downsides
Changing wind speeds – Consistency of generation can be affected by varying wind speeds and changes in wind direction.
No or little wind – When the wind is intermittent electricity can’t be generated using wind power. That’s why National Grid wants to develop a mix of solutions – including other renewable energy sources – as well as receiving clean energy through interconnectors and improved energy demand management.
Effects on people and nature – Some people don’t like the appearance and noise of wind farms on the landscape, while others fear they may pose a threat to birds. Read the How does a wind turbine work? feature to find out more.
Offshore
The how
Because they capitalise on the elements coming off the sea, offshore wind turbines are considered more efficient than onshore farms, thanks to higher wind speed, greater consistency and lack of physical interference.
The UK is the world leader in offshore wind. Last year there were more than 2,300 wind turbines across 40 offshore wind farms around our coastline. They contributed more than 15% of the UK’s electricity needs.
The upsides
Greater efficiency – Higher wind speeds and consistency in direction means fewer turbines are needed to produce the same amount of energy as onshore farms.
Reduced environmental impact – Being miles out from the coast, they are further away from the local population.
More construction space – Because there are no neighbours the sea provides the perfect location to build them.
… and the downsides
Higher cost – Offshore wind farms require more complex infrastructure to support them so are more expensive to construct.
Maintenance and repairs – Higher wind speeds, strong seas and accessibility issues make offshore wind farms more challenging to maintain.
Less local involvement – While onshore wind turbines can be owned or operated by grantors, businesses or local cooperatives, offshore ones are usually corporately owned because of the investment required.
1.4m
Hornsea offshore wind farm in the North Sea off Grimsby is the largest in the world. Once its second phase is complete it will generate 1.3GW of green energy from 165 offshore wind turbines… enough to supply 1.4 million homes
2020
According to National Grid, 2020 was the "greenest year on record" for Britain, with record levels of renewable energy coming from wind power.
715%
Electricity generation from wind power in the UK has increased by 715% from 2009 to 2020. Turnover from wind energy was nearly £6 billion in 2019.
40GW
The UK government wants to increase current offshore wind capacity to 40GW by 2030, tripling the current output.
Landmark reached in low carbon mission
Six million homes and businesses are a step closer to accessing low-carbon energy after an historic new milestone was reached.
The overhead lines that will carry the new greener energy have now been installed on 36 of the 48 new T-pylons on the Hinkley Connection Project in Somerset as part of a process known as ‘stringing’.
Once complete it will connect homes and businesses in the South West and beyond with low-carbon electricity generated by Hinkley Point C nuclear power station and other sources of low-carbon energy in 2024.
The site's two nuclear reactors are the first to be built in the UK in 20 years.
Time for T-pylons
The innovative new pylon design for overhead electricity lines features a single pole and T-shaped cross arms, which have earring-like suspended diamond insulators to hold the wires and conductors.
The T-pylons have been built between Bridgwater and Loxton in Somerset, where engineers are fitting the conductors that will carry the low-carbon energy from Hinkley Point C power station onto the network.
They are just one of a series of measures being introduced by National Grid to lessen visual impact, including alternative lattice electricity pylon designs along with underground and subsea cable systems.
The logistics
The conductors are transported to site on large drums, weighing up to 7.5 tonnes and 2.5m high. Teams of engineers first pull a steel braided rope between sections of up to 12 T-pylons through circular running blocks suspended from the diamond-shaped insulators.
The heavier conductors are then attached to the rope via a rectangular headboard, which is pulled back through the running blocks using large winches. Engineers control the speed of the winches to guide the conductors into position before they are fixed to the insulators.
Where are they?
The span of cables between each T-pylon is up to 360m and the conductors are installed in sections of up to 12 T-pylons at a time, with each taking around two weeks to ‘string’.
Stringing is now complete on 36 T-pylons between Woolavington and Loxton and work is due to start in April to install the conductors on 12 T-pylons between Bridgwater and Woolavington. These 48 T-pylons will be energised in October 2022.
When will it be completed?
There will be a total of 116 T-pylons along the route. Construction work has begun on the remaining 68 T-pylons on the northern section of the route between Sandford and Portbury. Those will be completed, including stringing, by 2023.
James Goode, Project Director for National Grid Electricity Transmission said: "We’re immensely proud to have reached this significant milestone as part of our transition to net zero. The project will be complete, including reinstatement of the land, by the end of 2025."
New wetlands drive to tackle crisis
A new initiative to help fight a looming climate, nature and wellbeing crisis is being spearheaded by National Grid.
The business has joined leading organisations to help create 100,000 hectares of healthy wetlands across the UK in an initiative backed by the Prince of Wales.
The project will see 10 organisations working with the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) to create networks of healthy wetlands across the UK. This will help protect endangered species dependent on wetland habitats, as well as benefitting the nation's mental wellbeing by creating relaxing places to visit.
It would also mitigate against the medium and long-term impacts of climate change by increasing opportunities for wetland environments to store carbon.
The first Blue Recovery Leaders Group was held at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre in Gloucestershire and was steered by the chair of Natural England, Tony Juniper.
Multi-skilled partnership
Representatives from sectors including housing, water, charity, engineering, banking and landowners joined WWT Patron Prince Charles at the launch.
Members include The Church of England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the People’s Postcode Lottery, Severn Trent Water, financial groups and National Grid.
They will work together to identify, develop and deliver pioneering projects that help WWT reach its 1,000 hectares Blue Recovery goal.
Working together
Duncan Burt, Chief Sustainability Officer at National Grid, said: “The challenges the world faces today will only be solved with every sector of society working together – and this is a great example of how this can happen.
“We’re honoured to be part of such a prestigious group of organisations working towards something we all agree will be of huge benefit to nature, people and the planet."
Examples of the sort of projects the group could help collaborate on include:
- creating a demonstration wetland-friendly housing development
- building new ponds and lakes in public spaces
- sponsoring research into how barriers to wetland creation could be overcome.
Catching carbon and inspiring people
Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said: “From our wonderful upland blanket bogs to the beautiful floodplain meadows that still border some of our rivers, our wetlands catch carbon, purify water, reduce flooding, inspire the human spirit and host a vast variety of wildlife. They are a vital asset for society and now is the moment to plan for their protection, recovery and expansion.”
Brain bank to speed up move to net zero
Some of the brightest minds in Britain are working with National Grid to examine the best ways of decarbonising the electricity system.
The business’s Electricity Transmission (NGET) arm has signed ‘innovation partnerships’ with academics from Cardiff, Edinburgh, Exeter, Manchester, Southampton and Strathclyde Universities to accelerate the move to net zero.
Project collaboration
They will collaborate with National Grid’s experts on projects across a wide range of areas linked to maintaining and improving Britain’s electricity network. The partnerships will help create a cleaner electricity system by sharing knowledge and forging a culture of innovation between NGET and individual universities.
National Grid has already started the journey towards a green energy future with a target to achieve net zero by 2050. The new partnerships will help by finding new approaches to NGET’s management of the network, with a continued focus on resilience and security of supply.
Low emission technologies
They will also study low emission technologies and new power electronics as well as increasing the digitalisation of the power system through use of artificial intelligence and data management and analysis.
Other projects the partnerships will develop and deliver on will include:
- Electricity transmission network asset design, operation and maintenance
- Power system modelling and simulation
- Study of robotics, virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence applications
for transmission networks - Power electronics applications for electricity transmission networks
- Energy system decarbonisation, including low-emission technologies and whole system modelling.
Nicola Todd, Head of Strategy and Innovation at NGET, said: “Innovation will be crucial in helping to achieve a safe, resilient and decarbonised electricity system.
“Collaborations like these will help us move faster and further in progressing technologies for emissions reductions, processes and systems to make our network cleaner while also driving down costs for consumers.”
“We’re looking forward to sharing and developing our expertise on power system modelling, power electronics, energy system decarbonisation and net zero.”
Professor Gareth Harrison, Deputy Head of School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh
