The UK needs to install 112GW of wind power by 2030, well over double the 40GW currently planned, to achieve a net zero electricity system and hit its goal of a 78% cut in carbon emissions by 2035, according to a report by technology company Wärtsilä.
The country must also rapidly increase the amount of flexible capacity, such as battery energy storage and thermal balancing power plants, to balance the variability of such high levels of renewable power.
With just 14 years to meet the net zero electricity target, Wärtsilä’s power system modelling highlights that more than 6GW of new wind energy must be installed every year. That is almost triple the current pace of deployment and a significant increase on the UK’s existing plans to install 40GW of offshore wind by 2030.
In order to achieve a 100% renewable energy system, the UK will also need 52GW of flexibility solutions, including 18GW of battery energy storage and 34GW of thermal balancing power plants. The synthetic fuel used in the thermal balancing power plants is produced from excess renewable power in 35GW of power-to-gas converters.
Wärtsilä’s report – Front-loading Net Zero
– demonstrates that net zero energy systems are achievable based on technologies already available at scale in countries around the world and do not need to cost significantly more.
A combination of flexibility assets, including both energy storage through batteries and thermal balancing power plants, provides the most cost-effective bridge to 100% renewable energy.
Wärtsilä is already facilitating greater renewable penetration on the UK grid by installing 200MW of energy storage systems as part of Pivot Power’s Energy Superhub model, including projects in Oxford, Kent and the Midlands. The company is also installing its GEMS Digital Energy Platform to provide energy storage at SSE’s Lerwick power station, to reduce costs and protect energy stability.
For more information visit Wärtsilä’s website.