wind

  • Low carbon generation

    Our Renewables Pipeline Tracker: In with the new – scoping projects and progression through planning stages

    Our latest Renewables Pipeline Tracker was published on 11 June, and this blog provides a summary of some of the recent developments in our coverage of the pipeline for new build and repowering renewables assets in GB. What’s new? Seabed leasing rounds, scoping projects and CfD announcements Since our previous...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    In the midst of the Australian Energy Transformation Process

    Australia is in the midst of an energy supply and distribution transformation. This transition is twofold and includes not just bridging the gap from conventional fossil fuels to renewable technologies (due to their reduced carbon footprint, lower levelized cost of energy and improved reliability levels by comparation), but also requires...

  • Low carbon generation

    Nuclear energy and its potential importance for net zero

    This article was originally written as a longer piece in Energy Spectrum on 21 March 2021. To find out more about a subscription to Energy Spectrum, please contact Nick on n.palmer@cornwall-insight.com. Nuclear energy has been an integral part of the UK’s electricity system for many decades. Currently, nuclear provides around...

  • Power and gas networks

    Understanding the backdrop of the UK hydrogen economy

    We are delighted to publish our research note on the hydrogen sector: 'Understanding the backdrop of the UK hydrogen economy'. Serving as a primer for our upcoming series of hydrogen insight papers, we chart the UK’s progress in developing a hydrogen industry. In our paper, we cover essential developments in...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Flight of the Phoenix – could green investment point the way forward post-COVID?

    As economies around the world move from “disaster preparation” to “recovery preparation”, the low carbon and renewable sector has been earmarked as a means by which to target government support in a manner consistent with medium and long-term policy targets – such  the UK’s own net zero 2050 objectives. While...

  • Low carbon generation

    Power demand in Lockdown – Initial COVID-19 impact on the power market

    The power and gas systems are mirror images of the wider economy, entering practically every aspect of work and leisure. They naturally face challenges as a result of the effects of the COVID-19 virus on the way we work, travel and live. Electricity demand has reported to have fallen in...

  • Low carbon generation

    Editor’s Pick | The green shoots of the Capacity Market auctions

    A pivotal year for the Capacity Market (CM) draws to a close, with the first long-term auctions for capacity since 2018. But for once the CM is the least interesting thing happening in the market, and the scheme itself seems out of step with the net zero future. In this Energy...

  • Low carbon generation

    Editor’s Pick | A marathon and a sprint? What next for onshore renewables?

    This article was originally published in Energy Spectrum Issue 702 on 17 February 2020. For recent news and analysis on the energy market, find out more about our weekly publication, Energy Spectrum, here. In this week’s Energy Perspective, we take a look at the renewables pipeline and ask whether the volume of new...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    10 Manifesto Energy Policies

    With all the General Election manifestos now published, we have updated our infographic so you can easily see where the parties stand on certain energy sector issues. For further, more in-depth analysis and insight into what each of the parties are promising and how this could shape the future energy...

  • Low carbon generation

    Winds of change: Analysing SEM wind forecast accuracy

    Following the publication of the Tomorrow’s Energy Scenarios (TES) 2019, we can expect to see greater penetration of wind generation in the coming 20 years, with installed capacity forecast between 6.0GW to 8.2GW by 2040. As the growth in wind generation continues, forecasting wind accurately will become increasingly important in order to...

  • Low carbon generation

    The day after tomorrow: Onshore wind capacity

    The Irish transmission system operator, EirGrid, published its Tomorrow’s Energy Scenarios (TES) 2019 Report on 18 October. In this edition of the blog, we explore how an increase in installed onshore wind capacity will affect the Irish electricity grid based on three credible 2040 pathways set out by EirGrid. Click here to...

  • Low carbon generation

    Editor’s Pick | Talkin’ bout a revolution: What next for the CfD?

    This article was originally published in Energy Spectrum Issue 685 on 7 October 2019. The Contract for Difference (CfD) results for Allocation Round 3 (AR3) once again provided some striking results for the industry to ponder. In this Energy Perspective, we reflect on the success and consider what the results mean for...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Wind’s future in the Australian and GB energy markets

    Last week we published our latest insight paper – Wind in the Australian and Great British energy markets ­– which examines the outlook for wind in both the Australian and Great British (GB) markets and how it is being shaped by market design and infrastructure. The key findings of the report are:...

  • Announcement

    New: Benchmark Power Curve service launched

    Cornwall Insight has recently launched its new Benchmark Power Curve (CI BPC) service to complement its already deep set of wholesale research subscription services. The CI BPC is a comprehensive market and asset-level power price modelling service that delivers long-term price forecasts, informed by industry-leading regulatory, market and policy expertise,...

  • Low carbon generation

    Easter weekend – a glimpse into the future for wholesale power?

    In what has previously been a rare occurrence on the GB transmission system, the minimum daytime demand dropped below night time minimum demand twice in succession over the Easter weekend, as high levels of embedded solar generation reduced the need for grid connected energy production. In this blog we look...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Imbalance prices turn negative for six straight hours

    Imbalance prices turned negative for 13 consecutive settlement periods on Sunday, as low electricity demand and high levels of wind output led the System Operator to reduce generation output from a variety of wind, combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) and biomass power stations. The imbalance price dropped below zero in...

  • Low carbon generation

    Don’t you (forget about me): a future without coal in SEM?

    Record-setting daily wind generation output, increasing installed wind capacity and new renewable electricity support schemes all make for great headlines. However, the reality that 42% of generation in SEM last month came from renewables doesn’t feel like the exception, but the rule.   This high, and importantly, consistent wind output...

  • Low carbon generation

    As the witching hour approaches, RO mutualisation looms

    Halloween is just a week away, and it is rapidly taking on a rather other-worldly significance for suppliers. This is because Ofgem reported yesterday that, based on supplier compliance under the Renewables Obligation for 2017-18 (CP16), there has been a significant shortfall by suppliers who have not submitted ROCs and...

  • Low carbon generation

    Cornwall Insight: evaluating drivers of low-carbon investment in a subsidy free world event

    On 17 October 2018 Cornwall Insight hosted a successful and well attended event where the future of support for renewable power generation, against the backdrop of the significant gap between current deployment levels and what must be delivered to meet decarbonisation goals, was discussed. Cornwall Insight experts discussed how although...

  • Low carbon generation

    Sunny afternoon – Ireland’s wind drought

    As the sun continues to bathe Ireland and Northern Ireland, spare a thought for the System Operator (SO). This enduring, recent (and unlikely) spell of good weather has a noticeable impacted on renewable generation across the island. What Met Éireann termed “dry, settled weather” is due to a high-pressure system...

  • Low carbon generation

    Wholesale price “cannibalisation effect” puts economics of renewables at risk

    Our research has revealed that as capacity and output from solar and windfarm projects increases in coming years, the “cannibalisation effect” is set to lower wholesale power prices to the extent that by the 2030s it could put at risk the viability of future renewables. With the withdrawal of government...

  • Low carbon generation

    Q118 FiT costs confirmed at £290mn

    Suppliers were invoiced for Q118 (January – March) Feed-in Tariff levelisation on 25 April, confirming total scheme costs for the quarter at just under £290mn. This consisted of £281.7mn in generation payments, £7.7mn in deemed export payments and £0.3mn in qualifying costs that help cover the supplier cost to administer...

  • Low carbon generation

    Into the great wide open: evaluating Irish offshore wind

    Renewables growth in Ireland has been a story with one key protagonist – onshore wind. Its offshore cousin has not progressed beyond a single operational project – the 25MW Arklow Bank installation. This development lacuna has occurred despite the significant resource available offshore in Irish waters. The Strategic Environmental Assessment...

  • Low carbon generation

    Invisible Touch: Irish energy and the EIB

    Last week, ESB and Bord na Móna announced financial close on the 89MW Oweninny wind farm in Mayo. One interesting feature of the public statement was that the European Investment Bank (EIB) was providing 50% of the estimated €160mn investment. As discussed below, in recent years the EIB has not...

  • Low carbon generation

    Here be dragons: basis risk and REFIT projects in I-SEM

    Last week on 14 March the Irish market saw another record for wind generation, with over 55% of the island of Ireland’s electricity generated from wind power for the full day. It is clear that the TSOs are becoming more comfortable with wind as it increases its market penetration, however,...

  • Low carbon generation

    RO capacity climbing, for now

    As we issue our Baseline Long-term Roc Forecast for 2018, we take the opportunity to reflect on key trends seen in the renewables market and look at how the impending deadline for projects to accredit under the Renewables Obligation (RO) may impact capacity levels over the coming compliance periods (CPs)....

  • Low carbon generation

    Ireland’s thermal plants sail into probing wind

    The level of wind penetration in Ireland is one of the highest in Europe. This has already had some major impacts on the market, including depressed wholesale prices; reduced running hours for some thermal plants; and curtailment of wind output. This week’s blog considers wider interactions of wind generation with...

  • Low carbon generation

    PPA market interviews: 5 key trends in the renewables market

    As a part of Cornwall Insight’s Green Power Forecast report, we interviewed a number of suppliers, offtakers and generators in the market to identify key trends in the renewables Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) market. Here we detail five key trends that came from our interviews and research. The PPA market...

  • Low carbon generation

    Contracts for Difference: Exemptions implemented and consultation launched

    On 16 January 2018, Cornwall Insight issued its latest Contracts for Difference (CfD) Supplier Obligation (SO) report, forecasting the cost of the Total Supplier Obligation (TSO) for each delivery year until 2021-22. There are two major changes to the scheme recently announced that are now factored into our forecasting. First,...