BWEA - 8/8/08

BWEA welcomes the Carbon Trust’s recent report on small wind systems. There can now be little doubt that the UK is in a fantastic position to benefit from correctly sited small wind systems. At the right locations, small wind systems can produce electricity cheaper than the grid and payback their embedded carbon within months. With the best wind resources in Europe, today the UK has literally millions of homes and businesses waiting to benefit from the effective deployment of this technology.

The report states that in theory small wind systems could contribute 8% of UK electricity, but acknowledges that with today’s technology, current electricity prices means the technology is only scratching the surface of what may be possible. Nonetheless this means that nearly 2 million homes and business can successfully benefit from small wind systems today. With technology costs reducing and fossil fuels prices set to continue to increase, the potential of this technology is only going to grow.

Alex Murley, BWEA Small-system manager said “This is good news for consumers and UK industry. Micro- and small-wind is the only microgeneration technology in which the UK currently holds world leadership. With over 14 British manufacturers, currently experiencing annual domestic market growth of over 80%, as well as expanding export trade, this emerging UK industry could deliver tens of thousands of jobs as well as make valuable contribution in helping consumers to cutting carbon emissions and generate their own clean renewable energy.

For more information call:

Charles Anglin, BWEA Director of Communications, 020 7689 1966 / 0774 002 3641 or charles@bwea.com

NOTES:

The British Wind Energy Association is the trade and professional body for the UK wind and marine renewables industries. Formed in 1978, and with over 400 corporate members, BWEA is the leading renewable energy trade association in the UK. Wind has been the world's fastest growing renewable energy source for the last seven years, and this trend is expected to continue with falling costs of wind energy and the urgent international need to tackle CO2 emissions to prevent climate change.

In accordance with 2007 market share figures taken from BWEA small wind systems UK market report 2008, and Energy Saving Trust Capacitor factors for micro- and small-wind turbines, 1.5 tWh would equate to approximately 2 million micro- and small-wind installations.

In 2007, approximately 3500 micro- and small-wind turbines were deployed with the UK, an 80% increase on 2006 annual deployment figures.

41.3tWh of electricity equate to 8% of UK annual electricity demand, http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file46983.pdf .

BWEA Small Systems Webpage: www.bwea.com/small

Carbon Report: http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/News/presscentre/Small-Scale-Wind-Energy.htm