Energy from offshore wind in the UK will soon be cheaper by half to under £58 for every megawatt-hour of electricity produced, lower than experts' estimates. This is according to UK government's latest auction for support contracts.
The lower costs will allow more wind farms to apply for the £294m funding pot, which brings a total investment of £17.5bn into the UK. The total investment value is higher than the £11bn predicted by Renewable UK recently.
For the first time ever in the UK, energy from offshore wind farms will be cheaper than the new nuclear power. The new Hinkley Point C nuclear plant will cost £92.50 per megawatt hour.
"We knew today’s results would be impressive, but these are astounding," said Hugh McNeal, chief executive of Renewable UK. "Record-breaking cost reductions like the ones achieved by offshore wind are unprecedented for large energy infrastructure."
UK goverment estimates this latest figure as a result of the auction will save consumers £528m a year.
Richard Harrington, minister for energy and industry, said: "This investment will help the UK meet its climate targets while supporting jobs in Britain’s growing renewable industry. The UK has the largest offshore wind capacity in the world and low carbon businesses have a combined turnover of £43bn, employing 234,000 people."
The government contracts will grant offshore wind developers, including Dong Energy and Engie, a guaranteed revenue of just £57.50 per megawatt-hour of electricity produced in 2022/23. This is a huge drop from the £74.75/MWh granted to Innogy and Statkraft’s Triton Knoll project, which will start up just one year earlier.
英国の洋上風力発電、大幅なコスト削減を享受
英国の洋上風力発電部門は、かねてからの予想を上回るペースで実施された技術面での補助金半減により、今後4年間でのイギリス経済に175億ポンドの投資をもたらす見込みです。政府による直近の契約支援目的のオークションでは、洋上風力発電にて毎時発電される電力（メガワット）の価格が58ポンド以下にまで低下したことが明らかに。コストの削減が意味するのは、 資金調達枠への申請を行うことのできる風力発電施設の増加。この流れは、先週、Renewable UKが予測した110億ポンドをさらに上回る形に。政府は、このオークションで提供される生産能力は、光熱費を使い、かかる契約を支持する消費者に、競争がない場合に比べて年間528百万ポンドもの費用削減をもたらすと推定しています。
洋上風力発電のこのような成功が、消費者にはるかに多くの費用を負担させることになる原子力発電の存在価値に対して疑問が生まれる事態へと繋がっていることは、明らかでしょう。そのような世論を受けてEDF Energyは、消費者に92.50ポンド/ MWhのコストを迫ることになる、新たな原子力発電所建設の計画を擁護。さらに、オークションの結果発表に先立ち、次回のプロジェクトでコストが下がる可能性が高いと述べています。今回のオークションの結果は、最大規模の契約を獲得した欧州のエネルギー会社の競争力も明らかにしました。ただし、参加した企業の全てが成果をつかんだ訳ではなく、このオークションラウンドで契約を逃した企業としては、Atlantis Resourcesなどが挙げられます。
随着成本减半，海上风能或吸引175亿英镑投资热潮
英国海上风电行业可能在未来四年内为英国经济注入175亿英镑的投资。英国政府最新发布的信息显示，近年来英国海上风电成本已经下降了一半，即每百万瓦时的电力成本已低至58英镑。
Renewable UK首席执行官麦克尼尔表示：“我们知道今天的所取得的成绩会令人印象深刻， 海上风电实现的创纪录的成本降低是大型能源基础设施前所未有的”。
能源与工业部部长理查德哈灵顿表示：“这项投资将有助于英国在不断壮大的可再生能源行业中实现其气候目标，英国是世界上最大的海上风能发电国，而英国低碳企业的营收也高达430亿英镑，并雇用了23.4万人。
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