Wind Energy breaks new record and the link between Fishing and Energy in the Brexit Trade deal

Wind power milestone

Storm Bella was the main driver for the surge in wind power generation over the Christmas period as it battered the country with winds of up to 106mph.

The storm caused flooding and damaged infrastructure across the UK and Europe but resulted in the nation's wind turbines spinning so much that they generated so much energy that wind contributed over half of the energy mix for the first time.

According to data from Drax, wind farms across the UK generated 5.14 gigawatts of electricity (50.7% of all the electricity generated that day). Earlier in the year, wind farms generated more electricity but contributed less to the energy mix due to higher demand.

With most businesses closed for the Christmas holidays and as Covid measures continue to bite overall electricity demand was relatively low.

Onshore wind farms were shown to have generated 60% of the electricity created whilst offshore wind farms produced 40%. The offshore figure highlights just how much the UK relies on wind power to fulfil its green energy needs and shows how the UK is the world leader when it comes to offshore wind power.

Also read: A Brief History of Energy: Wind Power

Green Energy drive

On Boxing Day, data showed that nearly three-quarters of all power generated on December 26th came from clean sources when combined with nuclear, solar and hydropower sources.

The move away from fossil fuels has been rapid with the UK going coal-free for the first since the Industrial Revolution and green energy contributions to the energy mix now regularly setting new records.

Fish and Energy?

The drive towards renewable energy sources is likely to increase in importance following the UK's signing of a trade deal with the European Union.

In the small print of the Brexit trade deal approved by a large majority of MPs yesterday in parliament, it states that when both the continued EU access to UK waters and UK frictionless access to EU electrical and gas networks are up for renewal, the dates are the same.

According to analysts, this means that the EU will now have substantial leverage over the UK when negotiating EU fishing boat access to UK waters. Under the deal, the EU will have access for five years after which annual negotiations will be held.

Also read: Brexit – Deal or no deal, what will the implications be for the UK Energy Sector?

EU Energy market access

The energy part of the deal states that for now the UK has virtually unchanged access to the EU's energy markets, but this expires on exactly the same date as the fish deal – June 30th 2026. Following that there will also be annual negotiations.

Observers are concerned that the EU will be able to effectively blackmail the UK into granting EU fishing vessels access to UK waters or else face repercussions when it comes to the energy side of the deal.

In effect, if the UK bans, or severely restricts, EU boats in the British 200-mile zone from June 30th 2026, the EU would likely retaliate and end easy access to EU energy. Such a result would, in turn, result in higher energy bills for British consumers.  

Such a clause in the deal should be a wake-up call to the UK energy sector and hasten the need to make the nation as energy independent as possible.

Further Reading

Ministers urged to do more as requests for energy bill assistance soar

What does 2021 hold for the UK Energy Market?

Energy White paper: Energy Billing to be shaken up by introducing automatic tariff switching

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