View advert- Page 6 - Industrial Technology Magazine

INDUSTRY NEWSWind, wave, solar and tidalcomplemented by frackingNew Government figures show wind leading the way as electricity fromrenewables increases, but there are tax breaks on the table for hydro frackingGovernment figures released inthe annual Digest of UK EnergyStatistics show that electricityproduction from renewableenergy sources in 2012 was up by almost20% on the previous year and accountedfor over 11% of all electricity generated inthe year. This increase has predominatelybeen driven by increases in electricitygeneration from both onshore and offshorewind.Critically the figures also show that theload factor for offshore wind was 33.7%,compared to Gas which had a load factorof 30.4%, confirming the ever increasingimportance of offshore wind technology inour electricity mix. These figures come ata crucial time for the wind industry,coming soon after the publication of thedraft Electricity Market Reform DeliveryPlan, and as we look forward to theforthcoming publication of theGovernment’s Industrial Strategy foroffshore wind, which will set out theGovernment’s plan for ensuring that theUK reaps the economic benefits of theexpansion in this sector.Maf Smith, Deputy Chief Executive ofRenewableUK said: “These figuresconfirm the recent trends we have seendavid.b@atlas.co.uk6

industrialtechnology.co.ukthat show renewables, and especially wind,playing an ever-increasing role in our electricitygeneration. They come at the end of a busyperiod for wind, which has seen the largestoffshore wind farm in the world opened atLondon Array, as well as number of majoronshore sites going live. We have made someremarkable progress over recent years, and thisis another shot in the arm for the renewablessector. With wind generating around half ofelectricity from renewables we are leading thecharge in the race to decarbonise our electricitymarket.“These figures also show that as a countrywe are becoming increasingly dependent onexpensive imported fossil fuels, with a rise toover 40% in the amount we depend on fossilfuels brought in from abroad,” he continued.“This yet again shows the need to continue tobuild on the success we have seen inrenewables as a way of helping us achieveenergy independence.”Boost for tidal powerAs well as wind, the huge potential of tidalpower has been highlighted in researchpublished by Oxford University. The report saysthat tidal turbines in the currents between theScottish mainland and the Orkney Islands couldgenerate up to 1.9 Gigawatts of power. Thereport is an extensive piece of research andcalculates that the Pentland Firth is one of thebest tidal energy sites in Europe. When othersites in Scottish waters are taken in to account,this points to the real possibility of marineenergy playing a serious part in the energyfuture of both Scotland and the UK.David Krohn, Wave and Tidal EnergyDevelopment Manager at RenewableUK said:“Scotland’s potential for developing tidal poweris amongst the highest in the world. While thePentland Firth is undoubtedly the jewel in thecrown, Scotland’s large coastline andarchipelagos contain a number of significantsites. Kyle Rhea and Islay are currently underdevelopment and have received upfront capitalsupport from the UK Government and theEuropean commission respectively. The CrownEstate has granted leases for a further 14 sitesacross Scotland, including the extremelypromising Cantick Head, Brough Ness andLashy Sound sites. In addition, technologicaladvancements made by the industry, such asfloating platforms, allow us to extract moreenergy from tidal flows.Meanwhile, George Osborne has announcedtax breaks for the fracking industry to encouragethe growth of the industry in the UK. Withindications that there may be enough shale gasto supply the country for 25 years, the Treasuryhas set a 30% tax rate for onshore shale gasproduction. Osborne said that he wanted tocreate the right conditions for industry toexplore and unlock shale gas potential in a waythat allows communities to share the benefits.Shale gas has huge potential for the UK’senergy mix, and the plans would make the UKthe “most generous” regime for shale gas inthe world, the government said.Register to receive your regular copy of Industrial TechnologyIndustrial Technology is the essential magazine for engineering designers, machine builders and systemsintegrators across all sectors of industry. Written by engineers for engineers, Industrial Technology provides amixture of lively comment, informed debate, educational articles and technology updates. Register today toreceive your free copy, and keep up to date with the latest design thinking and engineering news. And if youregister using the enclosed survey form, you could be one of three lucky winners of a case of wine.www.industrialtechnology.co.uk7