Is onshore wind the least costly electricity generation technology?

Onshore wind generation is now the cheapest form of producing electricity in Britain, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF).  BNEF have put the levelised cost of electricity from onshore wind at $85 (£55) per megawatt hour compared with the costs of $114 (£75) for constructing coal or gas-fired plants.

The figures are assessed in dollars to allow international comparisons and the numbers drawn up are a 'levelised cost of energy,' which takes into account financing, intermittency and other issues, so that different technologies can be fairly compared.

The analysis has come after the Government has cut onshore wind subsidies.  Environmental groups have used the figures to suggest that the UK has been backing the wrong generation technologies.

For more information, help or advice please contact Andrew Davison on 0191 211 7950 or email [email protected].