Recharge:

Stormy conditions drove wind to a new record-high share of Britain’s electricity supply that at one point hit 56% this weekend, said power market analysts.

The record level, in the early hours of Saturday 8 February, beat a previous high of 52.4% set in September 2019, said analysis from Drax Electric Insights.

Saturday also set a new record for highest share of power produced in a single day with 44.26%, said Drax, outstripping both nuclear and gas combined.

The wind power records came amid the arrival of storm Ciara, which caused havoc to travel and infrastructure across the UK this weekend – and left thousands of consumers without any power at all.

The UK has 13.57GW of onshore wind installed, and a world-leading 8.4GW offshore fleet.

The two are currently on very different trajectories, with onshore installations plunging as a result of adverse government policies, while offshore is booming after being included as a key part of the national industrial strategy.

[Andrew Lee]

More: Storm blows wind to record share of Britain’s electricity