GMB Union: Green Energy Arrogance ‘Not Acceptable’

There were over 1 ½ months of low wind days since June 2015 when wind was supplying 10% or less of the installed and connected wind capacity to the grid. When your electricity supply has “Gone with the Wind” the response of the renewable energy suppliers that “frankly my dear we don’t give a damn” is just not acceptable says GMB.

GMB Congress in Bournemouth was told that in the year from 1 June 2015 every 1 in 8 days has been a low wind day (46 days in total) when the output of the installed and connected wind turbines in the UK have produced 10% or less of the installed and connected capacity of 8,972MW.

The days of low wind were 5 days in June 2015, 2 days in July, 5 in August and September, 7 in October, 3 in November, 1 in December, 2 in January 2016, 3 in February, 6 in March, 1 in April, and 6 in May. (See notes to editors for sources and definitions and the low wind dates since June 2015)

Justin Bowden, GMB National Secretary, said:

“Over the last 12 months there were 46 days when wind was supplying 10% or less of the installed and connected wind capacity to the grid and on 4th November National Grid had to invoke special measures to keep the lights on.

Everyone gets that over time sensibly sourced and UK produced renewable energy sources makes sense, but in the real world of the here and now we have to keep the lights turned on, homes heated and the economy functioning. This means that on the days when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine we need a base load electricity capacity we can rely on.

“If your heating is turned off, your lights have gone out and your electricity supply has “Gone with the Wind”, the renewable energy suppliers cannot just shrug their shoulders and tell the public “frankly my dear we don’t give a damn”. The public want the lights to stay on, so until there is a scientific breakthrough on carbon capture or solar storage, then nuclear and gas are the only reliable shows in town which those advocating a renewable energy only policy have to accept.”

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