onshore wind

  • Low carbon generation

    Understanding the evolution of the Irish electricity markets

    The Irish electricity sector has undergone significant change in recent years. The Integrated Single Electricity Market (I-SEM) arrangements introduced in 2018 fundamentally transformed the market framework to maximise competition, facilitate electricity wholesale trading, and incentivise the development of low-carbon generation sources. In parallel the physical system continues to evolve rapidly....

  • Low carbon generation

    Energy System Reform: Ofgem shares plans for Britain’s energy system

    Against the backdrop of record high and volatile energy prices, Ofgem set out on 8 July its view on key aspects of the GB energy system where it considers significant reform is required to deliver a resilient, low cost, low carbon energy sector. Recent developments in the energy market, such...

  • Low carbon generation

    What’s in store? Our analysis of the co-location development pipeline

    Amid underlying volatility in wholesale power prices, opportunities for access to wider flexibility revenue streams, and the impact of price cannibalisation, the case for co-location for renewable energy assets is growing. As part of Cornwall Insight’s Renewables Pipeline Tracker service, a case study is included in each report’s release based...

  • Low carbon generation

    RESS 2 – Five key insights

    Higher costs drive up auction clearing price It’s been a tumultuous couple of years since RESS 1. As the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine continues, stresses and strains are being felt across many sectors of the economy, and infrastructure is no exception. Pent up...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Cornwall Insight responds to the announcement of an Energy Bill in the Queen’s Speech

    The Queen’s Speech this week included a much-anticipated announcement that an Energy Bill will be introduced at some point over the next parliamentary session. The Bill is a logical conclusion of policy development in the period since the net zero commitment was made in the summer of 2019. It accommodates...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Cornwall Insight responds to the publication of the energy strategy  

    The Energy Security Strategy is a very political document that raises as many questions as it answers. There are clear favourites and as much can be read in to what is in the Strategy as what is not. 15 months on from the Powering Our Net Zero Future White Paper,...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Unlocking routes to market

    On 19 January 2022, a webinar hosted by Cornwall Insight in partnership with the law firm Weightmans focused on routes to market for renewable projects that may not secure a contract during the fourth allocation round of the 'Contracts for Difference' (CfD) auction, which opened in December 2021. In the...

  • Low carbon generation

    CfD Allocation Round 4 – let the competition begin

    2022 is set to hold what could be the largest Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction to date, Allocation Round (AR) 4, with government aiming to secure around 12GW of new renewables through the scheme. It will see the re-introduction of Pot 1 technologies (“established” technologies such as onshore wind and...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    In the midst of the Australian Energy Transformation Process

    Australia is in the midst of an energy supply and distribution transformation. This transition is twofold and includes not just bridging the gap from conventional fossil fuels to renewable technologies (due to their reduced carbon footprint, lower levelized cost of energy and improved reliability levels by comparation), but also requires...

  • Low carbon generation

    Up north and down south – trends for generator TNUoS charging

    The topic of generator Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) is becoming a subject of increasing interest for stakeholders as regulation, policy, and the generation mix create potential volatility for future charging trends. The significant costs posed through TNUoS are an important consideration for generators, with high variability between regions...

  • Low carbon generation

    Ireland to fall short of existing climate targets under BaU approach

    Published on 13 September, a report by the Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) has called for a new policy system to enable the rapid deployment of renewable electricity. The third in a series of four studies which make up the 70by30 Implementation Plan, Building Onshore Wind identifies policy changes required for Ireland to deliver the...

  • Low carbon generation

    RESS-won: renewables on the march

    Yesterday will be remembered as a good day for the Irish renewables industry, with the level of supported renewables capacity set to grow by over a quarter in the next 2-3 years. After years of waiting, the first Renewable Energy Support Scheme auction (RESS-1) results are here (provisionally, pending appeals)....

  • Low carbon generation

    CfD proposals turn the tide, but how many boats will rise remains unclear

    BEIS announced on 2 March a consultation on wide-ranging changes to the Contract for Difference (CfD) scheme, including the re-integration of Pot 1 technologies. This is a significant change in the direction of renewables policy. Our CEO Gareth Miller, who previously worked on designing and implementing the CfD contract in...

  • Low carbon generation

    Constraints – can’t stop loving you

    Do you remember Just under 10 years ago I worked at Ofgem, as part of a team focused on the electricity System Operator incentive scheme. Much of my time was spent evaluating expenditure by National Grid (now known as National Grid Electricity System Operator(ESO)) on their actions pre- and post-fault...

  • Low carbon generation

    The day after tomorrow: Onshore wind capacity

    The Irish transmission system operator, EirGrid, published its Tomorrow’s Energy Scenarios (TES) 2019 Report on 18 October. In this edition of the blog, we explore how an increase in installed onshore wind capacity will affect the Irish electricity grid based on three credible 2040 pathways set out by EirGrid. Click here to...

  • Low carbon generation

    Corporate PPAs: Signed, sealed… delivered?

    Back in April of this year, following Amazon’s announcement of Ireland’s first unsubsidised corporate power purchase agreement (CPPA), we asked if this Amazon deal signalled growth in this sector or whether this would be an isolated example. Since then, the Irish Government published the Climate Action Plan (CAP) in June,...

  • Low carbon generation

    Constrained development: Scottish wind and the issues of network charging

    Northern Scotland is home to a significant proportion of GB renewables, particularly onshore wind capacity. The region is also likely to be a leader in new capacity developments and we are working directly with a number of developers looking to finalise new subsidy-free projects here. Under subsidy schemes, there is...

  • Announcement

    New: Benchmark Power Curve service launched

    Cornwall Insight has recently launched its new Benchmark Power Curve (CI BPC) service to complement its already deep set of wholesale research subscription services. The CI BPC is a comprehensive market and asset-level power price modelling service that delivers long-term price forecasts, informed by industry-leading regulatory, market and policy expertise,...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Clarity on Capacity Market renewable ratings, but gap in government policy remains

    On 7 January, National Grid ESO published its consultation on the new de-rating factor methodology to be used for renewables participating in the Capacity Market (CM). The document forms a key part of the five-year review of the CM, for which a government call for evidence was published in August 2018.   In previous...

  • Low carbon generation

    Don’t you (forget about me): a future without coal in SEM?

    Record-setting daily wind generation output, increasing installed wind capacity and new renewable electricity support schemes all make for great headlines. However, the reality that 42% of generation in SEM last month came from renewables doesn’t feel like the exception, but the rule.   This high, and importantly, consistent wind output...

  • Low carbon generation

    Sunny afternoon – Ireland’s wind drought

    As the sun continues to bathe Ireland and Northern Ireland, spare a thought for the System Operator (SO). This enduring, recent (and unlikely) spell of good weather has a noticeable impacted on renewable generation across the island. What Met Éireann termed “dry, settled weather” is due to a high-pressure system...

  • Low carbon generation

    Wholesale price “cannibalisation effect” puts economics of renewables at risk

    Our research has revealed that as capacity and output from solar and windfarm projects increases in coming years, the “cannibalisation effect” is set to lower wholesale power prices to the extent that by the 2030s it could put at risk the viability of future renewables. With the withdrawal of government...

  • Low carbon generation

    Q118 FiT costs confirmed at £290mn

    Suppliers were invoiced for Q118 (January – March) Feed-in Tariff levelisation on 25 April, confirming total scheme costs for the quarter at just under £290mn. This consisted of £281.7mn in generation payments, £7.7mn in deemed export payments and £0.3mn in qualifying costs that help cover the supplier cost to administer...

  • Low carbon generation

    Ireland’s thermal plants sail into probing wind

    The level of wind penetration in Ireland is one of the highest in Europe. This has already had some major impacts on the market, including depressed wholesale prices; reduced running hours for some thermal plants; and curtailment of wind output. This week’s blog considers wider interactions of wind generation with...