More than 30 years making wind work for UK

We’ve supported wind energy in the UK since the beginning, when we built one of the country’s first onshore wind farms in Rhyd-y-Groes, Anglesey, in 1992. That first foray consisted of 22 turbines capable of generating 6.6MW of electricity - enough to power roughly 6,000 homes. 

In the early 2000s, we were also behind the UK’s first offshore farm, installing twin turbines off the coast of Blyth in Northumberland that helped pave the way for dozens of commercial projects and thousands more turbines in the decades since. 

Years later, we were a member of the consortium responsible for building the London array – a 175-turbine, 630MW project that now supplies as many as half a million households.  

But this is only part of the picture. 

Through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) we sign with renewable energy generators we’re able to help more renewable energy reach our UK customers, and the more PPAs we undertake, the more we support the UK’s transition to renewables more generally. 

How our PPAs support the future of wind energy 

PPAs don’t just allow us to provide renewable energy to our customers. They help support the UK’s renewable energy industry by putting capital and confidence back into the system and accelerating the rollout of new projects. Every agreement we undertake has the potential to do this in a number of ways: 

• By providing renewable generators with lasting, reliable routes to market. 
• By underwriting the construction of new renewable assets. 
• By making assets financially secure through covering maintenance and other costs. 

Perhaps most importantly, each PPA we sign builds confidence that renewables are a viable option for the UK. By supporting wind power in various forms since 1992, we’ve taken action to show consumers, investors, and government that we believe sustainable generation is the future, and we’re certain it was the right choice. 

The UK has produced more energy from wind than fossil fuels in two consecutive quarters so far this year, and according to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) wind is set to be 61.4% cheaper than natural gas in 2025. 

With wind power now generating more electricity, investment, employment, and interest every year, we’re proud to have got onboard early, and excited for an increasingly sustainable energy future. That’s why we fully support the new government’s efforts with Great British Energy. 

Why we support Great British Energy 

In July, the government made the welcome decision to lift the ban on new onshore windfarms, and GB energy has since announced a deal with the Crown Estate to lease land for new offshore projects that could generate between 20GW and 30GW of electricity and be ready to lease by the end of the decade. 

We fully support the government’s plans, because we know that more renewables mean: 

• Lower emissions and a positive impact for the environment. 
• Lower bills for consumers, with the government pledging £300 annual savings for households by 2030. 
• Energy independence and greater long-term security, removing the UK’s reliance on states like Russia. 

The government has further plans to halve the time it takes to bring new wind projects online, which will be crucial to helping the UK meet its 2030 net zero targets. 

As this process ramps up we will be ready to take on new PPAs, support new generators, and help build investment and confidence in the renewable sector as a whole. But we will also continue our commitment to make the country’s homes more energy efficient, because the less energy we waste, the less we need to generate to meet people’s needs. 

Building a more sustainable Britain with more affordable energy for all will require a holistic approach that considers cleaner generation, more efficient consumption, and greater innovation to empower consumers to make the right choices. GB Energy and its plans for wind power are a significant part of this, and we look forward to backing them every step of the way. 

To learn more about our history of supporting wind power, follow this link.