UK Wind Record

[nowty]

@dan_b, thanks for pointing out the Crown estate website, most Offshore wind farms are currently generating high 90's%.

https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/en-gb/ ... map/#tab-2

[dan_b]

No worries, it's a cool site that.
Wish there was an equivalent for all of the Uk's onshore turbines - be cool to see them all spinning in real time.

@dan_b, thanks for pointing out the Crown estate website, most Offshore wind farms are currently generating high 90's%.

https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/en-gb/ ... map/#tab-2

[nowty]

No worries, it's a cool site that.
Wish there was an equivalent for all of the Uk's onshore turbines - be cool to see them all spinning in real time.

@dan_b, thanks for pointing out the Crown estate website, most Offshore wind farms are currently generating high 90's%.

https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/en-gb/ ... map/#tab-2

There is this one, but it does not show capacity factor.
https://terravolt.co.uk/uk-grid-visual/

Click on the Onshore sector and it gives,

[dan_b]

21.1GW at 12.25!

[Mart]

I'm blown away!

I'm too old to be getting so excited at these new records ...... Shirley?

[Mart]

Anyone know why?

I see we're generating still from coal, and also oil/OCGT?
Could they be cheaper than ramping up CCGT at the moment?
But OCGT is less efficient? So perhaps it's just oil?
Also bio-mass looks low, which makes sense with so much wind, as it can demand follow, but runs contra to the oil bit?

Just wondering, as it really is quite fascinating, so any thoughts, ideas, or even wild ponderings would be appreciated.

[dan_b]

I am going to speculate, but perhaps coal, OCGT, oil and "Other" are all running (albeit at a low level) as part of contingency preparations for later in the winter when the expected gas shortage might hit - so basically testing that those generators of last resort actually work, and perhaps preserving the UK's own gas supply whilst they fill the partially re-opened Rough gas storage?

Does anyone know what "other" actually includes - is this the diesel generator sets in fields?

[Countrypaul]

https://gridwatch.templar.co.uk/ shows it as OCGT - but does not show oil, so I would expect it is OCGT rather than oil that is producing.
And https://gridwatch.co.uk/ shows OCGT producing and oil at 0.

As I suggested earlier weird isn't it?

[Marcus]

I was guessing occg & oil might be small generators working in outlying areas when the wind brings down the powerline.

[nowty]

Anyone know why?

I see we're generating still from coal, and also oil/OCGT?
Could they be cheaper than ramping up CCGT at the moment?
But OCGT is less efficient? So perhaps it's just oil?
Also bio-mass looks low, which makes sense with so much wind, as it can demand follow, but runs contra to the oil bit?

Just wondering, as it really is quite fascinating, so any thoughts, ideas, or even wild ponderings would be appreciated.

I've seen on other websites which split out oil and OCGT that oil is currently zero. A theory could be that this winter you need to minimise any unavailability so coal and OCGT need may need regular exercising.

Or for coal, stocks at power station are full but trainloads of the stuff are still being delivered so we have to use some to make space for the deliveries. I know that won't apply to the OCGT though.