At 8am today wind, solar and nuclear power generated more electricity than coal and gas for first time ever inside the UK.
Renewable energy resources produced 18.7 gigawatts – enough power for more than 13 million homes.
https://twitter.com/NGControlRoom/status/872455334010466304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.independent.co.uk%2Fenvironment%2Fnuclear-power-solar-wind-provide-more-electricity-gas-coal-combined-first-time-renewable-energy-a7778541.html
Estimated totals provided by the national grid show Wind supplied 9.5 gigawatts, nuclear 8.2 gigawatts and solar 7.3 gigawatts. Gas only provided 7.2 gigawatts. and no electricity from coal was used at the time.
That means renewables alone represented 50.7% of demand.
Interestingly – according to Aurora Energy Research – the UK also experienced negative prices in electricity market for the first time.
GB experiences negative prices in the day ahead market for the first time #wind #renewables #energytransition pic.twitter.com/YgGUKIEIVq
— Aurora Energy Research (@AuroraER_Oxford) June 7, 2017
A combination of large amounts of wind power being produced from stormy weather and low demand meant some generators had to briefly pay energy suppliers to take the electricity they were producing in the early hours of the morning. (Sadly negative prices will not result in payouts to any domestic customers. Domestic power bills are charged on long term averages.)
