South West Renewable Energy Progress Report 2015 Sponsored by: 1 Foreword Contents A local success story: A global revolution Progress in 2014/2015 . 4 Renewable energy in the south west is growing at a pace that would have been hard to believe just a few years Progress by area . 6 ago. An astonishing £3 billion has been invested, creating nearly 13,000 jobs. Renewable energy now generates 14 percent of our electricity, enough to power approximately one million homes. 2020 and beyond . 8 The growth in 2014/15 was dominated by solar PV, which has benefited from falling prices, short installation Growth in jobs and investment . 10 times and the availability of capital. Renewable Energy Grid Collaboration Service . 11 The story in the south west of England is part of a global shift in investment from fossil fuels to clean energy. The international focus on climate change has shifted from the world of academia to the board room. Community energy . 12 How the south west compares . 14 “The race for renewable energy has passed a turning point. The world British Solar Renewables . 15 is now adding more capacity for renewable power each year than coal, Regen SW projects . 16 natural gas, and oil combined. And there's no going back.” Bloomberg New Energy Finance April 2015 Arts and energy programme . 18 A new partnership model Technology pages The south west is pioneering a new model of development that puts local communities at the heart of Anaerobic digestion . 20 renewable energy projects. Regen SW now supports over 250 community energy groups, which have generated over 7.4 GWh to date and there are over 20 shared developer/community ownership projects in the Biomass heat . 22 pipeline. Energy efficiency . 24 Falling prices and new technology Energy from waste . 25 The industry has shown it can deliver at scale and drive down costs – for solar PV and onshore wind, we can Heat pumps . 26 now talk seriously about the breakthrough point at which they become competitive without subsidy. There is also huge investment in storage and smart grids, which are critical technologies in maximising the value of Hydropower . 27 Regen SW passionately believes renewable energy renewables. Landfill and sewage gas . 28 and energy efficiency have a vital role at the heart 2020 and beyond Onshore wind . 30 of a prosperous and sustainable society. However, investment in projects, new technology, infrastructure and skills is still being hampered by mixed Solar PV . 32 policy messages, financial uncertainty and, in some areas, by planning and grid constraints. The government’s We are an independent not-for-profit working plans to stop onshore wind, still the most cost effective renewable technology, are particularly damaging. Solar thermal . 34 with industry, communities and the public sector Regen SW is calling for: Storage and smart grids . 35 to overcome barriers to the development of consistent and stable policy measures that reduce subsidies in line with falling costs, not political whim, and Offshore and marine . 36 renewables and energy efficiency, creating local that extend beyond 2020. jobs and benefiting local communities. a partnership between renewable energy companies and local communities at the heart of all projects. Local authority data . 40 investment in grid infrastructure and energy storage technologies. a joined up energy and industrial strategy that supports innovation, business investment and skills to create . To find out more about our work and join us visit The making of this report 42 long term economic growth. www .regensw .co .uk Meet the team . 43 The story of renewables in the south west is an inspiring example of what we can achieve. We invite you to work with us on a revolution in the way we generate, use and supply energy. Cover Photo: Triodos Renewables Written and produced by Regen SW Designed by Momentum Graphics Merlin Hyman Printing on 100 percent recycled paper on a Regen SW chief executive printing press powered by renewables 2 Renewable Energy Marketplace 16 March 2016 | Westpoint | Exeter The biggest renewable energy exhibition and conference in the south west Over 100 installers and suppliers with the latest products and services Progress Hear from industry experts on important energy initiatives and policies Find out the best way to reduce energy costs in 2014/15 www .renewableenergymarketplace .co .uk The south west of England is playing a leading role in the global shift to renewable energy. Renewable electricity Renewable heat Renewable electricity capacity in the south west increased by nearly 88 percent in 2014/15. Number Estimated Estimated Technology of projects Capacity Capacity We now generate 14 percent of our electricity from renewables – enough to power one generation generation (MW) (MW) million typical south west homes. Renewable heat capacity increased by 45 percent. (GWh) (GWh) However, we still have a long way to go. The south west currently meets 5.9 percent of its Anaerobic digestion 54 49.4 346 27.8 171 total energy demand from renewables – a long way short of our national 15 percent target. Biomass 3,414 - - 280.3 859 Energy from waste 4 17.0 119 - - Growth in renewables: Falling costs, relatively short project lead times Heat pumps 7,996 - - 77.2 149 and ready access to capital, has enabled solar Hydropower 132 10.6 34 - - Renewable energy capacity 80 percent capacity to jump by 112 percent, showing how rapid progress can be with the right conditions. Landfill gas 31 82.1 453 - - Renewable heat capapcity 45 percent Onshore wind 772 223.8 549 - - Renewable electricity capacity 88 percent Sewage gas 17 13.2 69 12.3 75 Number of installations 19 percent Highlights from this year include: Solar PV 92,385 1,810.0 1,760 - - Estimated total generation 63 percent Solar PV deployment has more than doubled, with over 1,800 MW now installed (page 32). Solar thermal 5,252 - - 14.8 10 The growth of solar across the south west has resulted in rapid increases in capacity in Wiltshire and Dorset (page 6). South west total 110,057 2,206 3,331 412 1,264 Anaerobic digestion and biogas projects continue to grow South west renewable across the region, with a total of six projects exporting gas to electricity generation delivers: the grid (page 20). The capacity of the electricity grid in the south west Biomass installed capacity has nearly doubled over the last has become the key barrier to renewable electricity year (page 22). 14 percent of south west total electrical demand installations and solar in particular. Investment in Wind capacity has increased with five megawatt scale reinforcement, storage and smarter use of the 1 million typical homes electrical demand projects commissioned this year (page 30). network will be key to continued progress. Investment in community energy projects has scaled up as large projects are being installed (page 10). South west renewable electricity Total renewable energy capacity by project scale and heat generation 3,000 Very large scale South west renewable energy capacity growth renewables (>10 MW) 3,500 3,000 120,000 Solar thermal Solar thermal 2,500 Large scale renewables Solar PV 3,000 Solar PV (1 MW to 10 MW) 2,500 100,000 Sewage gas Sewage gas 2,500 2,000 Medium scale renewables Onshore wind Onshore wind 2,000 80,000 (50 kW to 1 MW) 2,000 Landll gas Landll gas 1,500 1,500 60,000 Hydro 1,500 Hydro Small scale renewables Number of projects (4 kW to 50 kW) Heat pumps Heat pumps 1,000 1,000 40,000 1,000 Energy from waste Energy from waste Total capacity of project sizes (MW) Domestic scale Renewable energy generation (GWh) renewables (0 to 4 kW) 500 Biomass 500 500 20,000 Biomass Installed renewable energy capacity (MW) Anaerobic digestion Anaerobic digestion 0 0 0 Number of projects Electrical generation Heat generation 0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 (GWh) (GWh) Total capacity South West Renewable Energy Progress Report 2015 4 5 Galsworthy Wind Farm, Devon The 9.2 MW Ecotricity project at Galsworthy Farm in Torridge was the largest onshore wind project comissioned this year. Comissioned in November 2014, it is the sixth largest onshore wind project in Progress the south west, and second largest in Devon, behind the 66 MW Fullabrook Down wind farm. The four 2.3 MW turbines are among the largest machines in the region, which together generate enough by area electricity for nearly 7,000 typical homes. Courtesy of Ecotricity Devon and Cornwall continue to lead the way in renewable energy in the south west. Cornwall Renewable electricity Renewable heat has overtaken Devon on total capacity for the first time since 2011/12, having seen an 81 Number Estimated Estimated Area of projects Capacity Capacity percent increase over the year. However, due to a different mix of technologies, Devon actually generation generation (MW) (MW) generates more renewable energy - 1,099 GWh compared to 1,022 GWh. (GWh) (GWh) Cornwall 16,903 604.6 814 70.9 208 Devon 29,871 501.2 805 99.6 294 Dorset 14,053 243.8 349 38.2 121 Gloucestershire 10,647 125.1 221 57.6 165 Somerset 13,341 267.8 366 64.0 200 West of England 14,536 129.9 332 40.2 149 Wiltshire 10,706 333.7 444 41.9 127 South west total 110,057 2,206 3,331 412 1,264 Highlights from this year include: Wiltshire saw a surge in capacity, an increase of 218 MW on renewable energy capacity between them. last year. Christchurch accommodates the largest combined solar farms Somerset and Dorset also saw rapid growth, largely attributed of Parley Solar Farm phase one and two, totalling over 50 MW.