{"id":287654,"date":"2023-11-12T12:59:13","date_gmt":"2023-11-12T11:59:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=287654"},"modified":"2023-11-12T12:59:16","modified_gmt":"2023-11-12T11:59:16","slug":"the-myth-of-cheap-offshore-wind-has-been-exposed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=287654","title":{"rendered":"The myth of cheap offshore wind has been exposed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The pervasive narrative about offshore wind in recent years has been that\u00a0costs are falling and that wind power is cheap<\/a>. But scratch below the surface and you find that things are not quite so rosy.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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By Net Zero Watch<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

London, 10 November\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/em>Net Zero Watch is calling for an investigation after it was\u00a0reported<\/a>\u00a0that ministers are considering doubling the guaranteed prices on offer for offshore windfarms next year to between \u00a370 and \u00a375\/MWh.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The news comes after this year\u2019s auction failed to attract any bids from offshore wind developers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Net Zero Watch director Andrew Montford<\/strong> said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust a few months ago, Whitehall was telling us that the cost of offshore wind was just \u00a344\/MWh. If this story is true, they will be effectively admitting that they have been lying. We must get to the bottom of why civil servants have consistently been underplaying offshore wind costs, despite repeatedly being warned that the underlying financial accounts of windfarms told a different story.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr John Constable<\/strong>, Net Zero Watch director of energy, said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cConsumers will continue to be forced to foot the bill for offshore wind farms that are expensive, unproductive, and destroy the economics of the grid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note<\/strong> for editors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2022, the offshore wind auction cleared at \u00a335\/MWh. However, these contracts were effectively options, allowing the holders to refuse to activate their contracts, and earn high windfall profits during the energy crisis.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2023, this loophole was closed, forcing developers to bid prices that reflected their underlying costs. As a result, no bids where received despite the price cap being raised to \u00a344\/MWh.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2017, Whitehall has claimed that offshore wind costs have fallen dramatically. Windfarm accounts show that this is not true.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These figures are in 2012 prices, so are considerably higher in today\u2019s money.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The pervasive narrative about offshore wind in recent years has been that\u00a0costs are falling and that wind power is cheap. But scratch below the surface and you find that things are not quite so rosy.\u00a0 By Net Zero Watch London, 10 November\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Net Zero Watch is calling for an investigation after it was\u00a0reported\u00a0that ministers are considering […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":287659,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"The pervasive narrative about offshore wind in recent years has been that\u00a0costs are falling and that wind power is cheap. But scratch below the surface and you find that things are not quite so rosy.\u00a0","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691824543,691824544,691824541,691823765,691824542],"class_list":{"0":"post-287654","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-andrew-montford","9":"tag-dr-john-constable-2","10":"tag-guaranteed-prices","11":"tag-investigation","12":"tag-offshore-windfarms","14":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/095-HAVE-WE-BLOWN-IT.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1cPA","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":275821,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=275821","url_meta":{"origin":287654,"position":0},"title":"Offshore Wind Subsidies On Course To Hit \u00a35bn This\u00a0Year","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"27\/08\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Latest data shows that offshore wind is once again being paid massive amounts in subsidies, as the market price of electricity gradually sinks back nearer to historic rates.","rel":"","context":"In \"CO2\"","block_context":{"text":"CO2","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=co2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0Offshore-Wind-Construction-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0Offshore-Wind-Construction-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0Offshore-Wind-Construction-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0Offshore-Wind-Construction-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0Offshore-Wind-Construction-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":280318,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=280318","url_meta":{"origin":287654,"position":1},"title":"Subsea cable failures could derail offshore wind ambitions \u2013 insurance costs \u2018becoming prohibitive\u2019","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"25\/09\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Another blow for net-zero dogmatists. More evidence that cheap offshore wind power doesn\u2019t exist and nobody can control its costs, or be sure of a good level of reliability.","rel":"","context":"In \"Energy Transition\"","block_context":{"text":"Energy Transition","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=energy-transition"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0subsea-cables.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0subsea-cables.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0subsea-cables.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0subsea-cables.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0subsea-cables.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":288130,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=288130","url_meta":{"origin":287654,"position":2},"title":"Government has surrendered to green lobbyists","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"20\/11\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"From The Net Zero Watch Generators awarded large and open-ended price increases to new offshore wind, with a minimum 66% increase. Government has offered further handouts contingent on delivery of a \u2018low carbon supply chain\u2019 and \u2018social benefits\u2019 This can only increase costs to consumers, who should expect hefty increases\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"66% price increase\"","block_context":{"text":"66% price increase","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=66-price-increase"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/8a5a2033-16e9-4fce-b6ba-afcc26fb7c45.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/8a5a2033-16e9-4fce-b6ba-afcc26fb7c45.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/8a5a2033-16e9-4fce-b6ba-afcc26fb7c45.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/8a5a2033-16e9-4fce-b6ba-afcc26fb7c45.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/8a5a2033-16e9-4fce-b6ba-afcc26fb7c45.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":278249,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=278249","url_meta":{"origin":287654,"position":3},"title":"Guardian: Offshore Wind Fail \u2013 The UK Government Must Make Cheap Renewables More Affordable","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"11\/09\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"\u2018Biggest clean energy disaster in years\u2019: UK auction secures no offshore windfarms","rel":"","context":"In \"British renewable investment\"","block_context":{"text":"British renewable investment","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=british-renewable-investment"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0Offshore_Wind_Power_shutterstock_486643192.jpg?fit=1200%2C560&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0Offshore_Wind_Power_shutterstock_486643192.jpg?fit=1200%2C560&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0Offshore_Wind_Power_shutterstock_486643192.jpg?fit=1200%2C560&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0Offshore_Wind_Power_shutterstock_486643192.jpg?fit=1200%2C560&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/0Offshore_Wind_Power_shutterstock_486643192.jpg?fit=1200%2C560&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":353655,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=353655","url_meta":{"origin":287654,"position":4},"title":"Nobody Wants to Build Wind Farms in the North\u00a0Sea","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"09\/12\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"It is disappointing, the minister said, that no one has yet participated in the largest tender for offshore wind turbines in Danish history","rel":"","context":"In \"Danish Energy Agency\"","block_context":{"text":"Danish Energy Agency","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=danish-energy-agency"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/00windturbines_denmark_wad.jpg?fit=1200%2C694&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/00windturbines_denmark_wad.jpg?fit=1200%2C694&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/00windturbines_denmark_wad.jpg?fit=1200%2C694&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/00windturbines_denmark_wad.jpg?fit=1200%2C694&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/00windturbines_denmark_wad.jpg?fit=1200%2C694&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":282409,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=282409","url_meta":{"origin":287654,"position":5},"title":"Four NY offshore projects ask for almost 50% price\u00a0rise","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"08\/10\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"From NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT By Paul Homewood We already know that some developers have pulled out of offshore wind projects off the US NE coast, as they are not viable. 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