Crown maps UK offshore picture

The Crown Estate has launched an interactive map that shows the estimated percentage of UK electricity demand being met by offshore wind on an hourly basis.

The map uses a range of publically available data to demonstrate the contribution offshore wind is making to the UK’s low carbon energy mix.

It can be broken down by individual wind farms to show the site capacity, operator, number of turbines, and current output. The map also shows wind speed and direction.

The Crown Estate said over the course of 2015 offshore wind is expected to meet an average of around 5% per cent of UK electricity demand.

The map is updated throughout the day and can reach highs of up to around 12% at peak operation.

“National Grid’s demand forecasting team enables variations in generation to be planned for and balanced across the system to ensure there is back-up power to cover low wind periods – and not too much in high wind periods,” the Crown Estate said.

Crown Estate director of energy, minerals and infrastructure Huub den Rooijen said: “The UK has more offshore wind turbines installed than the rest of the world put together and remains the most attractive country to invest in globally, but its success as a UK infrastructure story is not well known. We hope this map will inspire greater understanding of this sector, which is on course to meet 10 per cent of the UK’s electricity demand by 2020 and is already making a significant contribution to a secure, low carbon energy mix for the UK.”

Image: the Crown Estate