Vienna (Platts)--8Feb2013/541 am EST/1041 GMT
The expansion of wind power in Europe will probably not bring much-desired reductions in end user power bills, but the wider economic benefits of wind are often overlooked, panellists at the European Wind Energy Associations annual conference said Thursday. Panellists were asked whether wind power would bring lower power bills, as has been suggested by some renewable energy advocates, because it helps cut dependence on expensive oil and gas imports. "We continue to debate aesthetics and costs when the focus should be on the role of renewables in creating jobs and contributing to economic growth," said Reg Platt, researcher with UK think-tank the Institute for Public Policy Research. "Offshore wind alone could contribute GBP 3-10 billion ($4.7-15.4 billion) annually to the UK economy between 2010 and 2050," he said noting that some UK lawmakers -- including government ministers -- were instead calling wind power subsidies to be slashed. Article continues below...Platts 4th Annual European Power Generation ConferenceEuropean power: timing the tipping point: April 22-23, Dusseldorf, GermanyPlatts 4th annual European Power Generation conference will focus exclusively on power generation, with sessions addressing the latest trends and developments in conventional generation, renewables, large scale low carbon generation and biomass, market design and issues around infrastructure investment.
The expansion of wind power in Europe will probably not bring much-desired reductions in end user power bills, but the wider economic benefits of wind are often overlooked, panellists at the European Wind Energy Associations annual conference said Thursday. Panellists were asked whether wind power would bring lower power bills, as has been suggested by some renewable energy advocates, because it helps cut dependence on expensive oil and gas imports. "We continue to debate aesthetics and costs when the focus should be on the role of renewables in creating jobs and contributing to economic growth," said Reg Platt, researcher with UK think-tank the Institute for Public Policy Research. "Offshore wind alone could contribute GBP 3-10 billion ($4.7-15.4 billion) annually to the UK economy between 2010 and 2050," he said noting that some UK lawmakers -- including government ministers -- were instead calling wind power subsidies to be slashed.
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Platts 4th annual European Power Generation conference will focus exclusively on power generation, with sessions addressing the latest trends and developments in conventional generation, renewables, large scale low carbon generation and biomass, market design and issues around infrastructure investment.
But he said it was hard to explain the wider benefits of wind power to consumers who were focused on price. Fintan Whelan of Ireland's Renpower said: "Consumer bills alone reflect a narrow approach to the benefits of wind power. There is not enough debate over related benefits such as the effect on climate change, which do not show up in energy bills." Matthew Clancy, member of Ireland's Sustainable Energy Authority, said wholesale electricity price decreases were offset by higher costs for renewables support, leaving the consumer with no net gain. "Consumer power bills could rise marginally, but this in fact is highly related to costs of fossil fuels," he said.--George Hamilton, newsdesk@platts.com--Edited by Jeremy Lovell, jeremy_lovell@platts.com
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