As Britain races towards a clean electricity system by 2030, one of the country’s biggest energy challenges may not be a lack of renewable generation but where that generation is built.
Hans-Georg von Lewinski, Head of International Development at Caeli. Image Credit: Caeli Wind GmbH
With annual electricity constraint costs forecast to rise sharply over the coming years, potentially reaching £8-10 billion a year by 2030 if network bottlenecks are not addressed, the need to reduce pressure on the grid has never been greater. Caeli, the specialist advisor on onshore wind farm locations, believes part of the solution starts with making better site selection decisions long before planning applications are submitted.
Constraint payments occur when electricity generated by wind farms cannot be transported to where it is needed because of limitations within the grid network. In these situations, wind farm operators are paid to reduce output while other power stations are paid to generate electricity closer to centers of demand, with the costs ultimately passed on to consumers.
While continued investment in grid infrastructure remains essential, Caeli believes smarter site selection also has an important role to play in reducing future constraint costs.
Caeli’s digital planning platform enables developers, landowners and investors to assess prospective wind farm locations by bringing together multiple datasets in a single platform.
Alongside wind resource, environmental constraints and planning considerations, it also evaluates grid availability and network capacity, helping identify sites where projects are more likely to secure efficient grid connections and operate without adding unnecessarily to future network congestion.
“Every wind turbine built in the right location delivers another step towards the Net Zero goals,” said Hans-Georg von Lewinski, Head of International Development at Caeli.
“Historically, site selection has focused on wind resource and land availability, with grid constraints often becoming an issue much later in the development process. If developers can understand those constraints from the outset, they can make better investment decisions, reduce project risk and help build a more efficient electricity system.”
The approach complements the significant investment already planned for Britain’s transmission network and supports the wider reforms being introduced by the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to improve the grid connections process and reduce balancing costs.
As the government accelerates the rollout of onshore wind, Caeli believes digital planning tools will play an increasingly important role in helping developers identify sites that are both commercially viable and better aligned with the electricity network.
“Building more renewable energy is essential, but where we build it matters just as much,” added Mr. von Lewinski. “Smarter site selection today can help reduce future constraint costs, make better use of the grid and deliver greater value for developers, consumers and the wider energy system.”