Coal back-up for wind power 'will cost £100bn' [National Wind Watch]

A leading power company has claimed wind energy is so unreliable that even if 13,000 turbines are built to meet EU renewable energy targets, they could be relied on to provide only 7 per cent of the country’s peak winter electricity demand.

E.On has argued that, during the coldest days of winter, so little wind blows that 92 per cent of installed wind capacity would have to be backed up by traditional power stations.

It argues this would require new coal-fired power stations to be built so they could be used in an emergency when little wind blows.

This, E.On suggests, will mean that, to meet renewable targets of 20 per cent of energy being provided from renewables by 2020, the UK’s installed power base will need to rise from 76 gigawatts today to more than 100GW.

The company estimates this could cost £100 billion.