Concerns have been raised regarding the UK’s energy supply amid the ongoing crisis in fuel, electricity and gas prices.

Few can have failed to notice the ongoing UK energy crisis, affecting everything from petrol supplies, energy suppliers to gas prices.

Many have blamed the ongoing crisis — at least partially on wind power — and in particular the low wind speeds being generated by offshore wind. These concerns are not without merit and will be analysed in due course.

A 2021 gov.uk document entitled “UK energy in brief” provides a breakdown of the UK’s energy mix and was published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

For 2020 solar and wind power (mainly offshore wind power) provided 28.4% of the UK’s electricity needs, with 35.7% coming from natural gas, 16.1% from nuclear, coal providing 1.8%, “other renewables” generating 12.6% and hydropower generating only 2.2%. Oil and other fuels provided 3.3%.

This summer has seen an unseasonably mild autumn, with temperatures in the high teens to mid twenties centigrade.

As a result of the low wind speeds from the warm weather, the proportion of wind power in the UK energy mix has plummeted, meaning more natural gas has been needed to maintain the UK’s electricity supply.

For 2020 figures from the UK Energy Research Centre showed that the UK got 48% of its gas imports from Qatar (down from a previous high of 98% in 2011), 27% from the USA and 12% from Russia.

In terms of the UK’s future energy mix and security of supply, different proposals have been cited. One is nuclear, the second is to diversify our range of renewable energy sources. The UK has considerable tidal resources, as well as the prospect of developing onshore wind assets.

It is also worth noting that future generations of offshore wind turbines currently in the prototype phase are set to be built at higher altitudes, as the wind speed increases as you go further into the atmosphere.

As an important part of the energy mix providing power at low prices to UK consumers, offshore wind will continue to provide a key part of the UK’s energy needs in conjunction with other forms of energy generation.

Whatever the eventual solution, UK consumers will be hoping that the government works with trade bodies, entrepreneurs and innovators to help provide security of supply for British consumers.