High School

In the UK, the proportion of electricity generated using wind turbines is expected to increase significantly. Some opponents of wind turbines believe this increase will cause large fluctuations in the electricity supply.

Suggest one reason why this may be true.

Answer :

An increase in electricity generated from wind turbines can cause big supply fluctuations due to wind's variable nature, which does not always match the more consistent demand for electricity.

One reason why an increase in the proportion of electricity generated using wind turbines could lead to big fluctuations in the electricity supply is due to wind's inherent variability in nature. The wind energy production from turbines can be highly intermittent; on days when the wind is not blowing, little to no electricity would be generated, while on windy days there might be an excess. Contrast this with the typically steadier demand for electricity that shows only slight variability in daily or weekly patterns. To address these fluctuations, significant capacity overbuild or effective storage solutions, such as battery storage or pumped hydro storage, must be in place to ensure that supply can meet demand even when wind production is low.