British offshore wind capacity growing

LONDON, June 26 (UPI) -- Offshore wind energy increased the most last year for any renewable energy resource available on the British grid, the government said Thursday.

The British Department of Energy and Climate Change published renewable energy data for 2013. Renewable resources last year accounted for 5.2 percent of all the energy consumed in the country, up from the 4.2 percent reported for 2012.

"Wind generation was the largest contributor to the overall increase in renewable electricity generation," the 13-page report said.

Offshore wind capacity increased by 52 percent and onshore wind by 40 percent. Combined, wind energy generated 28,4343 gigawatt hours of electricity for the British grid last year. Total wind energy represented 53 percent of the renewable electricity generated in 2013.

"The increases in wind generation were driven by high growth in installed capacity, as well as higher wind speeds across the year, and especially the final quarter," the DECC's report said.

The department said power generated from solar projects increased 51 percent from 2012. Power from biomass more than doubled as more coal plants were converted for biomass. Power generated from water resources was down 11 percent.