Solar power plants produce two times more power than wind farms in 2020 with installed capacity of solar power plants exceeding wind farms 5 times – UWEA

Wind farms in Ukraine in 2020 produced 3.304 billion kWh of electricity, which is almost 50% less than solar power plants generated – 6.844 billion kWh, while the installed capacity of wind farms at the beginning of 2021 was 1.314 GW and it was 80% less than the capacity of solar power plants – 6.872 GW.

The presentation of Board Chairman of the Ukrainian Wind Energy Association (UWEA) Andriy Konechenkov, delivered during the conference devoted to the transition from feed-in tariff to market conditions held on Tuesday contains such data.

According to UWEA, as of April 1, 2021, the total installed capacity of wind farms in Ukraine increased from 1.314 GW to 1.4521 GW thanks to the construction of new facilities.

According to market participants, it is the problem of a significant imbalance in the structure of renewable capacities in favor of solar power plants that is the key problem in balancing the Integrated Power System (IPS) of Ukraine.

Wind power plants, unlike solar power plants, have a more uniform daily load schedule, a much higher installed capacity utilization factor (ICUF) and are distinguished by an increase in electricity production in winter, when energy consumption grows.

In the conditions of uniform distribution of wind generation facilities on the territory of the country, taking into account the optimal wind flows, the needs for balancing wind power plants through peak and replacement capacities are minimized.

At the same time, solar power plants are characterized by faster construction and payback periods, which led to the increased interest of investors in Ukraine in the implementation of projects in solar generation.

During the conference, Deputy Energy Minister Yuriy Boiko said that with the introduction of auctions for the construction of renewable energy sources, Ukraine will be able to establish the priority development of wind and bio-generation.

Source: www.en.interfax.com.ua