Abstract This paper discusses the prospects for the large-scale use of wind power for electricity supply in Britain. Recent economic advances in wind energy are outlined, and it is shown that on windy sites, currently-available machines are among the cheapest generating options. The results from detailed studies of wind energy resources, and of the long-term integration of wind power on the UK supply system, are then summarized. These studies are applied together in probabilistic projections of wind energy and power system costs. Results suggest that, siting permitting, the economic long-term contribution of wind energy in Britain is likely to lie in the range of 20–50% of system demand. The most critical questions for wind development now relate to institutional issues and the desirability of the source on such scales.
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